Off Topic: Japanese Literature

[SilentRealm]

i know ya'll were joking, i was joking too. chill people, chill..

so is this going to be the new japanese language learning program here at the symphony x board? who else knows some.. tell us what words u know.


you know.. while i'm thinking about it, when you walk into a japanese store, the sales assistants call out something.. what it is they all call out? is it hajimemashite? it sounds something like that.

 

[Kate Bush Rules!]

KBR:
Here is a list of some recommended books that have been translated into English. (Some of them have been translated into a number of other languages as well.) They're all relatively accessible for the first-time J-lit reader. The names of the authors are last name first, following Japanese custom.

Thanks!

 

[Hyoukinmono]

you know.. while i'm thinking about it, when you walk into a japanese store, the sales assistants call out something.. what it is they all call out? is it hajimemashite? it sounds something like that.

It's "irasshaimase!" that they call (often yell) out. It scared the crap out of me the first time I walked into a store, since I wasn't expecting it.

Sometimes guys as fruit and vegetable stands and other vendors that are right out on the street just call out "irasshai, irasshai!" They do that all day and their voices start to sound like toads.

 

[RequiemX]

It's "irasshaimase!" that they call (often yell) out. It scared the crap out of me the first time I walked into a store, since I wasn't expecting it.

Sometimes guys as fruit and vegetable stands and other vendors that are right out on the street just call out "irasshai, irasshai!" They do that all day and their voices start to sound like toads.

Any idea what it means?

 

[Hyoukinmono]

"Irasshaimase" comes from the honorific verb "irassharu" which means, generally, "to be, "to go," or "to come," depending on the situation. It's conjugated here to become a command form, so "irasshaimase" is basically a very polite way of telling someone to come in. Its English equivalent in that context would be something like the greeting "Welcome." The verb is only used when talking about others, and not about yourself, since it's part of honorific speech. You would use a more "humble" verb when speaking of yourself...or when you want to be rude to someone.

That's probably a lot more information than you wanted, isn't it...
I was grading papers, so I guess I'm in teacher mode still.

 

[SchwerMetallMädchen]

I've read some mangas but never read any book

 

[Cat5Messiah]

Well, I haven't read anything because I can't read Nihongo. Chiisai ikeike!!