Nah. Just common-sensical.

@Robusto BTW, what does the character depicted in your profile image mean?

Thought for the day: If you can't practice self-denial, all you're left with is denial.

@Robusto Because the Traditional Chinese hanzi seem almost identical to their equivalent Japanese kanji (I think they share Unicode codepoints), can you understand (or at least interpret to some degree) written Chinese?

Some.

@Robusto How many kanji characters are present in everyday, modern Japanese writing?

But the kanji are not all the same. Japanese uses a lot of simplified forms. And Chinese doesn't have hiragana and katakana. Hiragana is the glue that tips you off to verbs, particles, aizuchi, etc.

@TheodoreBroda The "daily-use" kanji list comprises about 2,200 kanji. There are many more than that, but that's all you need for basic literacy.

And modern-day tools make it so easy to drill yourself on the characters and readings.

@Robusto Are kanji mostly nouns then, or are they like "roots" in Latin that you can add inflections and affixes to?

When I was learning I had to use flash cards, and carry around bundles of them. Now I could do the same thing on my phone.

Actually better.

@TheodoreBroda More like roots. Each kanji stands for one or more concepts.

@Robusto How long did it take you to memorize all 2,200 characters?

A few years. You only need about 1,000 or so for very basic literacy, and after you know those it gets easier.

Being literate in English seems so easy now, relatively.

Well, you grew up with it.

Not that English is phonetic. I'm learning German, which is much more phonetic. Even if I don't know the meaning of a word, I still know how it is pronounced (except for syllable stress).

Yeah. Well, Japanese is very predictable, once you understand the rules.

@Robusto Do kanji characters have a single pronunciation, or are they like English letters?

They don't have pronunciations in the strict sense. They have readings. Various different words are derived from each kanji.

There are on readings and kun readings, too, meaning Chinese words and Japanese words.

@TheodoreBroda Look at that kanji I used in my gravatar. It has several meanings, and over on the right it lists the various readings that can be used with it.

@Robusto Would it be easier to just use hiragana instead of kanji? The character has all the readings listed in hiragana.

Read what I say here.

Ah, now it makes sense. I like your analogy about the clock, very clever. Is it harder to read in hiragana because Japanese has no spaces between words, making it harder to see which syllable belongs to which words? I have trouble even seeing which word is which when looking at ancient scriptio continua Latin writings. I guess it is like the GODISNOWHERE joke in English; is it "God is now here" or "God is nowhere"?

@TheodoreBroda That's one of the reasons it's harder, but mainly because they use the same syllables over and over in different contexts.

@MattЭллен Nice one!

@Cerberus To what post were you referring?

Ah, does the lack of an arrow frustrate you?

To the picture of Da Vinci's God.

In the Sistine Chapel.

@Cerberus The non-linear nature of these replies makes it difficult to determine what post people are referencing.

Poor you!

@Cerberus Are you sure you mean Da Vinci?

Oh, it was Michelangelo, wasn't it?

Uh-huh.

I always forget.

Thankfully, incorrect references never remain uncorrected here.

I'm used to your prodigal keyboard storms, however.

@Cerberus But Da Vinci painted the version with the Coca-Cola in it. He was well before his time.

@Robusto I storm the keyboard?

@TheodoreBroda Ah, did he, now? You must know more about the history of art than Robusto!

@Cerberus You type away with the same abandon as a magpie singing.

@Cerberus Thank you for the arrows; I am easily confused.

@Robusto I didn't know magpies sing with reckless abandon.

@Robusto Grrr...

I'm sure you didn't pick that for no reason...

@TheodoreBroda Poor little thing!

@Cerberus I prefer the term "pitiful diminutive entity".

Based on how he types in chat, I get the feeling that if @Cerberus ever offered me breakfast, he would simply pour out the cereal onto the table and let me pick at what I wanted, rather than pouring it into a bowl and supplying me with milk.

@TheodoreBroda You Americans and your euphemistophilia!

@Robusto Table?

Yeah. What was I thinking?

It's quicker if you just throw it on the floor.

Like a real dog.

@Cerberus Cerberus shows much cynicism / to my ample use of euphemism / What etiquette demanded / Cerberus finds less than candid / but I do not like criticism!

Evening, folks.

Hola.

@Mahnax 'Ello, guv'na...

@TheodoreBroda Haha, bravo!

Did you pick "cynicism" on purpose, it being as apropos as it is if you know its history?

I think the doggy would call it criticismus or something similar.

@Cerberus That's another dog word.

@Mahnax Bienvenue!

@Robusto Oh, I am not opposed to correct formations according to the laws of English! I'm not that orthodox, or I'd only speak Latin here.

@Robusto Ding!

@Cerberus Yes. I'll try to fit in the word "cynosure" next time, as well, but there was no good opportunity for that one.

What if you used "cynosure" and no one noticed? Would that assplode the universe or something?

@TheodoreBroda Ah, haha.

That's a nice word.

@Robusto It would at least make Ursa Minor glitter less brilliantly.

@Cerberus If that happened, I could hardly bear it. Well, maybe a little.

Then again, you are a minor.

Excuse me, pitiful diminutive entity. Still the same root.

Is there an HTML entity for Theodore? puzzles

God gave him to the world; isn't that enough?

@Cerberus Cerberus is very astute / when it comes to knowing Latin roots / So when discussing ancient tongues / you have but one / the dog with three wins all disputes!

So a few weeks back, a lady in the drive-thru accused us from stealing from her, because there was an error with her Starbucks card, or the balances didn't match up, or something. Very incoherent. She claimed it had happened three times, that we were helping ourselves to her money, etc. Shouting, cursing, the whole lot. Drove off without allowing me to speak. Anyway, she came in yesterday and said she had misplaced a receipt and that there was no problem. Happy as a clam.

@Mahnax So you're a barrista then?

@Robusto Yes, for quite some time now, actually.

Do you drink coffee, or just serve it?

Both.

@TheodoreBroda Haha, so it is!

Well, drink and serve. Not drink and just serve.

I drink better coffee than I serve.

@Robusto The entity &awesome; is supported in some browsers.

@TheodoreBroda I congratulate you on your limericking skillz.

@Mahnax Did she apologize?

@Cerberus No.

Bitch.

But I suppose there is nothing you can do.

Nope, the good thing is she didn't report our store to corporate. Because then we'd be getting lots of questions.

Oh well. sips iced coffee

@Cerberus You can always take vengeance by using real sugar and soymilk instead of Stevia and skim milk, and putting her grande order in a half-filled venti cup.

@TheodoreBroda People have allergies. I would never serve someone something other than what they ordered. Baristas often fantasize about "decaffing" people, but I've never seen it happen.

@Mahnax It doesn't hurt to fantasize about revenge. Good point about the allergies though, you could get in real trouble. Sorry about bad customers.

@TheodoreBroda I am not familiar with coffee terminology, but that sounds sweet. Then again, Mahnax is too decent to do that...

Reminds me of the time a white male called me the N-word. Then asked for a "motherfucking cappuccino" in a horrendously offensive attempt at AAVE.

@TheodoreBroda Hey, no problem. There's lots of great customers that make up for it.

@Mahnax But why? That's kind of funny...

@Cerberus I think it's inappropriate. I would never use such a word, given the history, connotations, and harm surrounding it, and I'm shocked that some white guy would use it in reference to me.

@Mahnax That must have been horrible for you, but I can't help but snicker at his ludicrous, obnoxious behavior. I hope that cappuccino actually did fuck his mother.

In the end, he only embarrassed himself. So there's that.

What's with white people acting like the N-word is acceptable?

@Mahnax By "why" I meant "why would he call you a nigger?".

@Cerberus Ohhh! OK. Sorry for misunderstanding you.

I don't know.

It is funny, though, because it is rather silly.

Mhm, I understand what you mean now.

I mean, you're not even black, or is there something you need to tell us?

@Cerberus You of all people ought to recognize Zwarte Piet!

Nope, white. Very obviously white, not even close to anything but white.

@Robusto You think he was dressed up as Zwarte Piet?

@Mahnax Hmm too bad, we could use some heterogeneity here.

@Cerberus I wouldn't put it past anybody in this chat.

@Robusto Haha! I have contracted "magpie syndrome" from @Cerberus.

@Robusto I hated it as a child.

@TheodoreBroda Oh, did you accidentally a word or letter?

Verb alert! You need one in that sentence!

/i

The i is for the correct use of the word irony.

But I'm sure you got that.

@Cerberus You forgot to get out the irony board.

@Mahnax I like your profile image; Fyodor is the Russian equivalent of Theodore.

Polly Mooney, the Madam's daughter, would also sing. She sang:
           I'm a ... naughty girl.
             You needn't sham:
             You know I am.

@TheodoreBroda Huh, neat. Is Dostoevskij the Russian equivalent of Brota?

@Robusto I am not a housewife, I don't iron.

@Cerberus How ironic.

Except after borrowing someone else's dinner jacket or whatever.

@Robusto Nope, I was not joking.

So, @Robusto, what would you recommend learning first for Japanese? The hiragana?

Maybe geisha.

Personally, I think katakana is pretty cool. But @Robusto finds it confusing because of the highly modified English words. —Theodore (a.k.a. テオドール・ブロダ)

@Mahnax Нет. —Theodore (a.k.a. Фёдор Бородин)

@Mahnax I would take a balanced approach. You might as well learn them both at the same time, since they both appear a lot and you'll be learning the syllabary all at once.

@Robusto OK, thanks. I'll probably just start with free online things like this and then move up. Unfortunately, my Japanese coworker is moving away, so I won't have anyone to speak with IRL.

The Japanese would probably spell your surname ブローダ.

@Mahnax You already know the infrequent romaji ;-)

@Mahnax Free is good.

I'm out!

Goodnight, @Rob. Thanks for your help.

@Robusto I'll add the choonpu, then.

@Robusto Vale.

@Cerberus But I never even got to say salve!

@Cerberus You do know that @Mahnax is the valedictorian; he should be saying vale.

@TheodoreBroda Who know, perhaps you shall see Robusto another time here.

@TheodoreBroda Well, he was too late.

I don't have time to always wait for today's youth to catch up.

So sloooow!

@Cerberus Like Starbucks service ;-)

Hah, I'm sure he's quick behind the counter.

@TheodoreBroda Hey! Quiet, kid. You wanna step behind this counter and try going at half the speed we do? Huh? Do ya? That's what I thought.

Kidding, of course.

@Mahnax I couldn't be a barista. I'd drink all the merchandise.

@TheodoreBroda You'd be fired real quick if you did that on the floor!

Not to mention that I couldn't make a "double decaffeinated grande soy caffè macchiato with hazelnut" for the life of me.

Neither can I, and that's because it doesn't exist.

:)

Espresso macchiato is good, though. Quick, easy, and tasty.

If you like espresso.

I love how Mahnax goes about calling people "kid".

Lighten up, gramps!

I'm going to post a message for you, Cerb, then delete it. OK?

Just kidding.

I won't.

@Mahnax Ohh...

You won't?

@TheodoreBroda I'm having some trouble with that "cup of joe"...by the way, did you know you can shift-enter to create new lines?

There you go, Cerby.

I changed my mind again.

Haha, you do sound somewhat old there!

I guess it has something to do with the vibrato.

Thanks for the message.

No problem.

@Cerberus No, I did not. Thanks for the Shift + Enter tip. Here's more on that cup of joe, a classic Americanism.

@TheodoreBroda Ah, but I rather meant the rhyme.

@Cerberus My limericks degrade as the evening progresses.

@TheodoreBroda The word 'cuppa' makes me want to make like a spider hairdresser. curl up and dye.

@TheodoreBroda It's still early for you!

@Cerberus vocaroo.com/i/s0pJPA4c3FKp

@Cerberus Exactly, they'll get much worse ;-)

@TheodoreBroda Mirabile auditu! Senex vero es.

@TheodoreBroda vocaroo.com/i/s1tesbGQoC9t

Finnish is flabbergasting, I know. Take a moment to recover.

english.stackexchange.com/questions/174477/…

@Mahnax Yes, I was expecting the mellifluous phonemes of Latin, and was surprised by a harsh Scandinavian tongue.

Is this a stupid question, or am I just being bitchy tonight?

@TheodoreBroda Finnish is surprising for everyone, don't worry. Even people who speak it.

@medica I must be bitchy, too, because that question is ludicrous.

@TheodoreBroda Thank you. I feel better already.

Voted to close.

Also, can't we get rid of the finger-counting question? It's so not on topic.

These one word requests are tedious, and I should just chill, but I just feel so... used! (lol)

@medica The phenomenon of "knowing where things are (vaguely)" is called memory.

Yeah, and new is *Wow! I never saw that before!"

@Mahnax Will cast my close vote on counting now.

@medica Kiitos.

@Mahnax Closed!

@Mahnax Did you graduate yet?

@medica No, still two weeks until my grad.

@TheodoreBroda Finnish isn't Scandinavian!

@Mahnax Have you written your speech? or are you going to wing it?

@Cerberus True.

@medica No, not yet. I still need to meet with the teacher to talk about it more, apparently.

@Mahnax Does that mean they must approve it?

@medica Yes.

@Mahnax Seems a bit untrusting of them...

@medica laughs

The principal is personally looking over and editing every yearbook quote.

The regime is crazy this year.

@Mahnax political climate, I guess. Congratulations

oh my gosh

Yes, editing.

Without consulting the students.

thats absurd

that's wrong!

Also trying to fire some teachers for no good reason.

(bastards)

Also playing favourites and abusing students emotionally.

You can bet your ass that as soon as I graduate, I am calling the school board.

They just want to make sure no one can ever point a finger back at them if one of the students, you know, commits a faux pas or something like that.

@Mahnax Why?

OOOh, they went to *your school and there's the evidence he/she was a spy for the NSA

What are they afraid of?

@Mahnax Good idea!

Everything.

@Cerberus God only knows. There are things that this administration has done that I can't even talk about.

@medica How has the political climate changed?

@Mahnax Ohh now I'm curious.

@Cerberus Did you hear about the most recent shootings in Santa Barbara?

@medica Some users here have no discretion / and ask the most ridiculous questions / about basic grammar / and I'm not enamored / someone please punish their transgressions! (I told you even worse limericks were to follow, @Cerberus!)

@TheodoreBroda Agreed, most agreeably.

@Mahnax that's monstrous. That should be in the papers.

@medica If I have anything to say about it, it will be.

@Mahnax Good. Justice, mercy... those must be upheld, especially mercy.

Their actions were merciless.

@medica Hmm I'm having trouble remembering all the names.

I think there was another shooting a week or so ago?

Does that have anything to do with yearbook censorship? In Canada?

@Cerberus A young college drop-out, mentally ill, shot some students, and, as always, it's been quite sensationalized.

@TheodoreBroda Haha, I actually like grammar/enamoured.

@medica Right, well, it is pretty horrible...

It's a tragedy, but the press looks for answers in every corner of one's personal life for unanswerable answers.

Ah, like a Freudian, reality-show crime investigation?