My day off lasted only 2 days. My head is really empty, if you shake me you can hear the sound "からんからん : karan-karan". You put a piece of dry bean into an aluminum can and sheke it. "karan-karan" is a Japanese onomatopoeia of the sound. I try to find how I can write it in English, but I can't find it in the dictionary. I checked other Japanese onomatopoeias then realize Japanese language has a lot of onomatopoeias.
Here is the onomatopoeia online dictionary. About 350 words in there. Karan-karan is onomatopoeias of the real sound. And there are "image sound effect words". How can I say.... in English, "wishy-washy" will be such word. For example, "オロオロ : oro-oro" means "be completely flustered". "スヤスヤ : suya-suya! means sleep peacefully. "ギスギス : gisu-gisu" means "bad mood, rude, edgy". "イライラ : ira-ira" means irritable. "デコボコ : deko boko" means "bumpy". etc,. Hmm language is difficult.
By the way, this is the result when I am googling スヤスヤ suya-suya image. Yes, sleep peacefully.*
Ah it's not Gion go, it should be Gitai go. Brian, that is so true. Thanks
Posted by: Mari | Friday, January 12, 2007 at 11:00 AM
the sound of a bean in a can is "rattle"
Posted by: claytonian | Wednesday, January 10, 2007 at 07:53 AM
The English word "onomatopoeia" is the nearest equivalent to these sound combinations in Japanese, but the translation can be somewhat less than exact. Onomatopoeia only deals with words portraying sounds, such as "bang," "zoom," "clank," etc.
Japanese words that repeat for a particular effect may in fact be true onomatopoeia if they describe sounds, such as "karan-karan." This is equivalent to the Japanese "giongo" (擬音語) form.
Similar style words that describe situations, attitudes, etc. do not have an equivalent name in English, but in Japanese are called "gitaigo" (擬態語).
The explanation is confirmed here in English:
http://japanese.about.com/blgitaigo.htm
The The National Institute for Japanese Language discusses it here:
http://jweb.kokken.go.jp/gitaigo/index.html
Posted by: bshock | Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 04:41 AM
hmm i thought the onomatopoeia "オロオロ" was totally made up by the comedian Ken Shimura (and later copied in るろうに剣心 anime, but Ken Shimura was definitely first).
sooo it's not the case then :)
Posted by: Vykintas | Tuesday, January 09, 2007 at 04:21 AM
Reading this post is exactly the main reason why I am studying Japanese language. onomatopoeia sounds really interesting.
Posted by: Holden | Monday, January 08, 2007 at 04:49 PM