slr2moons

One of the strange consequences of my Fushigi Yuugi Gateway Glossary and Liner Notes pages is that about three times a year, I'll be emailed by a complete stranger asking me a random Japanese language question. I've been asked for more information about "genki", to further explain the significance of name suffixes, what "datteba yo" means, and occasionally the simple vocab question along the lines of what "watashi" is and why it comes up all the time in anime. I even helped a girl with her homework once.

I don't mind explaining this stuff at all. I mean, it's obvious from my page above that I love learning the language and think everyone who enjoys manga and anime should at least try to learn it themselves. But I do find it interesting these people email me out of the blue and ask these questions. I suppose this is because I sound so friendly on my site, and that I'm a named person and not some faceless business, automatic dictionary, or intimidating translation group. And I'm aware that this is kind of the case of blind-leading-the-blind. But still, I obviously know more about the language than the people who email me, so I don't mind offering them what I know. Tonikaku....

Today, I found another one in my inbox.