"Eliminated" Subjects in Japanese Language

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Thank you, if so.

As I have just recently talked about Japanese language especially on the general idea among those who are learning Japanese and are familiar with Western languages (or English, at least) that in Japanese language, the subjects are often eliminated. (The link: http://youtu.be/GuiGe8nT_os)

Even though I have already TALKED about it in the video above, I decided to give some further examples comparing more real-life, longer sentences both in Japanese and English.

I will try to write the English sentences as natural as possible, so I believe it should sound natural unless you try to nitpick or I make big mistakes. Then, I will write the same thing in Japanese as closely to the English sentences as possible. I will not translate what each Japanese word and sentence means, or I will not write the Japanese sentences again with hiragana or romaji. In today's Internet-based world, you must be able to look up on the Internet like Google or any translator.

I hope you will see some differences between Japanese and English in their natural sentences.

So, here we go.

Yesterday, I decided to go to the cinema to watch "Amazing Spidermam" with my family today, since on every 1st day of a month is a day that we can watch movies for 1,000 yen each. I was looking forward to it because I love wtching movies, and Amazing Spiderman was one of the movies I currently wanted to watch.

To get to the theater early in order to buy the tickets in time, we had to wake up at 8 am. However, when I woke up, it was already 10 am! I checked the living room, but there was nobody. My family had already gone (and actually the movie had already started according to the schedule), and I was so shocked. I thought I had set the alarm on 8:00, but I didn't hear any sound.

But good news is that I will go to the cinema again on the following Wednesday since it's another "special day" when a pairs of people can watch movies for 1,000 yen each. I will go with my mom, and I will have her pay for me!

毎月一日は映画が1,000円で観られるから、今日家族と「アメージング スパイダーマン」を観に行こうって昨日からなってた。今観たい映画の一つだったし、俺映画が大好きだから楽しみにしてた。

早めに映画館に着いてチケットを買うためには朝8時に起きないといけなかった。でも起きたらもう10時だった！リビング見てみたけど誰もいなかった。もうみんな行っちゃってて(実はもう既に映画も始まってた)、かなりショックだった。8時に目覚ましセットしたつもりだったんだけど、何も聞こえなかった。

でも良い事があって、次の水曜日も映画が二人で行けば1,000円で観られる「スペシャルデー」なの。だから母と行って、お金払ってもらおうと思ってる。


Okay, that's it. You know what? Having written those sentences in Japanese, I kind of felt odd with the sentences. Grammatically, there should be not (at least big ones) mistakes, but it just feels odd to write Japanese sentences... I think I would write more casual way if I am to write about this kind of daily event.

Or let me write the same thing in maybe different sentences.
If I try NOT to make the sentence sound closer to the English sentences, I think it will be natural.

一日は毎月映画が1,000円で観られるから、今日家族でアメージング スパイダーマン観に行こうってなってて、俺映画大好きだしスパイダーマンも見たかったから楽しみにしてた。

朝8時には起きないと早めに映画館に着いてチケット買えない感じだったから、朝8時に起きる予定だったんだけど、起きた時はもう10時だった。リビング見てみたらもうみんな行っちゃってたの。マジでショックだった。8時に目覚ましかけといたはずなんだけど、何も聞こえなかった。

でも、次の水曜も二人で行けば映画1,000円で観られるから母と行って、そんでお金も払ってもらって映画観ようと思う。笑


Having written the same ideas in English and Japanese, I've noticed that each requires different ideas, thinking, and techniques. Having to, or trying to, write the same sentences in Japanese and English respectively, it was kind of difficult. I'd rather write only in English or Japanese, or using only some words or phrase that I can't express only with Japanese or English. That works better for me.

Kouhei

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