Mistaking Sounds.

Today in my English class, when we were debating a topic, my teacher said, "Choose your partner".
But, it sounded like, "Cheeseburger" to us.
There are some similar sounds in English and Japanese.
For example, in the past, especially in Edo age, when Americans talked to Japanese they would say, "Nice to meet you".
To the Japanese it sounded like, "naimitsu".
"Naimitsu" is a Japanese word meaning, 'secret.' 
So, when the Americans said that, the Japanese may have felt the greeting was a secret.
I have to study more!

Yes, Fuka, this can be a problem. To help to discern between different sounds, you have to take context into consideration. If what you hear doesn't make sense in the context, you need to think about what they are probably saying. Good luck with your studies. I really miss Japan.

Phil.

I hope this helps.  Keep on writing. You have a very nice piece.  I agree that this is a funny thing.

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Mistake of Sounds

Today in my English class, we were asked to debate a topic. My teacher said, "Choose your partner", but, It sounded like "Cheeseburger" for us.

There are some occasions when similar sounds in English and Japanese.
For example, men of age, especially in Edo period, when Japanese talk to Americans, they said "Nice to meet you". For a Japanese it sounded it like "naimitsu" - a word in Japan which means "secret". So, when they said that to Americans, they might think that the greeting was secret.

I have to study more!
 

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Mistake of Sounds

Today in my English class, when we will debate a topic, my teacher said "Choose your partner".
But, It sounded like "Cheeseburger" for us.
There are sometimes alike sounds between English and Japanese.
For example, men of old, especially in Edo age, when Japanese talk to Americans, they said "Nice to meet you".
Then, Japanese sounded it like "naimitsu".
"naimitsu" is word of Japan, it means secret.
So, when they said to Americans that, they maybe felt the greeting Secret.
I have to study more!

Mistake of Sounds

Today in my English class, when we will debate a topic, my teacher said "Choose your partner".
But, It sounded like "Cheeseburger" for us.
There are sometimes similar sounds between English and Japanese.
For example,when Japanese talk to Americans, especially old men in the Edo age, the phrase "Nice to meet you" sounds like "naimitsu".
"naimitsu" is a word in Japan, it means secret.
So, when they said that to Americans , they maybe felt the greeting was a Secret.
I have to study more!