Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2021 February 17

= February 17 =

Ministry in Japanese
What's the difference between 省, 大臣 , 庁 and 官? They all translate as a ministry. 147.236.232.254 (talk) 09:41, 17 February 2021 (UTC)
 * 省 is a government ministry; e.g., 環境省 (Kankyō-shō) is the Ministry of the Environment. 大臣 is not a ministry but a minister (a person); e.g., 環境大臣 (Kankyō-daijin) is the Minister of the Environment. 庁 is a government agency; e.g., 気象庁 (Kishō-chō) is the Japan Meteorological Agency. 官 can refer to an office holder (a person) as well as (mainly historically) to an office; e.g., 侍従武官 (jiju bu-kan) is the aide-de-camp to the Emperor of Japan, and 太政官 (Daijō-kan) was the Great Council of State. --Lambiam 11:08, 17 February 2021 (UTC)

"Semi" on screen
From wikt:semi I learn that for semi, in the USA both pronunciations /ˈsɛmi/ and /ˈsemaɪ/ are used. When in an American film or TV series the term is used for a semitruck, which pronunication will mostly be used? In particular, which one was used in Knight Rider? --KnightMove (talk) 19:01, 17 February 2021 (UTC)
 * I don't know about Knight Rider, but Americans (and Canadians) use both pronunciations in that sense. Also, I almost never hear the full term semi-trailer (or semi-truck); it's almost always just "semi". Matt Deres (talk) 21:28, 17 February 2021 (UTC)


 * In this video on the original GMC General used in Knight Rider, the narrator says . Of course, this does not necessarily mean the TV series used the same pronunciation. --Lambiam 22:21, 17 February 2021 (UTC)


 * In my experience it's "sem-ee" when semi- is a prefix within a standard word, like semicircle, but "sem-eye" when it's used as a word meaning a truck. --142.112.149.107 (talk) 03:39, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * Incidentally, it's occurred to me that I have a similar variation with the prefix quasi-. When it's used within a standard word, like quasi-criminal, it's "kwah-zee", but if I invent a nonce usage like 'quasi-diabolo', the prefix becomes "kway-z'eye". --142.112.149.107 (talk) 03:51, 19 February 2021 (UTC)
 * Thank you all.
 * @IP: How would you pronounce a semi-automatic firearm? --KnightMove (talk) 06:23, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * I've heard it both ways. Clarityfiend (talk) 07:03, 18 February 2021 (UTC)


 * I'll say it if no one else will: it's pronounced either way if it's attached to a word. But "semi" alone when pronounced sem-eye means a truck, when pronounced sem-ee refers to a penis in a state between flaccid and erect. Temerarius (talk) 08:23, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * Concur with the above definitions exactly. "I have a sem-eye" means you have a big truck.  "I have a sem-ee" means you're a male who is little bit excited, sexually speaking.  -- Jayron 32 12:33, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * Or in UK, Oz and NZ means: "I have a semi-detached house," residentially speaking. Martinevans123 (talk) 12:51, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * Did you hear about the man with a fetish for articulated lorries? He got a semi when a semi parked outside his semi. DuncanHill (talk) 11:52, 19 February 2021 (UTC)
 * Owch. Martinevans123 (talk) 11:58, 19 February 2021 (UTC)
 * Likewise on my street in Canada. --142.112.149.107 (talk) 21:30, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * In my experience it is almost always pronounced sem-ee when the prefix is fused to the root word (like semicircle) but is often (but not always) pronounced sem-eye when it is hyphenated (like semi-automatic). --Khajidha (talk) 16:50, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * There is usually no "sem-eye" variant in Brit Eng, unless taking about the band. Martinevans123 (talk) 16:55, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * In AmEng, that band uses the "sem-ee" pronunciation. -- Jayron 32 17:32, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * Ah, so rhymes with chemistree? Then I guess it must be some kind of secret Brit iron-ee. Martinevans123 (talk) 19:14, 18 February 2021 (UTC)
 * I think it's Closing Time on this joke... -- Jayron 32 14:46, 19 February 2021 (UTC)