Re: Sophie's rant about the dangers of "cool" Kanji...

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Posted by Christine on July 18, 2001 at 01:30:40:

In reply to: Sophie's rant about the dangers of "cool" Kanji... posted by BarefootSophie on July 16, 2001 at 15:03:52:

: Having seen the zillionth post in here asking for how to write
: something in Kanji, I feel a personal responsibility to warn you
: against using Kanji without an interpreter who really reads Kanji --

: and one whom you know and can trust! I have yet to meet a tattoo
: artist who knows Kanji except for the pictures people bring him
: (often off the Internet -- and OF COURSE everything that's on the
: Internet is true! Right?)
:
: Even without malicious intent, ignorance can get you in trouble if
: you don't keep one thing in mind: AMERICA IS NOT THE CENTER OF THE
: UNIVERSE; THEREFORE, NOT EVERY LANGUAGE WILL HAVE WORDS FOR
AMERICAN
: IDEAS OR THINGS.
: *sigh* I love my country, don't get me wrong, but there seems to be
a
: nationwide arrogance when it comes to dealing with other countries.
: Every language course I've taken involved learning "Does anyone
here
: speak English?" within the first two lessons, as if the world owed
it
: to us to learn *our* language and customs. To heck with their own...
:
: Okay, that's a rant for another time. Back to the dangers of
: transliteration (that's when you make up a word for something that
: doesn't cleanly translate). Back when Chevrolet introduced
: the "Nova," it seemed to do really well in the US, but for all
their
: marketing efforts, they couldn't sell that thing in Mexico if it
came
: with a free US citizenship! It's because "Nova" in English
describes
: a stellar phenomenon-- something presumably futuristic and really
: exciting. "No va" in Spanish, however, means "doesn't go."
:
: And more than a decade ago, when Eastern markets were really
starting
: to open up to the West (Anyone remember "Domo Origato, Mister
Roboto"
: or "Turning Japanese"?), the Coca-Cola company decided to reach out
: to China's roots by creating advertisement billboards in Kanji.
With
: apparently no forethought, they used Kanji to phonetically spell it
: out: Ko-Ka Ko-La.
: In Chinese, "Ko Ka Ko La," literally interpreted, means...
:
:
:
: "Bite the wax tadpole."
:
: Now you can't say nobody told you.

Oh, you are so right. I don't offer Kanji when i do henna, although i
get asked. Although i can write heiroglyphics (things you find in
continuing education courses for $30.00)kanji I think (I could be
wrong) more phonentic in meaning, so if you wrote it it would
translate way different in speech. That is like in the 80's when
kanji lettering on clothing was cool but yet sometimes they had nasty
meanings if you knew what the translation was. Sophie, i love your
rant....so true Bright Blessings, Christine

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: : Having seen the zillionth post in here asking for how to write : : something in Kanji, I feel a personal responsibility to warn you : : against using Kanji without an interpreter who really reads Kanji -- : : : and one whom you know and can trust! I have yet to meet a tattoo : : artist who knows Kanji except for the pictures people bring him : : (often off the Internet -- and OF COURSE everything that's on the : : Internet is true! Right?) : : : : Even without malicious intent, ignorance can get you in trouble if : : you don't keep one thing in mind: AMERICA IS NOT THE CENTER OF THE : : UNIVERSE; THEREFORE, NOT EVERY LANGUAGE WILL HAVE WORDS FOR : AMERICAN : : IDEAS OR THINGS. : : sigh I love my country, don't get me wrong, but there seems to be : a : : nationwide arrogance when it comes to dealing with other countries. : : Every language course I've taken involved learning "Does anyone : here : : speak English?" within the first two lessons, as if the world owed : it : : to us to learn our language and customs. To heck with their own... : : : : Okay, that's a rant for another time. Back to the dangers of : : transliteration (that's when you make up a word for something that : : doesn't cleanly translate). Back when Chevrolet introduced : : the "Nova," it seemed to do really well in the US, but for all : their : : marketing efforts, they couldn't sell that thing in Mexico if it : came : : with a free US citizenship! It's because "Nova" in English : describes : : a stellar phenomenon-- something presumably futuristic and really : : exciting. "No va" in Spanish, however, means "doesn't go." : : : : And more than a decade ago, when Eastern markets were really : starting : : to open up to the West (Anyone remember "Domo Origato, Mister : Roboto" : : or "Turning Japanese"?), the Coca-Cola company decided to reach out : : to China's roots by creating advertisement billboards in Kanji. : With : : apparently no forethought, they used Kanji to phonetically spell it : : out: Ko-Ka Ko-La. : : In Chinese, "Ko Ka Ko La," literally interpreted, means... : : : : : : : : "Bite the wax tadpole." : : : : Now you can't say nobody told you. : : : Oh, you are so right. I don't offer Kanji when i do henna, although i : get asked. Although i can write heiroglyphics (things you find in : continuing education courses for $30.00)kanji I think (I could be : wrong) more phonentic in meaning, so if you wrote it it would : translate way different in speech. That is like in the 80's when : kanji lettering on clothing was cool but yet sometimes they had nasty : meanings if you knew what the translation was. Sophie, i love your : rant....so true Bright Blessings, Christine
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