Yohan Yukiya Sese Cuneta 사요한🦣<p>If you and your friends know <a href="https://c.im/tags/Filipino" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Filipino</span></a> and <a href="https://c.im/tags/Nihongo" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Nihongo</span></a> (<a href="https://c.im/tags/Japanese" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Japanese</span></a>) and you're in a conversation wherein the use of "baka" fits well, you have to pause and think.</p><p>* In Nihongo, "baka" by itself means "stupid" or "idiot".<br />* In Filipino, "baka" can mean (1) maybe; or (2) cow.</p><p>Normally, the trick is in the pronunciation.</p><p>"Baka" in Japanese is slow, "ba-ka". This same pronunciation means "cow" in Filipino.</p><p>"Baka" in Filipino that means "maybe" is fast, "baka".</p><p>Another way to explain it.<br />"Baka" in Japanese is pronounced straight. No stress.</p><p>"Baka" (cow) in Filipino has a stress in the first "a" vowel. It's like "baa-ka".</p><p>"Baka" (maybe) in Filipino, there is an abrupt stop at the second "a", and a soft stress as well.</p><p>However, recently, the "baka" (maybe) in Filipino has changed pronunciation, at least, the way the new generation are doing it.</p><p>How do they pronounce it today? Like the Nihongo "baka".</p><p>So, you end up pausing to think if the person meant the Nihongo (stupid) or the Filipino (maybe) meaning.</p><p>Of course, a conversation where both meanings of "baka" in these two <a href="https://c.im/tags/languages" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>languages</span></a> fits well as a response is not common but not rare. If you're with friends who understands both Filipino and Japanese this situation might come up once in a while.</p><p>😉</p><p>Cool, eh?</p><p><a href="https://c.im/tags/BAKA" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>BAKA</span></a>! <br /> <br /><a href="https://c.im/tags/Philippines" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Philippines</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Japan" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Japan</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Nihon" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Nihon</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Pilipinas" class="mention hashtag" rel="tag">#<span>Pilipinas</span></a></p>