Translating sounds that do not have equivalent?

[pugtm]

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]

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]

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

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Hummm??

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

Uncle Frank

:?

 

[pugtm]

no its more like fey gin with a hard G.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

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]

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]

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

 

[hideway]

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]

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.