I played that video yesterday and got a good chuckle out of it. I came down stairs this morning and my son was playing video games and mumbling BE-vair, Bea-va, Beeeva, Bevaireeee....I just about peed myself.

Most Japanese translated into English is phonetic anyway, bc if you can't read Japanese, well, you just can't sound it out or anything!

The thing with Americans though is we like to pronounce "G" as "J". Like nigiri sushi, lots of people say nee-jeer-y. It's nih-ghee-li. So good thing Shinja is with a J and not G so it's Shinja is Shin-jah, and not Shin-ga LMAO!

Oh man you should see some older Americans who eat at the restaurant next door, when they ask me what Uni's name is. Weenie? Looney? Winnie? And I'll say really slow Oooooh-neeee. They still can't get it. :rolleyes:

You get t make a face at ppl!

Say OH! (or ewwww because that's funnier) and then point at your knee!

Is it just me or is it hilarious even when people don't speak a word of each other's languages we all still try to use hand signals as though that helps enunciation-and then sometimes it does!

In my experience as well. Between names from all kinds of words and nationalities, and all of the personally designed names or altered spellings of more common names...'unique' names, I just ask any more. I am an IT professional, so if I have a question on the spelling of a name, I clarify it before I create their user account. How awful would it be to have someone's email address (their name) be incorrect? I'd fix it, of course, but so much better to not make that mistake. It's bad enough how many times their login is requested with incorrect spelling from their supv., etc...and I have no way to know until the user complains. :confused::p Of course, sometimes their user name makes a 'wrong' word in our configuration...I had that happen and refused to ceate an email account like that...with approval from my dept. head and HR, of course. :D All this stuff sure makes for interesting stories to tell, though! lol

Yes...lol I studied Spanish thru high school and we had to practice all that stuff...the exact sounds...in front of the class...lol...but I had no use for it for many, many years. I think I mentioned in an earlier post that due to backgrounds, some sounds can be very difficult for some people. It's funny that you mentioned the pronunciation of "L" which comes out like for a lot of Japanese people. I used to deal with many Japanese people and frequently. Other countries, too...we had overseas branches. They would come to the USA with presentations for our company...we worked closely with many Japanese companies. I have a photocopy of an overhead transparency where they spelled "electronics" on the slide as "erectronics"...we were good friends with them so got to tease them friendly-like over that one...lol

I don't know if anyone remembers it but there was a plane shot down supposedly over 'the wrong' air space in about '85. One of our Japanese friends was on that plane...we rushed things to make sure he would not miss his flight. We were horrified when we heard the news that his plane was shot down. I treasure the gifts he and the others brought me.

Absolutely...IMHO, too...lol We only have what we know to base things on. It's very enlightening to experience other places and their people...to read and learn...and the internet is such an invaluable tool especially if travel is not possible. It is not a replacement but does give some exposure, and a starting place. :D

lol

Joli and Somi are very cute names. I would not have guessed their origins, but I like their meanings and the names themselves. I would have guessed the "Jolie" pronunciation as you said but because it is pretty common has kinds of been made 'famous' and the spelling would have looked like a customization to me. I'd have been wrong, as you have explained...lol How do you say "Joli" ? With names from other nationalities, it can be even trickier. The USA does not have its own language...it's a combination of a lot of the languages of the people who came year from other countries back then. You need a phonetic de-coder ring to figure it out. The gramatical 'rules' have so many exceptions and variations...good for jokes...lol Some things you cannot be too serious about, but nothing wrong with trying. I don't understand 'experts' pronouncing words related to their 'field' incorrectly, though. I feel like they should have seen that material in school...lol

It sure it...but it's pro'ly as funny to them 'cuz doubtful their word for "knee" is the same as ours, and who knows what we've just communicated...lol They're pro'ly passing down the stories to their kids...lol

Maybe I shouldn't have put that "h" at the end. Now that I look at it again, it's ou-nee. "ou" like "through".

ETA:
There's a big trend here with young(ish) Asian lady divorcees remarrying or dating older (much older) white men (eww, but to each their own). Once in my old shop, a couple such as this came in. The man was talking about some earrings I had for sale, but speaking very loudly to the woman (his gf or DW) in broken English and using hand signals, like she would be able to understand him better that way.

And this thing was, she spoke English just fine! :eek:

LoL that's funny & sad!

I love how when people don't speak the same language people try talking louder like increased volume translates to instant learning of a language.

Have you watched he South Park episode where a sushi bar comes to town? that is THE funniest episode I have seen in a LONG time!

WHAT DA FRAK? :sidesplt:

Is "Biva" the correct pronunciation?

i thought she was calling him a beaver, but then im a southerner

According to German pronunciation with the "w" being pronounced as a "v", then BIVA or BIVAIR is correct. I still read it aw BEW- er though :)