Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2008 March 23

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March 23

how do you get a job as a court translator

in the san francisco bay area? like without any certification or as a translator in general english/spanish...if your very fluent in both. if you need some kind of certification how do you get it? where? how long? what would a job like this pay...a translator or interpretor? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Carritotito (talk • contribs) 04:07, 23 March 2008

"Fluent in both"? Give me a break. First you ought to learn to write proper English, like learning to capitalize, spelling ("interpretor"???) and the difference between "your" and "you're". Then you might think about a career as a translator.

And folks, don't worry about the uncivility; this editor is nothing but a sockpuppeteer (see here for more details). +ILike2BeAnonymous (talk) 06:42, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

• why don't you get a life you know what you are

I have a life, thank you very much; on the other hand, you, my semi-literate friend, are just a bunch of sockpuppets. Looking forward to seeing you blocked. +ILike2BeAnonymous (talk) 06:50, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

(Suspected) sockpuppet or not, I see no need to be so pointlessly uncivil. This could still be a legitimate question. Also, since when has "fluency" included flawless spelling?? -Elmer Clark (talk) 10:46, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Make that "indef. blocked sockpuppet" (per this block log). This was an incompetent, blockheaded person whose only real contributions here were disruption and contention, so I have no qualms about what I've said here. +ILike2BeAnonymous (talk) 18:25, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Incompetent and blockheaded? Since this is the language desk, isn't it interesting how much you can tell from a culture by its generic insults? In a farming town or something you might say weak, in a communist culture you might say disloyal, in a sophisticate intelligencia you might say stupid or incompetent. :D\=< (talk) 16:22, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

You should call one of San Francisco's court interpretation teaching programs. A list is available here.--Fuhghettaboutit (talk) 08:00, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Mary Yamashiro Otani in Japanese

how do you say Mary Yamashiro Otani and also in the romanized form?Carritotito (talk) 06:19, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

The question is ambiguous. Mary Yamashiro Otani would be said the same way no matter what writing system is used. I assume you mean how is it written in Japanese? In which case, I would suspect 山城大谷メアリー would be close enough. Bear in mind that 'Mary' would come at the end, as given names come at the end in Japanese. I do not understand why the surname has four kanji, as most Japanese surnames are at maximum three. I suspect this person just has two surnames for some reason. The pronunciation would be exactly the same as what you wrote in the question.--ChokinBako (talk) 20:07, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Though given that she was born in the States, her name would likely be written メアリー山城大谷 if it included kanji at all (the Japanese often do not use kanji for "foreign" names, including people of Japanese descent who were not born in Japan), and メアリーヤマシロオータニ or メアリーヤマシロオオタニ if no kanji were used. ···日本穣^{? · Talk to Nihonjoe} 20:57, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

I just looked at the article referenced by the OP, and it gives メアリー山城大谷, as you say, and as she is a Japanese-American I can understand why the given name is first. However, when I was in Japan (for ten years) my given name was always last, as people preferred it that way, and, in any case, the OP is asking for how it is in Japanese, which would be irrelevant for any American who doesn't speak Japanese. Again, as she is Japanese-American, she would probably have a kanji representation of her name, but it would also be perfectly acceptable for her to use katakana, as you did. She may not know the kanji, herself, as many Japanese-Americans or Japanese-Europeans I know don't. On a side-note, the article refers to her as 'Yamashiro', which further complicates what her actual name is.--ChokinBako (talk) 00:37, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Nihonjoe wrote, "the Japanese often do not use kanji for 'foreign' names, including people of Japanese descent who were not born in Japan". In fact, sometimes they don't use kanji even for Japanese people who were born and grew up in Japan, if the person has been away for a long time. Japanese Wikipedia's article on Yoko Ono is at ja:オノ・ヨーコ, not ja:小野洋子. —Angr ^{If you've written a quality article...} 19:33, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Well, I would argue that in this case, it is a more stylistic preference, especially when it comes to artists. I have seen Kitaro written in Katakana, even though he has lived in Japan all his life. --ChokinBako (talk) 23:54, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Has anyone noticed

Has anyone noticed that "Latin" sounds similar to "Latvian"? 58.164.118.252 (talk) 11:17, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

It does? Adam Bishop (talk) 12:23, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

See our discussion on silent letters in Latvian on this very reference desk, dated March 20. That explains why Lithuanian made such an Estonian transformation. It also sheds some light on the extinction of the kangaroo in in Austria. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 14:24, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Maybe this page will shred some light on this suspect. 206.252.74.48 (talk) 17:04, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

what is an offensive way to refer to a woman that sexualizes her?

sorry if this offends anyone, but how might you refer to an attractive young woman in a way that immediately sexualizes her

Just about any slang word for 'young woman' should do, as do all the terms for female reproductive parts. eg how about 'fuck-bot'?87.102.16.238 (talk) 20:18, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

More specifically, I think most synonyms and slang terms for "prostitute" would do the trick. Be sure to let us know if it works. --The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 20:23, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Probably got a better chance for a hit (or slap) if you use these http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wikisaurus:promiscuous_woman Good Luck.87.102.16.238 (talk) 20:27, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

I've settled on Harlot. What's a wikisaurus, is it an extinct animal?

Harlot it is, then. And I think if you've been editing since 2003 or so, you can rightfully be considered a wikisaurus.--The Fat Man Who Never Came Back (talk) 20:31, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Harlot suggests the woman is soliciting sex to obtain an income. Floozie makes her like a sex kitten with no class, and does not have a financial connotation. I hope this is for a story you're writing, and not for trying out on a person.  --Lambiam 23:43, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Analysis: Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate

I am rhetorically analyzing Reagen's Remarks the the Brandenburg Gate. I am looking at his use of audience and am trying to find all the audiences he is addressing, this is what I have as of now but I feel like I am missing something important. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks. -West and East Berlin -USSR Leaders -Present and Future Americans -Western Europe -Third World Countries

He is basically addressing anyone who is listening. Nothing444 20:02, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Wait, wait are you talking about again (Sorry) Nothing444 20:02, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

When the president speaks, he is addressing the world. Dunno, just guessing.87.102.16.238 (talk) 20:25, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

You're refering to this one

"General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

His whole speach addresses USSR Leaders,Present and Future Americans, Western Europe, the soviet block - anyone involved in the cold war, and those who weren't involved but happened to be on the same planet anyway - suggest my original answer - everyone on planet earth.87.102.16.238 (talk) 20:25, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Small point: when used in this context, it's usually referred to (or was, anyhow) as the Soviet bloc (notice no "k"). +ILike2BeAnonymous (talk) 05:33, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

Oh yes - why is that?87.102.16.238 (talk) 10:32, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

The proper term for a group of political entities - they may be voters, politicians or an alliance of nations which have / has some defined common goal - is bloc. See also http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bloc. The homophone block, if you are fussy about language, is simply the wrong term to use in this context.

I don´t know the reason, but it may be based on the French term, as some political terms (entente et al) are. --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 11:17, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

God Willing?

My father frequently used the phrase D.V. I seem to recall that it meant God Willing, is this right, if so does it come from the Latin or where?--Artjo (talk) 20:09, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

It stands for the Latin phrase Deo volente. Lantzy ^talk 20:12, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for fast response, but I don't have the Latin, so what does it mean please?--Artjo (talk) 20:17, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

deo volente means god willing. it modifies a sentence. we'll get there on time, god willing.

See List of Latin phrases (A–E) ... under "Deo volente". Thanks. (Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 20:31, 23 March 2008 (UTC))

Deus, dei = God, volo / volere = I want / to want.

As Latin is a mildly complicated language unless you have a firm grasp of grammar and syntax, I skip the rest. Unfortunately, both seem to have dropped out of the curricula in the UK (sorry, Scotland). --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 21:13, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

However, we do have a discussion of the ablative absolute, of which Deo volente is example. —Angr ^{If you've written a quality article...} 22:12, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Is there one on what I (in Austria) used to call the gerundivum 40-odd years ago ? As I just discovered pondering the abl abs, dysfunctional cases and verb forms, I never found out what it is properly called in English. Googling just gives me German stuff. Examples: Carthaginem esse delendam / Raco dormiens numquam titillandus / Quod erat demonstrandum (I think). --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 22:45, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Yes, it's called the gerundive in English. —Angr ^{If you've written a quality article...} 22:53, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Thank you, Angr! --Cookatoo.ergo.ZooM (talk) 23:00, 23 March 2008 (UTC)

Ask anything and the refdesk will provide an answer, Insha'Allah! BrainyBabe (talk) 15:53, 24 March 2008 (UTC)

It could also be Deus vult. Corvus cornix_talk 01:56, 25 March 2008 (UTC)