vocabulary questions

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by duo797

Is it actually a library, or a book store? I've never heard of a Library being in a mall before.

One of the branches of the Austin Public Library (the Old Quarry branch) is located in something like a strip mall, with HEB, a post office, a bakery/gelato cafe, a gym for women (a gyn? haha! punny!), BBQ place, Mexican food place, etc.

I live about a five minute walk from there, and I love being able to walk to restaurants, grocery shopping, the post office, library, etc. I would still call that library a 図書館 though.

The guy asking the question needs to realize that 館 connotes a large building, while 室 connotes something relatively small, like a room. So you'd have to have a pretty small library (like a library inside a school) to actually call it 図書室. I think.

[pacerier]

regarding the library, its big but does not stand by itself as a building (it occupies half of one entire floor of the shopping center so that's pretty big)


also i had been curious about this: let's say in a clothes store there are usually fitting rooms (small ones, just big enough for you to do a quick change of clothes), are those 脱衣室, 脱衣所 or 脱衣場?

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by pacerier

regarding the library, its big but does not stand by itself as a building (it occupies half of one entire floor of the shopping center so that's pretty big)


also i had been curious about this: let's say in a clothes store there are usually fitting rooms (small ones, just big enough for you to do a quick change of clothes), are those 脱衣室, 脱衣所 or 脱衣場?

For the library, I'd probably go with 図書館. It's definitely not a 室 in size. Well, it does depend on the size of these floors. You're being extremely vague and unhelpful about describing the size. You say it's half a floor of a shopping center, but in Japan, shopping center floors are not that big at all! I'm thinking of a place like Tokyu Hands in Machida. Not that big at all. Where is this shopping center, and how big is it? Maybe we can look it up online and see.

Better yet, why don't you compare the Google image results and decide for yourself: 図書室 - Google Search (図書室)
図書館 - Google Search (図書館)
There is obviously some overlap, so use your judgment.

Regarding fitting rooms, Wikipedia thinks it is フィッティングルーム: フィッティングルーム - Wikipedia

You could always check a usage dictionary, too: “fitting room”の検索結果（9 件）：英辞郎 on the Web：スペースアルク Check out the sample sentences.

[pacerier]

that's brilliant! i've never thought of using Google Image to check up on words

as for the fitting rooms i think i will settle with this one: 試着室

also regarding the verb 閉まる, will ドアが閉まっていた mean the door is locked, or the door is closed, or can it mean either one of these

[RickOShay]

Originally Posted by pacerier

that's brilliant! i've never thought of using Google Image to check up on words

as for the fitting rooms i think i will settle with this one: 試着室

also regarding the verb 閉まる, will ドアが閉まっていた mean the door is locked, or the door is closed, or can it mean either one of these

First, if I wanted to say the door is closed I would say ドアが閉まっている

Second, I think it could imply either closed or locked, but if I specifically wanted to say the door was locked, I would say 鍵がかかっていた

but that's just me, and I am not a native so you don't have to take my word for it.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by pacerier

that's brilliant! i've never thought of using Google Image to check up on words

as for the fitting rooms i think i will settle with this one: 試着室

also regarding the verb 閉まる, will ドアが閉まっていた mean the door is locked, or the door is closed, or can it mean either one of these

1. 閉まる is an intransitive verb, so you would use it for "The door is shut." If you want to say you shut the door (transitive), you would use 閉める instead.

2. The word "lock" appears nowhere in your sentence. ドアが閉まっていた means "The door was [in the state of being] shut [at some point in the past]."

[pacerier]

ok thanks for the replies, anyway to express "The door was [in the state of being] locked [at some point in the past]." what verb will you choose?

[RickOShay]

Originally Posted by pacerier

ok thanks for the replies, anyway to express "The door was [in the state of being] locked [at some point in the past]." what verb will you choose?

かかる would be your verb of choice.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by pacerier

ok thanks for the replies, anyway to express "The door was [in the state of being] locked [at some point in the past]." what verb will you choose?

Here's a dictionary with usage examples: “door locked”の検索結果（25 件）：英辞郎 on the Web：スペースアルク

[pacerier]

sry that slipped my mind. i'll do more searching before i ask a question next time