A language learners’ forum

Right now it is Italian's turn. Because of the quote below. Having said that, it is still Very Possible that some other languages will re-appear in this log, too, even within a 24 hours timeframe.

SGP wrote:By the way, I spoke to an Italian these days. In person (i.e. not through a voice call). Then I told him, "I speak Spanish, but not Italian. How long do you think it will take to be able to speak Italian, too?". He said, "three months maybe". So I am aiming for, e.g., two and a half. Sort of challenge, but without any actual Time Pressure Deadline.
("Speak" as in: verbally communicating. Not as in "being able to understand it and to use it for writing".)

Italian: Il nashi o pero giapponese (the Nashi pear tree)

Source: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrus_pyrifolia

"Il nashi (梨) o pero giapponese[1] (nome scientifico Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm.f.) Nakai, 1926) è un albero da frutto appartenente alla famiglia delle Rosacee[2] e al genere Pyrus, il cui frutto è comunemente conosciuto anche come pera-mela o pera asiatica. È molto conosciuto in oriente, dove è coltivato da molti secoli."

il pero: pear tree
la pera: pear (fruit)
(il / la) giapponese: Japanese, ES: jápones (m), japonesa (f, without an accent)
il nome: name
è: he/she/it is (essere)
l'albero (m): tree; ES: el árbol [R, not L as in IT], FR: l'arbre (m)
Rosacee: Rosaceae, a family of plants that ("obviously") includes roses, but also the apple tree and others
anche: also/too; FR: aussi
conosciuto: known

Italian: cioccolato (chocholate)

Source: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cioccolato

"Il cioccolato, o cioccolata (specie se fusa o da spalmare), è un alimento derivato dai semi dell'albero del cacao, ampiamente diffuso e consumato nel mondo intero."

derivato: derived.
(Not even "bothering" to look it up . It is clear enough because of the following combination: Context, Latin origin and similarity to English.)

ampiamente: widely, largely.
Similar phrase: in gran parte.

Diffuso: widespread (--> diffused)

nel: the proposition "in" combined with the "il" article.
So that one is special. It is one of these neat Italian Shortcut Words. They also have got their Spanish counterpart. ES del simply means "de el".

Do they also exist in French?

A (maybe one time only) reminder: As I already mentioned a short time ago, I would either quote complete texts, or parts of them only. So the following paragraph didn't directly follow the previous one, but there is something in between that I didn't cite at all. However, anything written between these neat Double Quotes doesn't contain any omission, unless indicated by [...] .

"Nella produzione industriale o comunque di minor pregio qualitativo, è preparato miscelando il burro di cacao (la parte grassa dei semi di cacao) con polvere di semi di cacao, zucchero e altri ingredienti facoltativi, come il latte, le mandorle, le nocciole, il pistacchio o altri aromi."

comunque: in any case
In this context. It has other meanings, too.

(il) pregio: value, merit; quality

miscelando: (non-literal) by mixing.
EN "misc." isn't entirely unrelated, I guess.

il burro de cacao: literally "the butter of cocoa"

grassa: fat; greasy; gross

polvere: powder, dust. DE: Pulver

mandorle (f): almonds; DE: Mandeln.
Singular: -a.

Romanian: SNES a.k.a. Super Nintendo Entertainment System
#LanguageLearningIsMyOnlyVideoGame #AllThingsCommunicationRelatedMatters #ReadingAboutFamiliarTopicsInALanguageIAmNotTooFamiliarWith

Source: https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Nin ... ent_System

"Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES pe scurt) este o consolă de jocuri pe 16 biți, lansată de Nintendo în Japonia în 1990. SNES a urmat Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) și a fost a doua consolă de jocuri produsă de Nintendo. În Japonia este cunoscută sub numele de Super Famicom. A avut succes atât în Japonia, cât și pe piața internațională, inclusiv în Europa, unde NES nu s-a vândut foarte bine."

pe scurt: lit. "for short".
pe: per (RO, EN, ...)
scurt: short; (EN) curt

@Romanian learners and speakers: Would you compare the Romanian silent letters to the, e.g., French ones? Or is it even easier? #Mindset #LearningAttitude

jocuri: this is about playing. One of these: game/games/to play.
(This entry is an example of something I intentionally didn't look up, even if it would take a few seconds only. #CombiningSeveralLearningStrategies)

lansată: launced. A similar word is found in ES, too.

produsă: produced. In this sentence, it is followed by "de". I.e. "produced of Nintendo".

cunoscută: known. Reminds me of FR.

sub numele de: "under (the) name of".

s-a: Not understanding it doesn't prevent from still grasping the gist.
Looks like one of these Common Phrase Abbreviations that are also found in French.

vândut: sold. (--> vendor)
foarte: very (--> force)
bine: good/well

"Istoric

Chiar dacă NES a obținut o popularitate uriașă, a fost în 1988 pus sub presiunea unei concurențe puternice din partea Sega Mega Drive (Sega Genesis in America de Nord), care a fost mult mai avansată și puternică decât NES. Nintendo a recunoscut că a avut nevoie de o nouă consolă pentru a-și menține avantajul în industria de console de jocuri."

Istoric: The meaning is way too obvious. But (mentally) noting that it is written without an H.

obținut: like EN obtained

o popularitate uriașă: a great popularity

avansată: advanded. The last vowel is pronounced differently than the first.

avantajul: advantage, benefit.

Now it is Japanese's turn. Started listening right now.

One-time note about any Japanese Lyrics Citations:
I would always mention their source, then quote them just as I would quote anything else.
But not guaranteeing for the full accuracy of any of the following:

- Hiragana Katakana Kanji Original Text

- Romaji transcription (although mistakes are easier to spot for me, and if I do spot one, I would indicate it)

- Any English translation included in the citation's source

My own work would be to highlight some words and write notes. Just like I did in the previous posts (IT, RO).

Japanese: オーバーザタイムダンス (Over The Time Dance) by EasyPop
Part one

JP lyrics and translation source mentioned at this post's end

" 容赦なしのアラームと Yousha nashi no araamu to
the unmerciful alarm and

流行り廃りを騒ぐ画面 Hayari sutari o sawagu gamen
the boisterous screen full of things going in and out of fashion

興奮剤頼りの毎日じゃ Koufunzai tayori no mainichi ya
by relying on stimulants every day,

そりゃ息切れも早いでしょ Sorya ikigire mo hayai desho

you'd also lose momentum quickly right"

Yousha/yoosha: mercy, forgiveness

nashi: without; pear or the Japanese pear specifically (just saying)

mainichi まいにち 【 毎日 】: every day.

soreha, sorya, soryaa それは · そりゃ · そりゃあ : very, extremely; that is

ikigire いきぎれ 【 息切れ 】 : shortness of breath; losing momentum

mo: also/too.
Example: "anata mo ima", "now you too" (as in: "now it's your turn").

hayai はやい: fast; (too) / quickly / early; premature; easy

deshoo, desho でしょう · でしょ : I think, don't you agree?, ...
Also used for Japanese politeness.

I would have liked this post to be a bit longer (covering two or three lyrics paragraphs instead of one). However, because some other languages are still ("even") easier for me than JP, taking a break feels like a way of progressing more, rather than less. As they say, "less is more" sometimes.

Source: vocaloidlyrics.fandom.com/wiki/%E3%82%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%90%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B6%E3%82%BF%E3%82%A4%E3%83%A0%E3%83%80%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B9_%28Over_The_Time_Dance%29

Japanese: オーバーザタイムダンス (Over The Time Dance) by EasyPop
Part two

JP lyrics and translation source already mentioned in the previous post

Still writing some notes. But the main focus is on color-coding right now. Writing lesser notes for the purpose of being able to write more of them in the future. The first person solving this riddle wins a Virtual Prize! Disambiguation : I really do mean it.

" 他人のやること　なすことが Hito no yaru koto nasu koto ga
the things other people do,

うらやましくて　悔しくて Urayamashikute kuyashikute
and achieve are envious, and vexing

ちっぽけな自分と戦って Chippoke na jibun to tatakatte
fighting with your small own self,

今日も変わらず　時は過ぎる Kyou mo kawarazu toki wa sugiru
today is no different, time passes"

nasu: this is about doing or accomplishing. Looks like the infinitive to me.

tatakatte --> tatakau たたかう: to battle, to combat, to struggle against

jibun: oneself. But also used as an alternative for "watashi" and others. --> FR "on".

kyou/kyoo きょう: today; these days

" 月日を重ねて　いろんな色に Tsuki hi o kasanete iron'na iro ni
as the months and days pass one after another,

染まったこの感情　裏返して Somatta kono kanjou uragaeshite
this feeling dyed by many colors, turn inside out

あの日と変わらない　胸の奥にある Ano hi to kawaranai mune no oku ni aru
it's no different from that day,

喜びと悲しみ　歌うよ Yoro kobi to kanashimi utau yo
I sing the happiness and sadness in my chest"

yorokobi: joy, happiness

kanashimi: sadness, sorrow

Japanese: オーバーザタイムダンス (Over The Time Dance) by EasyPop
Part three (the final one about this song)

JP lyrics and translation source already mentioned above

" 後悔したくないなら Koukai shitakunai nara
if you don't want to regret,

ほら　見てないで Hora mitenaide
hey, don't look

出来る事から始めようか Dekiru koto kara hajimeyou ka
let's do something we are able to do, ok?"

"dekiru koto" is about doing something. "koto" means thing/things". I know this phrase too well already, it is included in "Happy Synthesizer [JP original]" after all.

"自分にはウソつけない　だからそう Jibun ni wa uso tsukenai dakara sou
don't tell a lie to yourself, and so

未来で笑ってたい　なら Mirai de warattetai nara
if you want to smile towards the future,

ほら　動かなきゃ Hora ugokanakya
then hey, you'll need to get moving

目の前の事から一つずつ Me no mae no koto kara hitotsuzutsu
from what's in front of you, take it one at a time "

One of the conclusions drawn from this Real World Japanese Exercise: some things wouldn't be literally translated at all.

Jamaican Patois: Manggo

After some interesting but also a bit exhausting JP listening, grammar decoding, etc., it is time for something even easier. Jumiekan Patwa.

Source: https://jam.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manggo

Blue: words that were understood without looking them up. Because of being close to English, or already known.
Green: the same, but it took me longer to realize that they are "close enuff to English", too.

"Manggo dem a frahn fi jiinos a Mangifera; i ab uoliip a spiishiz a trapikal trii dem we bier fruut ina di flowain plaant fambli we niem Anacardiaceae. Di manggo kom bout ina hIndia, but ide ina uoliip a riijan dem aal uova di wol. Manggo dem a fruut we dem yuuz fi yuuz di muos fi i juus, flieva, an kola;"

Jamaican Patois: Frans (France)

Source: https://jam.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frans

"Frans (ofishali di French Ripoblik) a wah konchri ina westan Yuurop. Ibaada Beljiom, Logzimboerg, Joermani, Suitsalan, Itali, Spien, ah Anduora. Ikiapital a Paris, ah di ofishal languij a French."

wah: what; there possibly are some other meanings. "A wah" is a Very Common Patois Phrase.

Not colorizing anything in the following quote (otherwise most of it would be blue anyway). Simply telling you about an observation that just has been made. After learning some more Genuine Pure Patois words, understanding the rest can be even easier.

Source: https://jam.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joermani

"Joermani, ofishali di Fedaral Ripoblik a Joermani (Joerman: Bundesrepublik Deutschland), a wah konchri ina wes senchral Yuurop. Ibaada di Nedalanz, Beljiom, Logzimboerg, Frans, Suitsalan, Aschria, Chekia, Puolan, ah Denmaak. Ikompraiz a sixtiin stiet, ah di kiapital a Boerlin. Di ofishal languij a Joerman.

Juurin di Ruoman piiriad, i eh-inabit bai vierios Joermanik piipl. Lieta, ina di naint ah tent senchri, ibikomps wah senchral paat a di Uoli Ruoman Empaya, we laas tel 1806, wen Napuolian dizalbi. Juurin di naintiint senchri, aal a prezant-die Joermani tek uoba bai Prosha, ah faam ina di Joerman Empaya."