Difference in names.

[Isshin-Vegg]

I am a black belt in Isshinryu and I feel like I should know this, but why do some people spell our style Isshinryu vs. Isshin-Ryu? Is it a difference in following master Angi Uezu vs. not? Or is it just "tomato vs. tomahto" (how people say them lol) where it's one's personal preference?

[Shizentai]

I am a black belt in Isshinryu and I feel like I should know this, but why do some people spell our style Isshinryu vs. Isshin-Ryu? Is it a difference in following master Angi Uezu vs. not? Or is it just "tomato vs. tomahto" (how people say them lol) where it's one's personal preference?

Basically, in witten Japanese there are no spaces between words, but in many western languages such as English there are. Therefore, when translation occurs, there is naturally some variation as to where to put spaces or hyphens (as they weren't in the original word).

For instance, "I'm a practitioner of karate" in Japanese is "watashiwakaratekadesu"

Now, that's really hard for someone to read in western characters, so usually people break it up like this when spelling Japanese phonetically:

"watashi wa karateka desu"

However, I've also seen these interpretations:

"watashi wa karate-ka desu"

"watashi wa karate ka desu"

Any way you read it "karate" + "ka" = "karate practitioner"

And everything sounds the same when spoken as well.

So Isshin-ryu vs. Isshin ryu vs. Isshinryu are simply differences in romanization of Japanese words. The sound and the meaning is the same, but people just can't agree on a standard way to write Japanese words... that's all.

[sensei8]

I am a black belt in Isshinryu and I feel like I should know this, but why do some people spell our style Isshinryu vs. Isshin-Ryu? Is it a difference in following master Angi Uezu vs. not? Or is it just "tomato vs. tomahto" (how people say them lol) where it's one's personal preference?

Basically, in witten Japanese there are no spaces between words, but in many western languages such as English there are. Therefore, when translation occurs, there is naturally some variation as to where to put spaces or hyphens (as they weren't in the original word).

For instance, "I'm a practitioner of karate" in Japanese is "watashiwakaratekadesu"

Now, that's really hard for someone to read in western characters, so usually people break it up like this when spelling Japanese phonetically:

"watashi wa karateka desu"

However, I've also seen these interpretations:

"watashi wa karate-ka desu"

"watashi wa karate ka desu"

Any way you read it "karate" + "ka" = "karate practitioner"

And everything sounds the same when spoken as well.

So Isshin-ryu vs. Isshin ryu vs. Isshinryu are simply differences in romanization of Japanese words. The sound and the meaning is the same, but people just can't agree on a standard way to write Japanese words... that's all.

I don't know about anybody else here, but, that was about the most solid explanation across the board that I've ever heard...and I thank you Shizentai for that!!

[Dobbersky]

Shizentai-san

That is the best explaination of Japanese I have heard on this board

OSU!!!

[Shizentai]

Why thank you gentlemen! My pleasure!

[LittleW]

Very good answer!

Do you speak Japanese, Shizentai?

For, learning that language myself, I would have come to the same result.

[Shizentai]

Very good answer!

Do you speak Japanese, Shizentai?

For, learning that language myself, I would have come to the same result.

Like you I am just a student of the Japanese language. I've been learning bits and pieces off and on since high school. Although I'm trying to scan all of my old textbooks lately since in two weeks I am going to be going back to Japan to meet my boyfriend's family for the first time. @_@ I hope I don't mess up and say something weird.

Not to leave the proper topic of this thread of course. Err... I think it's interesting that "Ossu" is sometimes spelled "Os," or "Oss" when written in western letters. It definitely makes more sense phonetically to leave off the silent "u," even if it's impossible to do that in Japanese.

[LittleW]

No, there's no single S in Japanese. And they sometimes do speak the U very clearly.

At least, my teacher does.

It's interesting, that Ossu is used as a greeting. I've seen it in Kanji and it means something like to hit and take the blows, or hart and soft.

There are so many translations for a Kanji...

Enjoy your stay in Japan!