Lazarus 4000 posts
Damn it. I made a promise not miss the 4000 posting milestone of our friend Lazarus. My excuse is I have only recently returned from holiday, hence my forgetfulness.
I am sure that EVERYONE will want to congratulate and thank Lazarus for the help he has given to ALL of us. I marvel at some of his answers, in English I might add, and think "why the hell didn't I think of saying that" and English is my native language. His answers are always pertinent and extremely informative, at the same time avoiding confusion.
Thanks again Lazarus and I only missed your 4000 by 10.
23 Answers
And I'm surprised to see that both you and Lazarus know what hiragana is. Most people can't tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Well... Chinese and Japanese can be almost impossible to differentiate in short sentences if there are no kanas around. I happen to be able to read and write kanas, plus a couple of hundred kanjis (just to get by) plus their simplified counterparts in modern Chinese. I also learnt to read Korean (just read, I don't speak it), but I haven't practised, so I must have forgotten it all. All for fun; I'm useless in all those languages anyway.
a''''tou ''sa'mashi'?
Obviously my Hiragana chart is incomplete.
It says ''''''''''? (arigatoo gozaimashita): "Thank you very much".
As I have already stated, my Japanese is less than zero.
Somehow I read that as a statement that you do know some Japanese. I have a headache today and my mind is slower than usual.
I have no intention of learning this language, however, I did recognise it as japanese and not Chinese so I won't be joining Heidi.
I don't actually speak Japanese, I just happen to have some familiarity with the language because my wife is from a Japanese family. And I'm surprised to see that both you and Lazarus know what hiragana is. Most people can't tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Korean, then I WILL join Heidi, hehe.
As my Japanese language is less than zero I did make an effort. Unfortunately I could only find the following.
a''''tou ''sa'mashi'?
Obviously my Hiragana chart is incomplete.
Reading hiragana (or katakana) is not simply a matter of looking up a chart. To the Japanese many syllables, such as 'ka' and 'ga' or 'sa' and 'za', sound very similar so they use the same kana with a "diacritic" on top of it. There are other subtleties so you have to know what you are doing.
Also, recognizing kanas can be as tricky as recognizing our handwriting system or the various fonts used by publishers. Can you imagine the trouble a Japanese can have reading Gothic letters?
Best to do like Heidi - it all looks Chinese to me
As I have already stated, my Japanese is less than zero. I was merely stating a fact that I managed to find some of your translations on a chart, whilst others did not appear. It also did mention, however, that sounds can change by the addition of two small strokes or a small circle in the top right hand corner next to the character where ha can change to ba with the addition of the strokes or to pa with the addition of a small circle. I wasn't suggesting it was simple and having read this it obviously isn't. I have no intention of learning this language, however, I did recognise it as japanese and not Chinese so I won't be joining Heidi.
I was told by Vikingo on the chat that I was being sent to the dunce corner....and I must say....I am happy James is not here!
Anyway, the time it took me to find an adequate picture for laza which at least looked Chinese to me....well, now it stays put! jejeje
As my Japanese language is less than zero I did make an effort. Unfortunately I could only find the following.
a''''tou ''sa'mashi'?
Obviously my Hiragana chart is incomplete.
I was told by Vikingo on the chat that I was being sent to the dunce corner....and I must say....I am happy James is not here! 
Anyway, the time it took me to find an adequate picture for laza which at least looked Chinese to me....well, now it stays put! jejeje
Heidi, ¿no has visto el hiragana en el dibujo? Como dice Heitor, al famoso "dunce corner" ese (en el que al final acabaremos todos).
Disgusting! ¡Estoy cabreada! 
O sea: Se va de vacaciones el buen hombre y luego es el primero en ver lo de Lazarus, ¡no hay derecho! 
Bueno, pero lo importante:
ENHORABUENA LAZA, ERES EL MEJOR 
y como sabes algo de chino, esto para ti.
¡No sabéis la que os ha caído conmigo! Pero como dicen por ahí: sarna con gusto no pica.
sarna con gusto no pica (Prov) -> I'm/he's etc more than happy to put up with it
For those of us unfamiliar with dichos.
Thanks qfreed as I have never heard the phrase before. I was thinking along the lines of "as they say somewhere, don't bite the hand that feeds you".
¡No sabéis la que os ha caído conmigo! Pero como dicen por ahí: sarna con gusto no pica.
sarna con gusto no pica (Prov) -> I'm/he's etc more than happy to put up with it
For those of us unfamiliar with dichos.
¡No sabéis la que os ha caído conmigo! Pero como dicen por ahí: sarna con gusto no pica.
I am sure that EVERYONE will want to congratulate and thank Lazarus for the help he has given to ALL of us.
Thank you for 4000 helpful and informative posts.
Woot woot! Way to go!
Wow cuatro mil posts is alot
If only James were here to help us all...
As I have already stated, my Japanese is less than zero.
Somehow I read that as a statement that you do know some Japanese. I have a headache today and my mind is slower than usual.
I have no intention of learning this language, however, I did recognise it as japanese and not Chinese so I won't be joining Heidi.
I don't actually speak Japanese, I just happen to have some familiarity with the language because my wife is from a Japanese family. And I'm surprised to see that both you and Lazarus know what hiragana is. Most people can't tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
