By Max. What is Katakana Katakana is the phonetic written Japanese language (there are a total three written Japanese languages.) Katakana is simpler

By Max

What is Katakana

• Katakana is the phonetic written Japanese language (there are a total three written Japanese languages.)

• Katakana is simpler than the Chinese based characters, but other than that, why have a third language?

Reasons for existing

• Katakana is necessary because there are some words that cannot be translated, such as names.

• Other words that cannot be translated are made up words (ie: flubber,) and words that have just been invented (ie: recent scientific discoveries.)

Think of an already translated word, or an untranslatable word

Does the first syllable start with…

Pronunciation Key

Learn katakanawith the languagefish

Where did I get these pictures?

A

E

I

ODoes your next syllable start with…

Vowels

U

Which consonant?

CHI

FU

SHI

TSU

H

K

M

N

R

S

T

Y

CHI

Does your next syllable start with…

FU


SHI


TSU


H


HA

HE

HI

HO

K


KA

KE

KI

KO

KU

M


MA

ME

MI

MU

MO

N


NA

NE

NU

NI

NO

R


RA

RE

RI

RU

RO

S


SA

SE

SU

SO

T


TA

TE

TO

Y


YA

YU

YO

• The three particles of Japanese speech are:– Ga, or wa

– Ni

– O, or wo

• The particles denote the part of speech:– Wa goes between the

subject and the direct object

– Ni goes between the direct object, and the indirect object

– O goes between the indirect object and the verb

Pronunciation key

• All of the consonants are pronounced normally.

• A is pronounced ah

• E is pronounced ay

• I is pronounced ee

• O is pronounced oh

• U is pronounced oo

Where I got the pictures

• I got the pictures from: – The Katakana Writing Tour at

http://members.aol.com/writejapan/katakana/writutor.htm

– Babel fish at http://babelfish.altavista.com/



http://babelfish.altavista.com/

Documents

By Max. What is Katakana Katakana is the phonetic written Japanese language (there are a total three written Japanese languages.) Katakana is simpler