Well, cannot find my Japanese-English dictionary, and went to see what Babel fish would do with what I wanted. A Chinese translation would be acceptable, too
( Read more... )
I have two things that would be handy. This first scene in this Nuala short piece requires a Reader of Time or a Time Reader. They are people with a touch of the psychic who may have shamanic training, or may be more oracular (cards, coins, runes, palms.) People think they tell the future, but the readers believe they read the present -- by looking at things in ways others do not. This could be in Japanese or Chinese, because this future colony/government is Asian and the readers embrace both languages, just as they use whatever works for them personally for divination
( ... )
Huh. So I don't thinking translating it literally as “reader" is going to be the right idiom. Though for a future piece I guess it could be, as there's likely to be some idiomatic cross fertilization. A literal translation could be something like 时念 (shi nian - though nian has a sense of reading something outloud, or perhaps studying that thing). But something like "shi cai" (expert of time) might be a little closer to what you're aiming for. Cai is used in other contexts to denote expertise in specific magical arts (like 鬼才which is sometimes translated as wizard, but I'd call demonologist - or perhaps necromancer. Gui are ghosts or demons.) I'd definitely lean this way. (And amusingly, you could translate it as "Time Master" - though in terms of conventional translations you'd be stretching the point, as there are several other Chinese terms that are better translated as Master
( ... )
Well, the time readers are reading -- stones, coins, cards, etc. -- occasionally they get flashes of something, but they like to confirm it with a physical tool, unless it's really overwhelming and they're not sure they will get a shot at reporting the vision if they don't move fast. (As in space traders passing through the tavern for that night only, for example.) I could see a case for Shi Cai or Shi Nian. And honorifics definitely might play in here, if only young men showing courtesy to an elderly woman. They chose her table because they actually think she predicts the future
( ... )
For what it's worth, when someone is doing graduate work (or probably undergraduate work towards a degree) in a particular subject, they "nian" that subject. Cai, on the other hand, has more of a sense of talent, ability, or expertise
( ... )
I suppose one could even have some kind of progression, where you start out as a shenian - kind of a journeyman (probably not just a student) - progress into a shecai... and then very senior respected folks would be a shishi (时师 - totally different words, different tones, etc - though there are like twenty characters for shi pronounced in the fourth tone, and there are classic drinking rhymes where every character is some version of shi or si).
I remember the tongue-twister in Bridge of Birds that was referred to. The more I know about Chinese and Japanese, the more impressed I am by people who learn it as adults
( ... )
" I like your idea of multiple levels of learning for a time master -- that makes perfect sense for the culture. Laoshi -- is that three syllables? These are Chinese words, yes? That is your specialty, isn't it
( ... )
My understanding is that "Oriental" carries pretty unfortunate whiffs of imperialism and cultural weirdness with it, and is generally best not used. (Though some people will argue for its use regarding rugs.) You will run into people discussing whether there really is an "Asian" community, as opposed to a Chinese community, a Vietnamese community, etc - but there does seem to be an emergent pan-Asian identity.I ask because tides shift so much on these topics. Orient comes from the Latin for East, so it is a very Western shorthand saying. On the other hand, I know of an Anishinaabe who says that if you can't remember their name properly, he'd prefer Indian as opposed to Native American (since everyone born here is a native American.) Apparently he's not alone in that thinking
( ... )
definitely recommend deferring to those who know the lingo & nuances, but for playing around with finding new words to ask about, you might try Jeffery's:
Fermentation in beer and meed and pickles and .... thorough background and interesting side references to the yeasty communities and possible biological interactions with consumers of same - so far I've come across a couple of references to effects on immune biology that were interesting.
Comments 24
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
I remember the tongue-twister in Bridge of Birds that was referred to. The more I know about Chinese and Japanese, the more impressed I am by people who learn it as adults ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Reply
http://www.rut.org/cgi-bin/j-e/
look for variations like "seer" "observer" and such, or "grounded" for "walking" (or "hiking")....
Reply
Sends encouraging vibes.
OT Just started reading Katz's The Art of Fermentation. Most interesting. Have you seen it?
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment