Korean or Japanese - which is easier?

etc.   Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:56 pm GMT
Korean cuz it has sort of an alphabet.
andis   Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:45 pm GMT
Super Korean,
> "Kami (かみ)" is a native Japanese word but they write it in Kanji "神" and that's why I said reading Japanese can be super complicated.
> "Watashi" which means "I/Me" can be written in either "私" or "わたし"
> 私 can be read in "Watashi" or just "Shi."

I agree with you about the reading Written Japanese can be super complicated for non-native Japanese speakers.

The Kanji "神" (meaning: god, ghost or spirit), its pronunciation is "jin". That is a loanword from Literary Chinese. If the native Japanese word "Kami" is only written in the script of Kana "かみ" (Kami), not in the script of Kanji "神" (jin) which will be better for non-native readers.
I hunt for cats with blow   Sun Mar 22, 2009 6:59 pm GMT
Japanese is the easiest Asian language for any Westerner. Vietnamese language, as well as Chinese and Korean are all death-threats for the rest of the World. Lets pray to Gods they all die off as soon as possible. Especially Vietnamese, which sounds like a cat fight...mau-au-iau-iau-ie-ieau-aaaou-auauauauuu...
blanchette   Sun Mar 22, 2009 7:05 pm GMT
Japanese is the easiest Asian language for any Westerner

Probably the pronunciation What about its grammar and syntax?? Japanese isn't easy at all. I reckon Japanese is as difficult as Korean on the whole. As far as I know the easiest Asian language should be Indonesian....
Hunt cats with blow darts   Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:12 am GMT
Pronunciation is the main problem when learning a language, I believe, and with the right attitude and hard work, any grammar and syntax can be overcome. But pronunciation...that's what makes a language a death sentence. Yes, I think that Japanese is the easiest Asian language to learn for any non-Asian.
andis   Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:06 pm GMT
Leasnam,
> This is how I've always believed it to be: that 'kami' is from or related to the Ainu word 'kamui' meaning "god", "spirit"

In the territories of North East Asia (Ainu areas), Scandinavia and Britainia many place name with the original meanings that only can be explained in Old Hokkienese. The languages of these territories may be existing a substratum in them at the ancient time.

So, I believed your point that "kami" is from or related to the Ainu word "kamui" (meaning: god, spirit) that is right.
julien   Fri Mar 27, 2009 3:08 pm GMT
korean
andis   Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:58 pm GMT
Leasnam,

Did you have the version of Epics of Kamui.
rune   Fri Apr 10, 2009 2:13 pm GMT
> Guest,
I wonder why English don't adopt the runes again. <

If the literatures of Old English can rewrite and print in Runic alphabet that are interesting.
hunt   Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:22 pm GMT
> Guest
→ Greek alphabet
→ Old Italic alphabet
→ Latin alphabet

"Old Italic alphabet"?
Are you mean Etruscan alphabet?
Juventus   Thu May 07, 2009 2:49 pm GMT
Korean