• iocase@lemmy.zip
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    2 months ago

    Yeah you literally say it with a racist Japanese accent and they understand it perfectly. If you say the English loanword that’s the Etymon they have no idea what you’re saying.

    • db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 months ago

      Is it racism? I always thought that “engrisu” was just the normal way they transliterate. In Greek transliterated words also get “greekified” so as to better map in the language structure for example

      • petrol_sniff_king@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        2 months ago

        Not really. It just makes people (the speakers) feel uncomfortable, like they’re “making fun of the way they talk.” To be fair, that kind of transliteration doesn’t work all the time, and to assume it would might be racist? El spanish language-o does not-o just add -o sounds, and speaking like that would demonstrate a really poor understanding of who you’re talking to.

        • naeap@sopuli.xyz
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          2 months ago

          Well…

          I tried to get some ibuprofen in Italy and they didn’t understand me, until I’ve added an ‘a’ and called it ibuprofena
          Some languages are just build more on the rhythm or something

          But always found it funny, that just adding the stereotypical ‘-a’, ‘-o’ or ‘-e’ seems to resolve the misunderstanding

          Maybe I didn’t actually reply to your comment, but just wanted to share my association/memory…

          • petrol_sniff_king@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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            2 months ago

            That’s fine. I love sharing. :p

            It is funny how cultural mishaps like that happen, and it warms my heart every time two people can share a laugh about it.

    • tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip
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      2 months ago

      Pretty much the same the other way around too. If you tell Japanese speakers you do karadee or want to go to carryokee they probably won’t get it.