#arnei

arnei hat auf deinen Eintrag geantwortet “All this translation chat has gotten me curious; would you say that...”

Theoretically, if you wanted to specifically say "I'm a cat" in japanese you could say "Watashi ha neko da", right? But although that is (probably) grammatically correct, it would also be a very unnatural way of expressing it, right?

The thing with that is, that even “watashi wa neko da” isn’t really unambiguous. Even if it’s completely correct to translate it as “I am a cat” (which is what it will probably mean in most cases), it’s by far not the only meaning that sentence can have. That’s because the particle “wa” doesn’t indicate the subject of a sentence, but its theme.

As a result, the “literal” translation of “watashi wa neko da” would be:

“Me: is cat.” 

While in a neutral context this clearly means “I am a cat”, in certain situations, this sentence can mean something else entirely. For example, imagine it’s being said as a reply to the question “What’s your favorite animal?” In that case “watashi wa neko da” wouldn’t mean “I am a cat.” but “Mine is the cat”. 

Likewise, if “watashi wa neko da” were said by a little girl at a pet store, you can be pretty sure she’s trying to say “I, for one, want a cat!” and not that she’s a cat herself.

(Dunno how to link on tumblr, so... If you want to hear the soundfile in question, it is in the video "Persona 4 Arena: Shadow Labrys Voice Clip [Japanese-Japones] " at 6:07)

Oh, she’s not saying “korero”, but “Kowareru”, so it’s “Everbody is going to break... YOU’LL BREAK!”

@arnei

Yo Neni,

you probably already got a ton of better sources, but if you’d like some more pictures of the Persona 20th Anniversary, i got some on my picture dumb side-blog thing. Crappy quality, but hopefully still entertaining.

http://arnes-yokohama-adventure.tumblr.com/

I also digitalized the anniversary booklet, just with my phone, but I believe it is still readable. May it be of more use to you than it currently is to me.

http://imgur.com/a/BqZUM

That feeling of rejoice when Neni is back, but that feeling of sadness when you can’t read half her posts because they could contain P5 spoilers. So bittersweet <3

I don’t post any spoilers from the game tho, and even if something is slightly spoiler-y, I tag with “persona 5 spoilers”

(Source to previous question: P3P, as well as Fire Emblem Awakening and Fates)

Honestly, I don’t know. It might have to do with common protagonist stereotypes in Anime and games that have endured though. Like, Shoujo and Magical Girl Anime have set a standard for female protagonist being perky girls with a prominent smile, while silent male protagonists have had “cool”-looking, expressionless portraits ever since the SNES days, and that’s just lasted. I mean, even friggin’ Pokemon’s protag was like:

I would probably need to make shorter, pointed episodes then, agreed, but I think at very least bi-weekly is doable and, let’s be serious. If I ever actually reach that 500$ milestone, I owe the universe doing that much work. X_X

Technically, one of these videos takes me 3-4 days to make, so it’s possible. It’s just gonna be a little daunting, but if the demand is there, I can manage.

Dear @arnei,

I know, right? Son, I am dissapoint.

Ghhh...!! Get back to your pitiful existance, you old hag!!

~Primordial Goddess, Izanami