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How do you say Watanabe?


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How do you say...

I think it's bad journalism when (most of the time) magazines etc. do right ups on cars with names that are going to be hard for most of the world to pronounce and don't give us a phonetic spelling as well

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The key to correct pronunciation of Japanese words printed in "Latin alphabet" is to remember that the transliteration uses the "Hepburn Romaji" system invented by an English missionary in China.  You spell the individual syllables using English language consonants and French language vowels.

 

"Romaji" is "Roma" for roman character and "Ji" for character.  Similar to "Kanji" being the characters of the Great Khan of China who unified and standardized the Chinese characters.

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It's not journalism. Magazines assume you know what they are talking about.

 

Watanabe... either Wah-tah-nah-bay  or Wat-tah-nah-bee* I would say it this way myself.

 

Boston Harbour comes out as Baaastin Haaaba by those that live there, (or is that New York?) but I don't say they are wrong.

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It's not journalism. Magazines assume you know what they are talking about.

 

Watanabe... either Wah-tah-nah-bay  or Wat-tah-nah-bee* I would say it this way myself.

 

Boston Harbour comes out as Baaastin Haaaba by those that live there, (or is that New York?) but I don't say they are wrong.

 

Bay.  The vowels are in Japanese order "A" "I" "E" "O" "U".  "AAH". "EEE" "AAY" "OOH"  "UUU [OOOH!]"  which makes WATANABE ending with the "French" Fonzie H"AAY!".

 

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