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Is there a keigo expression which can be translated as playing or pretending to do?

I have heard that, in former times, there was a very polite form of speaking in the form of, e.g., "the emperor liked playing to die" instead of "the emperor died". Is this true that there is a style of japanese in which people speak about playing…
Eddy
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How would you say "x says hi" in Japanese?

I've given this some thought but due to both my lack of knowledge in Japanese (still studying atm, although in Japan for a year so that should improve) and just not being able to come up with anything that sounds right with what I do know, I'm not…
Reveiller
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usage of「ご迷惑をおかけ・・・」variants for a business apology

I have to apologize for a procedural error at work, and am unsure about selecting the right form of apology from the variants of 「ご迷惑をおかけ・・・」: 1.「ご迷惑【めいわく】をおかけして申【もう】し訳【わけ】ございません。」 2.「ご迷惑【めいわく】をおかけして申【もう】し訳【わけ】ありません。」 3.「ご迷惑【めいわく】をおかけしてすみません。」 Also,…
Mason
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How does " ~ずにはいられない " work?

時代の流れを感じずにはいられない。 I can't help but feel time passing by. 彼のことを同情せずにはいられない。 I can't help but to feel sorry for him. 私は、彼の才能を賞賛せずにはいられない。 I can't help but admire his talent. Would someone please explain in detail how "~ずにはいられない。" means "can't…
yadokari
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と、て、って　Quoting Particle Usage

と、て、って What's the difference between these three quoting particles? Is there any grammatical difference, or are they just casual/formal variations of one another? 田中さんは行きましょうと言った 田中さんは行きましょうて言った 田中さんは行きましょうって言った Would all three of those…
Shane
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What do I do when I encounter "Written Japanese"?

I have read in grammar dictionaries some words/phrases that are labelled as "Written Japanese" and should not be used in normal speech. Let's take for example the sentence-ending こと indicating a command: プールサイドを走らないこと。 "Do not run on the pool…
Flaw
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Difference between もっとも and 一番

When expressing a superlative meaning ("the most ..."), what is the difference between the usage of もっとも and 一番？ (e.g. もっとも大きい vs. 一番大きい)
Malper
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What's the difference between 関{かん}する and 関{かか}わる?

This question is in my JLPT practise book: 親{おや}のしつけが子供{こども}の性格{せいかく}形成{けいせい}に＿＿＿＿ことは言{い}うまでもない。 A 通{つう}じる　B 通{とお}す　C 関{かん}する　D 関{かか}わる The book says the answer is D, but to me the definitions of C and D overlap so much that I can't see why one is…
Questioner
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Difference between 自分 and 自分自身 and how to reflect their difference in English

Consider: 自分について書きたいことがあります。 = There are times that I want to write about myself (lit: things concerning me) 自分自身について書きたいことがあります。 What is their difference? I think the second sentence has more emphasis on "myself". If so, is this emphasis too…
yadokari
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How close are なりつつある and なっている?

語学学習は私の新しい習慣の一部になりつつあるのでしょうか？ "Is learning languages becoming a part of my new daily routine?" なりつつある here seems similar to なっている... are they often interchangeable? Would I be able to change them back and forth without changing the meaning of this…
yadokari
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How is 名 pronounced in computer terms?

For usernames, etc., you usually see like ユーザ名 or something similar. Or like on my Skype, it says Skype名. How is the 名 pronounced in these situations? I've never been able to conclusively find this anywhere. My instinct tells me it's な because…
istrasci
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Are パート and アルバイト different?

The other day I saw a banner outside a convenience store. It read: パートさん アルバイトさん 募集中 I had been under the assumption that these words were more or less synonymous, but seeing them both being explicitly advertised side by side on the same banner…
ssb
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Should: ほうがいい、べき、ことだ

So far, I have learned about three different ways to say "should" in Japanese. I'm interested in knowing the differences among ほうがいい、べき and ことだ. What are some situations that each form would be better suited in? Isn't べき more formal and…
Noodle
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Is a palindrome a thing?

A palindrome is a word or phrase that is the same backwards and forwards, such as "Bob", "aibohphobia" or "A man, a plan, a canal: Panama." In English, as well as many other languages, this is a coherent, named concept and literary technique. Does a…
Williham Totland
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Differences between words for "idiot"

Recently I've been reading the Spice and Wolf manga and came across two words for "idiot" I've never seen before: たわけ and 間{ま}抜{ぬ}け Previously I've only encountered 馬鹿{バカ} and 阿呆{あほう}, with the understanding 阿呆 is the Kansai "version" of 馬鹿. This…
小太郎
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