No street parties, no chaos — just a good Halloween. Here’s how to ask (politely!) where to celebrate this year, plus the grammar to sound natural doing it. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/10/23/language/japanese-halloween-questions-tokyo/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #tokyo #shibuya #halloween
We’re halfway through October, which means the hunt will soon be on for fall foliage. Learn how to ask about the when, where and why in Japanese while exploring the country’s most picturesque photo spots. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/10/16/language/autumn-leaves-japanese-trees/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #grammar #jlptn5 #jlptn4
Thinking about a haircut in Japan? From straight to curly, here’s your guide to salon lingo, styles and expectations. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/10/09/language/japanese-hair-salon-haircut/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #beauty #hairstyles #jlptn5 #jlptn4 #livinginjapan
If you don’t dispose of your garbage properly, you may wind up with a bear at your doorstep. Or, even worse, an angry neighbor. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/10/03/language/garbage-sorting-bear-japan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #bears #garbage #livinginjapan
Ed Sheeran’s on the map — literally. Tokyo’s “Oh! Ed!” campaign isn’t just PR, it’s a lesson in Japan’s playful spelling magic. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/09/26/language/missing-vowels-japanese-language/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #grammar #vocabulary #edsheeran
Can we stop saying “dogfooding” and “eat your own dog food” as slang for using of your own products and services in the same way as a customer? We can do better. We are not dogs. We are people.
For reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_your_own_dog_food
"Eat what you cook" is a much better term, and what I currently use. However, it doesn't simplify to the “dogfooding" form.
Let's start a thread, to gather the possibilities.
Autumn in Japan isn’t announced — it creeps in. And the language is built to catch every little change. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/09/18/language/japanese-grammar-tekuru-teiku/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #grammar #jlptn3
Kathy Reid
boosted
A Strategic Community #Roadmap for an #Australian#FAIR#Vocabulary Ecosystem
https://doi.org/10.25911/N6K8-F540
Three years ago, I participated in a very engaged workshop at #ANU on #vocabularies for FAIR #data management. It sharpened how I think about vocabularies. I now see them primarily as a #KnowledgeTransfer tool for representing domain expertise in an actionable form. And I think we do a terrible job both at highlighting how critical they are (particularly in an age where trusted expertise is harder to find) and also at making them easier for others to find and reuse.
I picture this scenario. A student is about to start collecting data for their thesis. They need to make choices about what variables to observe or what questions to ask participants, and they need to think about how they want to represent the results to support their analysis. In the ideal case, the actual data collecting effort is about populating an imagined but initially empty data matrix. If they could be assisted to find the best structured and most widely used (in their domain) vocabularies for any categorical values in their data, it would be possible to generate that template matrix with in-built validation tools, etc. The data they finally collect would have most of its metadata already defined and would be properly interoperable with data collected by others in their domain. Meta-analysis would be much simpler.
I am interested in why tools like this don't really exist, or at least why they are not mainstream. I think it's because vocabularies are seen as such an ultra-nerdy subset of the nerdy topic of #metadata rather than presented as an opportunity to stand on the shoulders of others. What can be done to make them more friendly and intuitive for such purposes?
Finally, after way too many struggles, we have a report and recommendations from from that meeting in 2022. I tried to add some of these ideas to the final product as best I could.
A Strategic Community #Roadmap for an #Australian#FAIR#Vocabulary Ecosystem
https://doi.org/10.25911/N6K8-F540
Three years ago, I participated in a very engaged workshop at #ANU on #vocabularies for FAIR #data management. It sharpened how I think about vocabularies. I now see them primarily as a #KnowledgeTransfer tool for representing domain expertise in an actionable form. And I think we do a terrible job both at highlighting how critical they are (particularly in an age where trusted expertise is harder to find) and also at making them easier for others to find and reuse.
I picture this scenario. A student is about to start collecting data for their thesis. They need to make choices about what variables to observe or what questions to ask participants, and they need to think about how they want to represent the results to support their analysis. In the ideal case, the actual data collecting effort is about populating an imagined but initially empty data matrix. If they could be assisted to find the best structured and most widely used (in their domain) vocabularies for any categorical values in their data, it would be possible to generate that template matrix with in-built validation tools, etc. The data they finally collect would have most of its metadata already defined and would be properly interoperable with data collected by others in their domain. Meta-analysis would be much simpler.
I am interested in why tools like this don't really exist, or at least why they are not mainstream. I think it's because vocabularies are seen as such an ultra-nerdy subset of the nerdy topic of #metadata rather than presented as an opportunity to stand on the shoulders of others. What can be done to make them more friendly and intuitive for such purposes?
Finally, after way too many struggles, we have a report and recommendations from from that meeting in 2022. I tried to add some of these ideas to the final product as best I could.
As Japanese culture celebrates its past eras, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce enter their new era with a special announcement. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/09/10/language/taylor-travis-engagement-japanese/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #taylorswift #traviskelce #marriage #nostalgia
People in Japan aren’t getting enough sleep. Luckily, everyone from scientists to Shohei Ohtani are offering solutions. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/09/02/language/japanese-sleep-day-health/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #sleep #pokemonsleep #health #shoheiohtani
Group work chats can be helpful when it comes to small things, but at what point do Japanese workers think they step over the line? https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/08/22/language/japan-work-harassment-line/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #grammar #jlptn2 #jlptn3 #jlptn4
Zero o'clock? 27 o'clock?? Telling time in Japan means more than just looking at a clock — and a generational divide only complicates things. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/08/15/bilingual/japanese-time-clock/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #bilingual #nihongo #vocabulary
Avoid the tourist traps this Bon season by asking locals the right questions — in Japanese. Learn phrases to uncover hidden spots, regional eats and perfect souvenirs. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/08/07/bilingual/japanese-obon-traffic-summer/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #bilingual #nihongo #vocabulary #driving
From typhoon gusts to the whisper of wind chimes, Japan has tons of words for wind. Discover the poetry and power behind them. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/07/31/bilingual/japanese-wind-words-summer/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #bilingual #nihongo #vocabulary #fourkanjiidioms
Japan's kids have summer projects to do. From book reports to research projects, here’s how parents can help — with a grammar lesson to boot. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/07/24/language/japanese-children-screens-summer/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #summer #parenting #children
Still haven’t made summer plans? This week’s Bilingual piece rounds up the major festivals happening across Japan — and teaches you a handy grammar point to practice when you go. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/07/18/language/japanese-summer-festival-listing/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #grammar #jlptn2
July 17 is World Emoji Day! But is it only going to be Gen Xers and Millennials that celebrate it? https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/07/11/language/emoji-japanese-gen-z-texts/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #emoji #vocabulary #jlptn3 #jlptn1 #grammar
What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of a Japanese summer? A new poll reveals whether those in their 20s and those older than 40 think of the same thing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/07/05/language/japanese-summer-words-fireworks/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #heat #summer #heatstroke #jlptn3
Once you learn the terminology for kabuki, step farther into the world by recognizing the classical Japanese used in its scripts. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2025/06/26/language/japanese-kabuki-terms-language/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #life #language #nihongo #vocabulary #kabuki #theater