Comments on: じゃがいも ≠ ポテト (Updated) http://howtojaponese.com/2009/06/19/imo-not-potato/ How to "Get Used to" Japanese Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:37:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Matt http://howtojaponese.com/2009/06/19/imo-not-potato/comment-page-1/#comment-427 Matt Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:15:59 +0000 http://howtojaponese.com/?p=878#comment-427 Yeah, it's about markedness and non-markedness. Technically an English "potato" is inside the "imo" class, but if you just say "imo", the assumption is that you mean what we call a "sweet potato". (And conversely I guess in English, a "sweet potato" is in the "potato" class, but if you just say "potato" people will assume you mean "jaga-imo".) Another good pair to illustrate this is "tea" and "cha". That picture of heppoko farting is probably the most popular thing I ever posted. Yeah, it’s about markedness and non-markedness. Technically an English “potato” is inside the “imo” class, but if you just say “imo”, the assumption is that you mean what we call a “sweet potato”. (And conversely I guess in English, a “sweet potato” is in the “potato” class, but if you just say “potato” people will assume you mean “jaga-imo”.) Another good pair to illustrate this is “tea” and “cha”.

That picture of heppoko farting is probably the most popular thing I ever posted.

]]> By: Daniel http://howtojaponese.com/2009/06/19/imo-not-potato/comment-page-1/#comment-424 Daniel Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:29:45 +0000 http://howtojaponese.com/?p=878#comment-424 It also occured to me that Harold Isaacson (http://neojaponisme.com/2009/02/10/transliterating-shiki/) might be able to write a sweet reggae haiku starting with "jagaimo ya". It also occured to me that Harold Isaacson (http://neojaponisme.com/2009/02/10/transliterating-shiki/) might be able to write a sweet reggae haiku starting with “jagaimo ya”.

]]> By: Daniel http://howtojaponese.com/2009/06/19/imo-not-potato/comment-page-1/#comment-423 Daniel Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:23:52 +0000 http://howtojaponese.com/?p=878#comment-423 Whoa, that is a <i>sweet</i> way to read those kanji. Wikipedia Japan seems to confirm that imo is a broader category that includes potatoes?　<a href="http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%84%E3%82%82" rel="nofollow">http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%84%E3%82%82</a>　Stil, point noted and post updated. This also gives me a chance to link to these potato-related classic no-sword posts that traumatized me: http://no-sword.jp/blog/2007/03/heh-heh-space-potato.html http://no-sword.jp/blog/2007/04/heppoko-space-potato-returns.html Whoa, that is a sweet way to read those kanji. Wikipedia Japan seems to confirm that imo is a broader category that includes potatoes?　http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%84%E3%82%82　Stil, point noted and post updated.

This also gives me a chance to link to these potato-related classic no-sword posts that traumatized me:
http://no-sword.jp/blog/2007/03/heh-heh-space-potato.html
http://no-sword.jp/blog/2007/04/heppoko-space-potato-returns.html

]]> By: Matt http://howtojaponese.com/2009/06/19/imo-not-potato/comment-page-1/#comment-420 Matt Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:57:01 +0000 http://howtojaponese.com/?p=878#comment-420 Plus, not only are いも raw, they aren't even the same tuber! (Without a modifier like じゃが (for Jakarta!) or 男爵 (after Baron Kawada who developed or imported this variety for Hokkaido colonists to make IIRC). It's when people start pronouncing 男爵 "jaga" that things get really awesome. Plus, not only are いも raw, they aren’t even the same tuber! (Without a modifier like じゃが (for Jakarta!) or 男爵 (after Baron Kawada who developed or imported this variety for Hokkaido colonists to make IIRC).

It’s when people start pronouncing 男爵 “jaga” that things get really awesome.

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