Friday 8 February 2008

It's a fish!! It's a squiggle!! It's a....... what the??

Actually, it's a "yu". Well, the hiragana character for "yu" anyway, since the katakana version is different.

But I wanted to highlight the fact that learning a new language (or anything, really) inevitably means drawing parallels to what you already know as you try to make sense of it.

In this case, "yu" happens to sound like a mispronounced Cantonese fish. And I happen to think the Japanese character looks like a fish........ Hmm........ profound heh.....

But the same is true for the kids I teach. I was teaching them the seasons of the year and as one kid was writing down "winter", he said:

"Double U....... I........ Enn......... TASU (which means 'plus' in Japanese)...... E....... Arr"

Umm........ that's a "T", not a 'plus'...... but at least I see where he's coming from haha......



Hanko'd


It sounds like something bad's happened to me, but a hanko is the name the stamp that most Japanese people use as their signature. I had to get one for my new job starting in April for things like signing in when I get to the school.

It was pretty cheap, at about $15 for a 12mm one (the second smallest) with a case. I'm pretty sure it's plastic considering the price, but you can buy $100+ ones that are, like, 25+mm and made of ivory.

As you can see, it's my name in katakana.

And it won't be long before I've branded everything in my room......... muahahaha..........


Pringle'd

As I went to pick up my hanko, I saw this in the store.

"Winter Cheese Fondue" flavoured Pringles. Wow, I thought, the name totally makes me want to eat it.

And so I bought one out of curiousity.

It tastes like........... cheese. I shouldn't be surprised, really, but I sort of am. I kind of expected more......

I can't think of a more overly ostentatious chip flavour name than this. Even "Sea Salt & Malt Vinegar" is at least reasonably restrained..........

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ha ha! You only think "fondue" sounds ostentatious because it's French. It's only melted cheese, and it really doesn't mean much more than "au gratin", which has been around longer in the chip world & is probably more familiar. I grew up with fondue, so it sounds pretty every day to me, espcially in the winter (who has fondue in the summer anyway?)...

:-)
-Amber

Lawrence said...

No! That's not true haha.....

I think it's ostentatious because what's wrong with just calling it "Cheese" flavoured??

It's not like simulated fondue cheese will taste any different than simulated normal cheese =-)....

Maybe I can be the creative director of Pringles hehe...... "Freshly Grated Parmesan" Pringles =-P.....

Anonymous said...

i really dont see a difference of quality between ivory and wax/plastic signature machine. must feel much easier than signing something with a pen, cause now all you have to do is mash something on a piece of paper haha

Geoffrey

Unknown said...

i have one of those signature block things. you can get them for cheap in China.

ostentatious is a good word. i'm going to try to use it in a conversation today.

Unknown said...

:) hmn....Calbee chips come in "Cheese Fondue" flavour too~ It even has this pretty little ribbon that runs along the mid-section of the package declaring it a part of the "European Series" haha

Lawrence said...

Geoff- You're right, there is no difference. But some people just like having some high in quality. It's like anything else =).

And I think signing with a pen is faster. But this makes you feel more important heh......

Gars- Yes, ostentatious is a good word haha...... please do try to use it today =P

Noelle- What other "European" chip flavours are there?? haha.....

Unknown said...

hmn... actually I've never seen another flavour in the European series~ False advertisement? @.@ hehe