Translating sounds that do not have equivalent?

pugtm

Jewish Samurai

21 Apr 2007

567

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• 20 May 2007

• #1

How do you translate sounds into japanese that don't exist in Japanese.
For example my name is Avi Feygin. How would that be both written or said in Japanese. V and y don't exist.

 

Mike Cash

骨も命も皆此の土地に埋めよう

Twenty-year veteran

15 Mar 2002

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• 20 May 2007

• #2

It isn't done by a letter-for-letter transliteration.

"V" sounds typically get replaced by "b". I don't know where you get the idea that "Y" doesn't exist in Japanese. At any rate, it is moot since the "y" contributes nothing to the pronunciation of your name.

 

pugtm

Jewish Samurai

21 Apr 2007

567

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• 20 May 2007

• Thread starter
• #3

what are you talking about in my last name the y is not silent.

 

Grandpa Frank

Sempai

Admin

Twenty-year veteran

21 May 2003

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• 20 May 2007

• #4

Hummm??

Like Faa-why-gin instead of Faa-gin?

Uncle Frank

:?

 

pugtm

Jewish Samurai

21 Apr 2007

567

13

• 20 May 2007

• Thread starter
• #5

no its more like fey gin with a hard G.

 

Mikawa Ossan

いかんわ！

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17 Sep 2005

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• 20 May 2007

• #6

Not ever having actually heard your name, I would guess the following:
Avi

• アビ
• アビー
• アヴィ
• アヴィー

Feygin

• フェーギン

 

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

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Donor

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• 20 May 2007

• #7

Avi Feygin
アビ・フェイゲン
Would be the closest approximation, if it's pronounced the way I've heard it.

I think what Mike Cash meant is that the Y in your name is not pronounced like the japanese Y, since it is only used as part of a vowel sound. Your first name could probably be written a number of ways, depending on how you would prefer it pronounced. アビ is the simplest way to do it.

 

pugtm

Jewish Samurai

21 Apr 2007

567

13

• 20 May 2007

• Thread starter
• #8

what exactly is the character ー
the y is pronounced as a consonant at the end of a syllable by the way.

 

hideway

still hiding

8 Dec 2006

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• 20 May 2007

• #9

the ー character extends the vogal. アビー transcribed into romaji would be something like abii.

edit: not to be confused with 一 (ichi).

 

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

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• 20 May 2007

• #10

Fagin | Definition of Fagin by Merriam-Webster

Is this how your name is pronounced? If so, the y serves no actual phonetic purpose other than to mark the change in vowel quality.

The dash is a katakana character that means the preceding vowel is longer and doesn't change in quality; an extended monophtong.