Archive for 'Pronunciation'
Kirakira Name and Shiwashiwa Name Posted by eriko1 on Sep 29, 2021
I have talked about kanji in the last blog. Today, I will talk about kirakira names (キラキラネーム). So what are kirakira names? They are names that sparkle, shine, and twinkle. Most of them are very unusual – parents come up with sounds or rhythms they like, and apply kanji that may not relate to the…
Flattening Accents Posted by eriko1 on Mar 15, 2021
I have been always interested in teenage vernacular (特有の言葉 tokuyu no kotoba). My senior thesis was on the teenage vernacular in Southern California. Teenagers are experts (専門家senmonka) in creating new words as they are not bound by rules. They are creative in any language. Some new words are born and die, while others gain status…