Question for NihontoEd or other about pronunciation

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I am self-taught in Japanese terminology. Only a few words I have heard spoken by someone who speaks fluent (and correct) Japanese.
There are many sword and knife terms that are said in different ways, depending on who you ask. I don't think I ever ran across a glossary with English based pronunciation.

The word that brought this thread forward is tsuchime. I hear it said as Sue-chime, Sue- chim-A, and suh-chim. I use suh-cheeme. How is it properly said?

Other words that are widely varied in pronouncement are:
Hamon and nakago


I bet there are other words that folks here have questions about.

I would like to thank Ed for all his knowledge here. He is a great resource. - ありがとうございます

 

[Mecha]

I am self-taught in Japanese terminology. Only a few words I have heard spoken by someone who speaks fluent (and correct) Japanese.
There are many sword and knife terms that are said in different ways, depending on who you ask. I don't think I ever ran across a glossary with English based pronunciation.

The word that brought this thread forward is tsuchime. I hear it said as Sue-chime, Sue- chim-A, and suh-chim. I use suh-chime. How is it properly said?

Other words that are widely varied in pronouncement are:
Hamon and nakago


I bet there are other words that folks here have questions about.

I would like to thank Ed for all his knowledge here. He is a great resource. - ありがとうございます

There are always subtleties to making the sounds right. Such as the word tsunami. Many English speakers will say, "soo-naw-mee," but the Ts- is like the -t's at the end of "it's." Japanese is a syllabary language, so it's the individual syllables strung together in a crisp way without flapping the tip of one's tongue around or drawling out the sounds. It comes out better if speaking the word is practiced through a slight grin. Tsu-na-mi. So tsuchime should be Tsu-chi-me: Tsu-chee-may.

Hamon: Ha-mo-n, not haa-mawn. Na-ka-go.

Not an expert, just throwing out my input.

 

[NihontoEd]

One key is learning the 5 Japanese vowel sounds, they do not change.

• a (あ): Pronounced like the "a" in "father".
• i (い): Pronounced like the "ee" in "see".
• u (う): Pronounced like the "oo" in "food," but without the rounded lip shape.
• e (え): Pronounced like the "e" in "bed".
• o (お): Pronounced like the "o" in "go".

You can hear them in this video:

 

[Mecha]

^^^^^^

Yes, and the other syllables use the same vowel sounds, just preceded by a consonant sound.

Ha, ba, ga, ka, ra, za... Ho, bo, go, ko, ro, zo... He, be, ge, ke, re..... and so on. Each vowel or syllable has a Japanese character.

So the syllables get stitched together, nice and crisp.

Wa ki za shi. Ka ta na. Ha mo n.

The "r" sound is just a little flick of the tongue, not the rrrrr sound with the tongue retroflected and lips pursed, like in American English.

The "sh" sound is a short sound from behind the teeth, not with the lips pushed out.

 

[u.hansen]

My wife could help as a last resort. She has taught Japanese and English at the college level. A native Japanese from the Sanada clan.

 

[Sigp210]

The t is almost silent. Like in tsuba. You don't say tsu-ba. You say su-ba with an almost imperceptible t.
I would guess it's su-chi-may

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

That is just about how I say it - sue-chee-may

 

[Crag the Brewer]

Not relevant so much, but I have a friend who is I think what would be 3rd generation American?

Grandparents came to America as young adults not speaking English, their children found/married same, had babies..... He is now married to a "white American lady"
Anyhow talking about language......
I would think he would speak his native tongue?
He says he can't. Just knows a little....but he said he's pretty good at hearing it, and understanding it mostly.

What I found interesting, he said (for his language) if you aren't hearing/speaking it by the time you are 2-3 or so..... Your muscles already were developed, and you'd always sound like a foreigner.
I thought that was interesting.
So, basically, proper pronunciation might have Variations...