u/AAMC08

こんにちは! Ever since I started to learn Japanese, Kanji has always been my favourite part, due to its fascinating history and development in Japan and all neighbouring countries. A while ago, I came across some articles and interesting charts about the development of Kana (both Hiragana and Katakana), which actually helps you to see what is probably the most important part of their evolutions: Hiragana (ひらがな/平仮名) came from the cursive script of Man'yogana, while Katakana (カタカナ/片仮名) originated from what seems to a process of character simpification.

I've been thing about that a lot for a while, so I'd like to know more facts about the development or even Kana itself, as for me it is one of the main wonders of the Japanese Language.

Disclaimer: I apologise for any mistake or imprecision in the text above. Anyone can feel free to correct me or even contribute.

よろしくお願いします!

Hi! I'm currently studying Japanese, but still, Chinese variations (or dialects) always have been an interesting topic for me, and I even plan to start learning Mandarin after finishing some JLPT exams.

Btw, a topic that really stands out are the Overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, especially those in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, with the latter having Mandarin as one of its official languages. While reading some articles, I've noticed a very big diversity within it, with groups such as the Hokkien, Hakka and Cantonese (please correct any mistakes) having a greater influence. So, after considering all the historical processes and cultural factors, I'd like to know what differences between the Southeast Asian variations and its "original" Mainland counterparts are worthy sharing.

Disclaimer: I apologise for any mistake or imprecision in the previous texts. Also, anyone can feel welcome to contribute.

こんばんは! I've been studying Japanese for two years, despite some interruptions due to school and some travels. This year, I bought both Genki I volumes (both the textbook ans workbook) in order to prepare myself to what's probably going to be my first JLPT experience, and to also revise some topics (I've used other materials as well). But at the same time, I wonder if it would be possible to finish everything until late October/November, considering the fact that I started the excercises on July and still have to plan other stuff. Also bought other books from the internet just in case.

If anyone wants to share their similar experiences or even tips, I'd appreciate it a lot!

よろしくお願いいたします！

皆さん、こんにちは! I've been studying Japanese for two years now, and Kanji is by far my favoutite topic. I recently came across some arcticles about how the Chinese transliterate foreign words only using their character's sounds, given the fact that Chinese languages don't have the advantage of an alphabet or syllabary. Then, I discovered Ateji, which seems to be the same thing, but in Japanese.

We all can agree that Katakana is very nice and efficient, but I have noticed that its use has actually been increased since the last century, and it made me wonder in what kinds of contexts people still prefer to use Ateji and if most can understand it. Anyone can also be free to send any kind of article about it or any other similar theme.

In the picture: Ateji form of "trash bin" (ゴミ入れ, gomi-ire) as "護美入れ".

 よろしくお願いいたします!

こんにちは! I'm a very big enthusiast of both Portuguese and Japanese History, given the rich and interesting content found in both timelines. A very well-known fact is the relationship between Nagasaki and Portugal, since its foundation through current times, where local influences such as the Catholic faith (reflected by the Kakure Kirishitan) and regional cuisine are clearly of Portuguese origin (being introduced by the Jesuits), even after the Shogunate ban.

On the other hand, the Dutch, one of Portugal's main rivals, also found space in Japanese trade, being the sole Europeans to do so after 1639 up to the Meiji Era. Dejima was for two whole centuries the only place where Westerners could set foot in Japan, even if they were only a few and had to deal with restrictions. A fun fact is that during the French Ocupation of the Netherlands, Dejima was one of the few places in the world, if not the only, to fly the Prinsenvlag.

Given the whole historical context, I would like to know about other facts besides the cuisine and religion that are of clear or partially Portuguese and Dutch influence.

ありがとうございます!

P.S.: From the photos:

1-2 - Dutch heritage: Dejima (now demolished) and the Hirado Dutch Trading Post, following a very typical style of the Netherlands.

3-4 - Nagasaki and Amakusa: Catholic legacy, reconised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

5 - Tempura, inspired by peixinhos da horta, a Portuguese traditional dish.

6 - A Padrão replica in Kagoshima Prefecture, celebrating the Portuguese landings in the 16th century.

7-8 - Bonus: Some pictures I took at the Padrão dos Descobrimentos in Lisbon, with a square decorated with a mappa mundi displaying the dates of Portuguese arrivals around the world

Hi! I'm an Architecture enthusiast who really likes traditional styles from all corners of the world. Japanese vernacular architecture is just beautiful, but while studying the Meiji Era, I have noticed that many buildings were built in Western styles considering the whole context of the time, and many still followed those aesthetics up until the 1930s. They really seem unique to me, given the dominance of Modern and Contemporary styles in Japanese cities. So, I really would like to know what cities or places in Japan have the highest concentration of preserved historic Western-style buildings.

In the photos, I included some really well-known examples in Tokyo (1-5), Yokohama (6-11), Kobe (11-12), Nagasaki (13-14) and Hakodate (15-16). It seems like secular buildings have a more Neoclassical/Beaux-Arts/Art-Deco approach, whereas churches follow a traditional Gothic revival character (French Catholic missionaries loved such style).

ありがとうございます！

Hello! I've been studying Japanese for almost two years now, and somehow I just wondered about this recently. I know that people often talk or even joke about the Kansai dialect when compared to Tokyo's (which is the basis for Hyōjungo), but how about the other dialects spoken throughout the country, and their intelligibility with the "standard" Tokyo one?

I also got a few questions about other languages within the Japonic family, such as the Ryukyuan Language and/or any other interesting fact worth sharing.

ありがとうございます!

Hi! I recently got very interested about the Sino-Tibetan language family and the whole diversity within China. After reading a lot of articles and watching some content, I was surprised to see the rise of Mandarin over regional languages (or dialects) such as Cantonese, Hokkien and Hakka over the last decades.

So, I really would like to know the extent of such languages/dialects currently, if people still use it in everyday situations, if there are any forms of media using them (despite Mandarin being the official language) and/or any other fact worth sharing.

谢谢你!

Well, I'm a self-taught person who has been studying Japanese for a while, despite a considerable pause due to school and travels. Now, I just got my own Genki material, but still no one to practise my speaking skills. I'd be very thankful to join a Discord server for the group activities.

ありがとうございます！