To be fair, the bookclub was more Maka's thing at first...but over time we've both put a lot of work into it. In the end, it's something that everyone can enjoy. At least, that's the plan.
Quite a few. Including you, we'll have had at least two or three new members joining in just the last month or so.
That's nice, isn't it? That interest in reading is still alive and well. Hopefully whatever you pick for us to read will lead to a good discussion. I definitely miss it.
Excuse me for asking, but what was that you put on the end of my name? The -san?
You would be surprised by the books you can find here. I'm not sure how much looking you've done so far, but there are...some interesting selections.
[Now there's an interesting question.]
Ah, well, for Japanese speakers it's common courtesy to use an honorific to be polite or show respect. If you were a lot younger than me or we knew each other a lot more personally, I might call you Ashley-chan instead. But -san is easy because it works for most anyone.
Maka prefers for me to just call her by her name and nothing else, for example, but I don't usually do that with everyone.
Is that so? I admit I've grown up around a lot of Japanese-Americans, but I've never actually heard them speak Japanese so I had no idea how the spoken language rules are. A bit of an oversight on my part, since the population's so high in California.
Regardless, this is fascinating. In English, we only really use honorifics with people in high positions of power, or if we're servicing someone, like as a waiter. You probably know that already, though, I'd imagine.
Would you prefer I use something for you? I was just going to call you Ken, but I don't want to be impolite.
I understand that a lot of people here are originally English speaking, or sometimes they speak languages that don't exist as we know them. Because of that, I usually don't mind too much what people decide to call me, though Kaneki is what I'm usually used to. But if Ken would be easier, I don't mind that either.
[Kaneki she asked what you prefer, not the other way around.]
Not really. I mean, I love suspense and mystery, but horror is too much for me, but I'm trying to branch out I suppose you could say? I ask because while it will take some time I'm trying my hand at writing something that I think you could call horror.
I was wondering if perhaps when it's less an idea and more a draft, you would be willing to look at it for me?
I would love to, of course! It's always been one of my dreams to write a book of my own, so I admire you for that. Though I do have a lot of time here, so maybe that will change.
I'll definitely look over it for you. I was majoring in Japanese Literature back home, but it's been a while since I've actually gotten the opportunity to do anything like this. Not that it will be in Japanese, but it's good practice either way.
From what I've been told and what I've been able to gather from my own experience, this world has a sort of universal translator that allows us all to understand each other. For me, it may as well be that I'm still speaking and writing in Japanese, but being here makes it so I can understand you and vice-versa, no matter the language we use. Does that make sense?
It does. It's fascinating and unlike anything I've ever heard of, but it does. Has anyone tried testing how it works? Is it something to do with our PokéGear or some kind of side-effect of passing through that house?
I'm...not sure, actually. It could be both, but if it was just the Gear, that wouldn't explain how we can still understand each other through normal speech. And even though we can understand each other, that doesn't mean our languages are completely erased, either. I have a book from home with me that's written in kanji.
That is harder to explain, but sometimes when unexplained things happen in this world, things from home might show up too. I've gotten my book and a photograph of my mother, so far, but I couldn't tell you how they got here or why.
Everyone has a different theory. Some believe legendary or ancient Pokemon cause these things to happen, or it's just a byproduct of the world itself. Nobody really knows for sure.
I wouldn't worry about it too much. You'll start to get used to things over time. And don't feel bad if you don't right away. It's a lot to try and take in all at once.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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To be fair, the bookclub was more Maka's thing at first...but over time we've both put a lot of work into it. In the end, it's something that everyone can enjoy. At least, that's the plan.
Quite a few. Including you, we'll have had at least two or three new members joining in just the last month or so.
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That's nice, isn't it? That interest in reading is still alive and well. Hopefully whatever you pick for us to read will lead to a good discussion. I definitely miss it.
Excuse me for asking, but what was that you put on the end of my name? The -san?
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[Now there's an interesting question.]
Ah, well, for Japanese speakers it's common courtesy to use an honorific to be polite or show respect. If you were a lot younger than me or we knew each other a lot more personally, I might call you Ashley-chan instead. But -san is easy because it works for most anyone.
Maka prefers for me to just call her by her name and nothing else, for example, but I don't usually do that with everyone.
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Regardless, this is fascinating. In English, we only really use honorifics with people in high positions of power, or if we're servicing someone, like as a waiter. You probably know that already, though, I'd imagine.
Would you prefer I use something for you? I was just going to call you Ken, but I don't want to be impolite.
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[Kaneki she asked what you prefer, not the other way around.]
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[What a sweet guy. You know-]
Maka told me you like mystery and horror books. That correct?
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I was wondering if perhaps when it's less an idea and more a draft, you would be willing to look at it for me?
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or is this just fantasy]
I would love to, of course! It's always been one of my dreams to write a book of my own, so I admire you for that. Though I do have a lot of time here, so maybe that will change.
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Wonderful! I asked Maka as well, but since it's in your wheelhouse I wanted to make sure. And have another pair of eyes to look over it.
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[Like home, for instance.]
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At least there's that.
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