#when i hear native speakers

[j-exclamationmark-l]

Japanese and English are difficult. There are some things that are common to say in either that just don't sound natural when you try to translate it. One I get asked about a lot is "otsukare-sama desu." It's very common to say in Japanese, like acknowledging the hard work others have done or just said kind of at the end of work. Literally it's like "you've worked so hard today." But you don't really say that in English. I don't know what yall say when you finish work. Even in English settings I just say "otsukare" because it feels weird to just say goodbye when you finish work. Or like when I hear new Japanese speakers who are English natives trying to speak l, I hear a lot of "I" and "you" (watashi/anata) but it just sounds so clunky, it's usually implied. For example, "watashi ha aka ga suki desu" (I like red) is not technically grammatically incorrect but it's way more natural just to say "aka ga suki desu" ("like red," the "I" is just implied). There are some things that also might technically have the same meaning in a dictionary but to me just feel different. Like I know "mendokusai" and "annoying" are technically the same word but one has a different feeling from the other and I will use one instead of the other in casual conversation even if I'm not speaking that language right now because it's closer to how I feel. "I'm at the office and was told to go to the other office and come back to this office after that office and they won't just give me the paperwork until I go to the other one and get that first, mendoi naa." Or "あの子はまだ泣いているけど一人にして。たまに僕たちを覗いて、もし誰かが見ていたらまた大きい声で泣き続ける。 It's so annoying."

Linguists and multilinguals of Tumblr, I suddenly have a burning desire to know what language-to-language translation has the highest entropy of information; i.e. across what 2 languages does the most true meaning get lost in translation? I know simplified Chinese and English have a fairly high entropy and most latin languages have low entropy between them (I believe? I might be wrong). I'd also love to hear what you have to say about how one thinks in different languages. And also if you could help this question reach larger swaths of the internet through translating this post, it would be a massive help.

[leefail]

This is just a mini info dump from an Arab batfamily fan because I find Damian calling his siblings Akhi... adorable (for me as a native speaker watching a writer use Arab words) and, not painful, just... itchy, it URGES me to make a pptx with 300 slides and just? Talk about Arabic?

So... أخي, Akhi, Brother.

It's not incorrect. The word is used in the right place and delivers its intended meaning. Other Arab speakers might not find a problem with it. They'd feel odd like I did but will likely go "eh" and carry on. But I'm an Arabic enthusiast, so...

Like with every language with geographically widespread users, the Arabic tongue kind of- deviated from its roots. The language has naturally branched out into so many dialects I myself can't keep track of.

Arabs from different regions can understand each other. They use the same words but for different purposes and with different pronunciations.

The original root language that holds them all (Quranic Arabic) was simplified into an easier, standard version that is used for formal speeches and as a communication bridge (seeing that you can't, say, translate something to Arabic and say it's for all Arabs if you use a certain dialect. Because an Arabic dialect is an identity at this point, tell me somebody is Syrian, and I know them already)

Now, with the fun part.

See, no Arab calls any sibling of theirs Akhi, I myself would burst laughing if mine did.

Yakhoi يَخوي (nonstandard, everyday Arabic for o, brother) , maybe, if I'm calling a stranger from the streets or an offender I'm going to give a piece of my mind.

Or, hold your breaths, my brother is crying, and the lights are out and I NEED to use the tenderest, most loving, most adoring, most revering tone I could muster so he just knows he is loved and family. Y'know? This specific situation.

And other Arabs might just say, no, I use it when, I use it when, I don't use it, etc.

The point is, nobody will mention Akhi. Because it's a Standard Arabic word, a formal word, and a word used in translated texts and stories when a foreign character we don't consider part of us call their brother. It's weird, it's devoid of emotions, and it's like watching a robot trying to be emotional, but it's a translated text. That's what translated texts use, and it's fine.

It is fine, Standard Arabic has been used for stories so much that nobody questions its influence on a character's characterisation.

I'm not saying Standard Arabic shouldn't be used for story writing, quite the opposite, in fact. I'm just saying that if Arabic is used to represent an Arab, its usage should also consider an everyday Arab experience and manners.

Now to Damian.

Akhi is robotic. Damian's personality does allow him to fall under that category. If for his well refined manners and polite, formal speech.

But even the King wouldn't call his brother Akhi.

He'd call him by his name. For my community (and most, I'm sure) siblings are called by their names, and if we look up historic Quranic (Root) Arabic speakers, they, too, call their siblings by their name. Yes, even the Sultan.

If not by actual name, then either endearing or demeaning names.

Arabs LOVE endearing names, but they're dipped in a pool of honey I don't think Damian would like to dive in.

Talia, on the other hand, would most certainly call Damian Mama. Arab parents call their kids by their own titles. It's the ultimate expression of parental love of all times, in my opinion.

(Don't make Batman call him Papa, though. Pretty sure Damian would malfunction)

-

Well, I said all that, but watching writers include Arabic words in his vocabulary is still sweet. Tt is not even a word, but it's such an Arab thing it's my favourite.

If only I could make subtitles of everyday Arab talk and show you, their speech is heavy with, excuse my English, word softeners, it's like they're talking in a TV drama and not the real world.

Watching Damian adopting it would be interesting :D

[royalarchivist]

[A sad violin song plays over an image of a sad hamster]

Pac: This doesn't have anything to do with me – I wear a blue sweatshirt, you're crazy, this mouse doesn't even have a sweatshirt, this hamster! [Reading chat] Am I a depressed hamster?

[ Transcript continued ↓ ]*

–

Pac: Actually– that's fine! I embrace that idea – of course I'm going to be depressed, are you crazy? [He hits his desk, then starts counting off people on his fingers] Fit is gone, Richarlyson is gone, Ramon is gone, Bagi and Empanada who were always there when we were there are also gone, I haven't seen them! It's just me and Tubbo, and sometimes Philza shows up.

Pac: I lost Chume Labs, I lost the Favela, I lost Murder Mystery, I lost Ilha Chume Labs, it's crazy! Look at how much I've lost, and I've gained nothing! Of course I'm going to be depressed, are you crazy?! How am I supposed to be happy?!

Pac: [Reading chat] "You have us Pac," that's true, thank you. No, that's true, sorry.

* NOTE: Please note that this is an incomplete transcript, as I was primarily relying on Aypierre's translation mod at the time and if I am not confident of the translation, I do not include it. As always, please feel free to add on translations or message me corrections.

[bottombaron]

i think i've hit the limit of my Persian knowledge trying to translate Al Qolindar and it's driven me mad...

[lemonadeandlanguages]

Language mistakes that reveal how someone's native language works are really cute but it's even cuter when it's a mistake that's mirrored in both languages tbh

[grecoromanyaoi]

went to this rly good jewish restaurant (not the one in prev post) n a few things surprised me

- it was kosher but not in any way im used to. all the dishes were kosher, yes, but it wasnt a meat or dairy restaurant. it was both. there were dairy dishes n meat dishes n u could order them together if u so wished. maybe they had separate kitchens or at least separate tools but idk.

- all the waiters n i mean all of them were arabs. im not saying this in a 'oh they looked vaguely brown' way bc obv italians, west asians n north africans look v similar n have been breeding w each other like crazy throughout history. i mean this in a 'they spoke arabic between themselves way'. which was nice.

- i was the only italian speaking bitch there. me. a guy who doesnt speak italian. well at least i was the only one speaking italians w the waiters

[colourfullanguages]

look i love being a humanities student and all, but constantly debating everything and criticizing societal norms and views in every single lesson gets tiring really quickly. and today my prof said that most humanities academics are on the more liberal side of things. which is not at all surprising. but being too liberal is not necessarily a good thing.

it gets to a point where it's just like there is no right and there is no wrong. it just is. everything is just is.

[bmpmp3]

for the past couple years ive been slowly. slowly learning beginners japanese and its very fun and im enjoying it a lot but also it has made me painfully aware in ways i wasnt before of how much my specific vaguely ontario accent makes me make out sloppy style with my vowels. i am going at those vowel's tonsils. i am doing things to diphthongs you wouldnt even believe.

[cookinguptales]

I am currently listening to ep 32 of malevolent, and when the same person is putting on the voice of an old lady and some guy with a fake accent and you're listening to them through the floor, what chance do I have

I literally just read the entire scene, there was no way I was gonna catch any of that lmao

[lennon666]

One of the best songs ever actually

[hearth-of-olympus]

listening to the raven king rn and while i absolutely adore will patton's work i really really cant take laumonier seriously bc of the evil french accent

[inmirova]

In an ideal world, it would be a program for Deaf teachers, the government could even put it under vocational rehab if they wanted to! Unfortunately, even some Deaf schools don't employ many Deaf teachers and a lot of teaching jobs end up going to interpreters or just hearing & non-signing people instead. But you're right and I love what you said, we can hope 🩷

idk man. i just think itd be really cool if sign language classes were mandatory throughout primary school. yeah because it would make communication with deaf kids and autistic/nonverbal kids much easier. and those kids would be accessible to the others so they cold make friends and have healthy relationships. yeah. and kids would eat that shit up man. like their own little secret language? they love that.

[phaoi]

part of my preparation for my m&g this week will be surrounding myself with a lot of English content so that I can articulate myself properly when I meet them.. technically my English is very good & usually I have no problem with pronunciation but when I get nervous it all goes downhill rip

[tinkertea]

serious question is there an online translator for english to english with scottish accent

[kimmkitsuragi]

i was just thinking how language is so weird. why is it directly tied with what im into at any given time? i watch some succession and i start saying "uh-huh" as an answer to everything. i play some bg3 and i start to finish my sentences with "darling" unironically. i watch some dnp videos and suddenly my thought process is in british lingo + accent. many such cases

[ukulelegodparent]

Still can't get over the fact that my cousin sounds like a Kiwi