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1. Bernie (codewiz@mstdn.io)'s status on Sunday, 05-Feb-2023 21:47:05 UTC Bernie

   I heard なんか (nanka) and なんて (nante) countless times in #anime set in modern Japan.

   I guessed from context that it's slang for something negative or annoying, but I wasn't sure about the meaning because there's no direct English translation. In fact, it's usually lost in subtitles.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orRauBAGB8g
   #japanese #japan #anime

   • Kazinator (kazinator@mstdn.ca)'s status on Tuesday, 07-Feb-2023 17:26:28 UTC Kazinator

     in reply to

     @codewiz

     なんか and なんて can be synonyms of など (often written 等). They mean "sort of thing", "such as", and can be used in pejorative sentences; e.g. to express "the likes of you": おまえ(みたいなくず)なんか大嫌い。
     I hate scum like you. The part I wrote in parentheses is often left to the imagination, so the なんか by itself means something bad: "the likes of you" is something negative.

     But ...

   • Bernie (codewiz@mstdn.io)'s status on Tuesday, 07-Feb-2023 17:28:40 UTC Bernie

     in reply to

     • Kazinator

     @Kazinator Ah yes, I heard なんて in contexts where people would say なに？ or まじか...

   • Kazinator (kazinator@mstdn.ca)'s status on Tuesday, 07-Feb-2023 17:28:42 UTC Kazinator

     in reply to

     @codewiz

     なんか is also used as an interjection which means "it seems to me", "say ...", "sort of", "come to think of it", "I have some impression to express". Usually before the remark. なんか、かすかな音が聞こえるよ。(Say, I can hear a faint sound.) なんか、この公園の雰囲気がすき。I sort of like the atmosphere of this park. This isn't negative. It's a "soft casual" thing, perhaps?

     The word なんて also serves as "what a!" in exclamations, which can be very positive. なんてかわいいあかかはん (what a cute baby).