4 ms·

What do you mean by no equivalent? To my ears asking for "shuwa shuwa orange juice" is just like asking for "fizzy orange juice".

diob 4y ago
I've been learning Japanese for a long time as well, and I often hear this response by folks saying there's "no equivalent in Japanese" (aka the reverse). Truth is you can communicate it, it's just communicated differently. Folks like to pretend there are mystical properties to a language, but reality isn't like that.
thematrixturtle 4y ago
In Japanese there's a very clear distinction, because adjectives conjugate and sounds don't. Sounds also stand alone: it's possible and common to label a drink in a manga (cartoon) as "shuwa shuwa", while labeling it "fizzy" in English would be quite weird. The GP's daughter is really asking for "fizz juice", but again, that doesn't compute in English.
- nhinck2 4y ago
  Labelling drinks as fizzy is very normal. And it's doubly apt because fizz/fizzy are also onomatopoeia.
  - thematrixturtle 4y ago
    No, I mean having a freefloating "fizzy!" next to the drink, like the red text here: https://dailyportalz.jp/b/2018/05/13/c/img/pc/i001.jpg https://dailyportalz.jp/b/2018/05/13/c/img/pc/i001.jpg Basically, it's a sound coming from the drink, not a description by a third party (adjective).
    - nhinck2 4y ago
      Yes that's what onomatopoeia is and what fizz/fizzy are. https://tinyartroom.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/20140109-135937.jpg https://tinyartroom.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/20140109-135...
    - aidenn0 4y ago
      You could certainly have a freefloating "fizz" next to the drink?
- rdlw 4y ago
  'Fizzy drink' is very common, it's what children call carbonated beverages. In Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Charlie and his grandfather drink 'fizzy lifting drink', for one notable usage. Edit: oh, I just saw your clarification. That makes more sense
aikinai 4y ago
They said "outside of the underlying meaning," so I think they meant you can translate it, but there's no equivalent for the type of word? Either way, I agree it was a poor example; I don't see any particular benefit to the Japanese word in this case.

diob 4y ago

I've been learning Japanese for a long time as well, and I often hear this response by folks saying there's "no equivalent in Japanese" (aka the reverse). Truth is you can communicate it, it's just communicated differently. Folks like to pretend there are mystical properties to a language, but reality isn't like that.

thematrixturtle 4y ago

In Japanese there's a very clear distinction, because adjectives conjugate and sounds don't. Sounds also stand alone: it's possible and common to label a drink in a manga (cartoon) as "shuwa shuwa", while labeling it "fizzy" in English would be quite weird. The GP's daughter is really asking for "fizz juice", but again, that doesn't compute in English.

nhinck2 4y ago
Labelling drinks as fizzy is very normal. And it's doubly apt because fizz/fizzy are also onomatopoeia.
- thematrixturtle 4y ago
  No, I mean having a freefloating "fizzy!" next to the drink, like the red text here: https://dailyportalz.jp/b/2018/05/13/c/img/pc/i001.jpg https://dailyportalz.jp/b/2018/05/13/c/img/pc/i001.jpg Basically, it's a sound coming from the drink, not a description by a third party (adjective).
  - nhinck2 4y ago
    Yes that's what onomatopoeia is and what fizz/fizzy are. https://tinyartroom.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/20140109-135937.jpg https://tinyartroom.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/20140109-135...
  - aidenn0 4y ago
    You could certainly have a freefloating "fizz" next to the drink?
rdlw 4y ago
'Fizzy drink' is very common, it's what children call carbonated beverages. In Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, Charlie and his grandfather drink 'fizzy lifting drink', for one notable usage. Edit: oh, I just saw your clarification. That makes more sense

aikinai 4y ago

They said "outside of the underlying meaning," so I think they meant you can translate it, but there's no equivalent for the type of word? Either way, I agree it was a poor example; I don't see any particular benefit to the Japanese word in this case.