Question about the word ma

Thank you ajapaneseboy.

But if I understand you and AK correctly, 馬 isn't a stand alone word, and horse isn't pronounced "ma," it's pronounced "uma" (as in the name of the American actress Uma Thurman).

Is that right?

I take AK to be saying that the only thing the single syllable (ma, pronounced like the "mu" in "mutt") can mean in Japanese is "evil."

Is that right?

If this single syllable has only one meaning in spoken Japanese, and if I were to speak slowly (pausing between words), why couldn't a native born Japanese understand that I was saying "ma" and not "ooma"?

Why would they say "sorry, is there a horse"?

You are right that 馬 when used as a standalone word, the reading used would be "uma." (It is pronounced u-ma, not "yu-ma" as in the actress' name, by the way.)

間 can also be a standalone word when pronounced "ma," or "aida." Also I only used several examples, and there are many others.

I take AK to be saying that the only thing the single syllable (ma, pronounced like the "mu" in "mutt") can mean in Japanese is "evil."

I never ever said that.

If this single syllable has only one meaning in spoken Japanese, and if I were to speak slowly (pausing between words), why couldn't a native born Japanese understand that I was saying "ma" and not "ooma"?

Why would they say "sorry, is there a horse"?

I am a native speaker of Japanese, by the way :) and I still assert that words taken out of context, particularly in a language like Japanese where there are many homophones (words with different meanings, but same sounds) do not make sense right off. People would ask you what you mean. Relying on sounds only does not work here.

And I still don't understand what you are trying to do. Are you going to strike up a conversation with the locals, asking "are you an evil?" or "is there an evil around here?"

Phonetics and homophones are whatin.
I'm interested.

In spoken English, right/write/rite (however it's spelt) can mean the opposite of left, the opposite of wrong, or a ceremonial act.

It's a simple, short, one syllable sound (like "ma") with a variety of meanings.

I'd like to know what meanings "ma" (pronounced "mu," as in "mutt") can have in spoken Japanese.

I think you just said it can mean space, pause, or interval?

Can it also mean mysterious (or beyond human comprehension)?

And what else can it mean?

Maybe I made a mistake when I started talking about the writing system :)

The word "ma" can mean evil, space (in time), space (in room) depending on how it is written, just like with spelling in English. Also "maa" (somewhat long) might even be an exclamation :)

And in written Japanese, there are kanji with the reading "ma" which can range (among the about 2000 kanji in common use): 魔 (evil/beyond humans, 間 (space, room, interval), 真 (true), 馬 (horse), 麻 (linen), etc. But some are not standalone words.

But if you ask any Japanese, "what does "ma" mean?" They will ask you the context, where you heard/read it, how it is written, etc. Without context it's meaningless.

If you for example name your child "Ma," no Japanese can tell from the sound what it means. You show that it's 魔, and only then will Japanese people know that it means "evil" or "beyond human/human comprehension," and only when it is written in kanji, will it begin to show the meaning you wanted to give through the name.

Just like, if you asked someone verbally, "what does [RITE] mean?" Then people would ask you, how do you spell that? And if you say "R-I-G-H-T," people would ask you, in what context? because it can be the opposite of "left," and the opposite of "wrong."

I don't agree that "right/write/rite (however it's spelt)" is a simple, short one syllable sound with a variety of meanings; they are different words, each with its own meaning :)

I give up :) Thank you for your patience, and bye.

In spoken English, right/write/rite (however it's spelt) can mean the opposite of left, the opposite of wrong, or a ceremonial act.

You might understand it better if you think of Kanji like spelling. Just like in Enligh, the meaning is determined by the writing (or context if in spoken language).

I'd like to know what meanings "ma" (pronounced "mu," as in "mutt") can have in spoken Japanese.

Japanese doesn't have a "mu" as in "mutt" sound.

I don't agree that "right/write/rite (however it's spelt)" is a simple, short one syllable sound with a variety of meanings; they are different words, each with its own meaning :)

I think the poster is getting phonemes, morphemes, and words confused. I'd suggest they look into that first.

yllwsmrf,

I used the explanation "close to "mu" in the English word "mutt" but not quite" to talk about the pronunciation of the vowel [a] in Japanese, because I didn't want the original poster to take the vowel [a] in [ma] in Japanese to be anything like "ma" in "mat" or "maw" as in "ma" meaning "mom." :) Thank you.

AK,

I used the explanation "close to "mu" in the English word "mutt" but not quite" to talk about the pronunciation of the vowel

Sorry, I didn't catch that connection before posting.

You are right that 馬 when used as a standalone word, the reading used would be "uma." (It is pronounced u-ma, not "yu-ma" as in the actress' name, by the way.)

Wait a minute, isn't Uma Thurman's name was pronounced exactly like uma (horse) in Japanese (i.e. no y sound).