a friend?

[evanny]

hello to everyone...
my name is ルドルフ - haha..yea, i found it on the internet...i sure hope it says rudolf tho...
anyways...
today i had to make a choice either to become a translator from english to latvian and russian and vice versa or to study japanese...
and i made my mind on japanese and studies will start in september...
however, i have decided beforehand to try to find a person or maybe even several to help me with my studies...and i dont mean like giving me somekind of visual aids..no, i am just interested to start writing with someone who is from japan - to learn more about culture and language...to share thoughts and stuff liek that...
i have also seen enough anime to discuss so that aspect wont be a problem...who knows..maybe ill be able to help you with your english - well i got pretty high scores on the test and i havent seen a movie in my native language in 4 years - only in english and japanese...
and so...ill grab my coffe tho its ony 16:04 and check this forum out and ill be hoping for some responses

P.S and i just noticed some language exchange subforum so probably this is the wrong place for my topic... sorry

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by evanny

hello to everyone...
my name is ルドルフ - haha..yea, i found it on the internet...i sure hope it says rudolf tho...

The way you write your name in Japanese has everything to do with sound and not how it is written in the other language. So looking up names online may not give you the correct form, depending on whether it is Latvian Rudolf or English Rudolf or German Rudolf or something else.

That being said, I think all languages' versions of "rudolf/rudolph" sound close enough for that to be correct. However, "rudolfo/rudolpho" would be written differently.

Also, a good way to check how to write proper nouns in Japanese is to go to Wikipedia, look up the thing in English or Latvian or something, then check the left-hand side for the link to 日本語 (which is the Japanese version of the page) and see how they write it in Japanese.

For example,
Rudolph I of Germany - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ルドルフ1世_(神聖ローマ皇帝)

To see in German, "Rudolph" is written ルドルフ.

Also, if you're hoping to be a translator involved in Japanese, be advised it will be a great many years before you're qualified. If you move to Japan, it could be 3–4. If you don't, it will be even longer. You may have given up many, many years of salary as a translator to study it.

Just letting you know. Japanese is really fun. I enjoy it a lot. Good luck!

[evanny]

well since german Rudolf sounds very similar to latvian Rūdolf i went with the ルドルフ..
anyways...i cant say i am planning to be a translator in japanese. i am more interested in the language itself. i just finished 12th grade but i also allready have a college diploma for buisness in english...so if i went into the japanese work market i would have something more to offer than knowlage of Latvian, English, Japanese and a bit off Russian laguages...
anyways - the fact remains that i am interested in their culture and by learning their language i am going to have a great deal more of options..not just as a translator. and still - first i have to finish my 3 year progreamme in ASP.
but thanks

P.S and if anyone is interested i can acutally help with latvian language...well compared to others it is almost like extinct.. i think around 1 milion or something are left who speak it