(no subject)

[maverynthia]

I'm doomed.....

I can't even thank someone properly.... BAH! T_T

The story:
I sent a note to Minato N. about her missing images she lost in a crash or something, translated by a "friend"
She posts an Oekaki on my BBS telling me (I assume by the online translation thingy) that she couldn't read a word of it..T_T *sob1*
Well, naturally I don't care all that much (really I do care very much..god I look like a fool now) and thank her anyways for the pic and using the magic of machine translation..I even go so far as to make sure the damn thing spits back the right (english) phrase...I also send her an e-mail..
Days pass....
Well, damn (I think) I'll thank her the best way I know how...I'll draw her a Thank You picture on HER BBS! *smiles all around*
Draw and post it with an English/Machine Japanese translation (also done to english spec spitting back...)
a day passes....
She responds! *smiles all around :D* I understand ONE word she wrote and that's the kanji for Japanese. *smile freezes* I translate the stuff in yes t"The Machine" TWO different machine who give TWO similar but different translations...
"Japanese it is not understood, is, don't you think?"
"There is nothing from Japanese"
*sob2*
My understanding of that crptic phrase is that again the machine has failed me...

I think I'll quit.....

Comments

Just a note...

[twotone]

Do you mean the post currently at the top of your Oekaki BBS?

It says:

いつぞやはメールをありがとうございました。
お礼にアーサーを描かせていただきました。
…って、日本語じゃわからないですかね(^_^;
英語話せないのでごめんなさい。
とりあえず何のキャラだけはわかってもらえると良いのですが。

Which says:

"Thank you very much for that e-mail!
As thanks, I drew this picture of Arthur-- but, uh, I guess you can't understand what I'm writing if it's in Japanese. I'm so sorry that I can't speak English. I do hope you can at least understand which character I'm drawing!"

While I can't say anything until I see whatever you originally wrote using the translator, my understanding is that Minato understood and appreciated your attempts at communication.

Edges towards cliff Re: Just a note...

[maverynthia.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the note ^_^ I really appreciate it...It helps to know that I at least was understood...though I no not what the original missing letter said..O_O *see below*
Well, the e-mail that was translated I don't have a copy of since it was sent years ago...O.o
But My response to the Oekaki is written.....(maybe I should change it..)

My post to HER Oekaki board: English-Machine
Thank you for the Oekaki!!
お絵描きに感謝します!!!

Here is M133 Dannie.
ここに、M133 Dannieがあります
___
Should have been Da-ni- but the dmned Language Bar Office XP~~~~ installed doesn't work with non-M$ products like Mozilla
----

Her response:
お絵描きありがとうございます～！
細かくて綺麗に描かれてますね。スゴイなぁ…。
…って、日本語じゃわからないですよね（＾_＾；
英語わからないのでごめんなさい。


Gods and here I though she didn't understand it and I give a long broken E-mail about he lost images and me replacing them.....*looks for nearest cliff*

It frustrates me to no end that Japanese isn't offer more commonly as a language one can take in college..especially a college that
1. Offers Computer Animation for video games
2. Is an INTERNATIONAL School...maybe I want to communicate with my roomate from Okinawa....
3. Has a share in stocks as SONY, Mitsubishi, and various others...

T_T If I only knew what and how.....Not only that I need a person to torture with my Japanese learning and someone like a teacher of a class is the best thing..... Not random Microman fans from Japan...T_T

So therefore:
1. I could read all this manga I have (that's for young <-- boys nontheless...)
2. Respond to people in a fandom dominated by the Japanese language (I have yet to find a true English speaking Microman (from NA and UK) fan. And poor Marin who speaks a small amount.....even then I feel like I'm bugging her or being rude..)
3. Whack "otaku" over the heads for being idiots and confusing Yaoi and Shonen-ai CONSTANTLY...(I've even been told it goes deeper than what the boys are doing to each other and if there is a plot or not, and more the way the comic is drawn and characters presented.......)
4. Learn a second language since English is so BORING to be the only spoken tongue I know...
5. To not look like an idiot in front of said fandom T_T Much less any other fandom....


(On another note...Transformers have been pardoned with the release of the Microforce. I had been blaming them for the death of the Microman line..)

Other note:
M133 Dannie is an obscure Microman character for people not familiar with the vintage 197x types, they were re-released during the 1999 era Microman, though I'm not sure if they (the modern 1999 era fandom)'d have taken interest in them harkening back to the 70's era and style....Maybe I should have responded with Odin after all...

More translations:

[twotone]

お絵描きありがとうございます～！

Thank you for your oekaki~!

細かくて綺麗に描かれてますね。スゴイなぁ…。

It's drawn very beautifully, with great detail. It's amazing...

…って、日本語じゃわからないですよね（＾_＾；

...But, uh, I guess you can't understand what I'm saying if I'm writing in Japanese.

英語わからないのでごめんなさい。

I'm sorry that I don't speak English.

If Japanese isn't a language option at your school (not entirely surprising; language options at universities were traditionally for "enriching the curriculum" via exposure to the European languages, and only in the last bunch of years have other languages come to be included. Coastal universities and business universities tend to have a better chance of offering non-European languages), have you considered investing in:

a) CD ROM or books on tape Japanese lessons? I believe several people on my friends list are teaching themselves Japanese that way.

b) Language exchanges with people at your university? My alma mater had a high number of Japanese exchange students, and many English-speaking students chose to have "English conversation tutorials" where they'd just go out for a cup of coffee, help the Japanese students perfect their English conversation skills, and learn Japanese phrases and such in exchange.

c) Community college classes, if they're available? (I'm mostly familiar with West Coast community college classes, which generally have Asian languages in addition to European ones. Depending on your community, your mileage may vary.)

Part of the difficulty is that a university or community college is unlikely to invest professors and materials in a language class unless they know for a fact that they'll have enough students enrolling to make the class possible.

This is more likely at business colleges (where they MUST learn Japanese to do business) and on the West Coast (where it's actually viable to get a degree in International Relations, due to the proximity to the Pacific Rim and the amount of business done with Asia in general).

I've had the experience of an "Advanced Placement Prep" prerequisite class being outright cancelled because they couldn't get the minimum class size... and that was for AP French, which is generally very popular in Canada. If you think it's frustrating when a course that you want isn't available, just imagine how frustrating it is when a REQUIRED course isn't available.

Re: More translations:

[maverynthia.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks again ^_^...Though I DID write the Japanese there..I know she doesn't write English, that's why I have a machinlation of it under the English. The English is just there in case somebody does know English and Japanese and wants to correct the machinlation. O.O
Basically, this is what I meant to say so this machinlation isn't what I meant to say...like that..
Though I uh..do sort of understand what she wrote..(except for the not understanding part that the machinlation dumped, that confused me..)

Hrm...before I do anymore Oekaki thanks pics I'll go learn me some Japanese...


a. I do have some software, but it's mostly naming obejects. (Except for わかりません which is "Don't know" and "don't understand" and I get it wrong if I click on the wrong one when they put both of them up there...) The second CD is entriely in Japanese so I have no clue what they are saying or want me to do in the first place.....
What software and books do they use? I have a pretty good book, but it has usually only ONE example of something near, but not what I want to say. Like
"I like that painting over there" and I want
"I like your painting"...

b. I'd never heard of these. O.o We do have a java hut, though I'm not sure if I could find where they live and such. Was it school sponsored?

c. No dice, I already looked. I can take Italian...o.o

Well, we have a large "otaku" community that would love to take the class if it was offered... I think a student petitioned, but haven't heard of anything since...

T_T I know the feeling about required courses being available...and not..I almost didn't get my 4 year max in because of it...

I hate living on the East Coast....


Note: I DID find an IME that works in Mozilla now..called NJStar Communicator.
I did wonder in there were any online group that are teaching Japanese (for free) and know enough to correct a bad phrase or offer a more suitable one..(and enjoy being tortured by st00dents)