<p>Mandarin is the most popular dialect in China. Cantonese and Mandarin can be a little like Spanish and English. They both have a few words that sound similar and mean the same, but if you know one, it doesn't mean you know the other. However, I grew up speaking Cantonese, and trying to learn Mandarin with the Cantonese knowledge, it is definitely easier than a white person trying to learn Mandarin. </p>
<p>Chinese songs are my favorite. I prefer Mandarin songs over Cantonese though.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Japanese and Korean are not tonal.
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</p>
<p>I don't know about Korean, but Japanese IS somewhat tonal. There is a difference in the way words like "chopsticks" (hashi) and "bridge" (hashi) are pronounced. Unfortunately, I don't understand this at all, so I can't elucidate.</p>
<p>shades_children,</p>
<p>No, that's not tonality. </p>
<p>It's somewhat like how "object" can mean different things when it's pronounced with stress on the first or second syllable. Japanese has mora timing and to a lesser extent stress timing which manifests itself as pitch accent.</p>
<p>But no, it's not tonal.</p>
<p>Pitch accent is still atonal? Well, I did say I didn't understand it. :) Thanks, UCLAri.</p>
<p>shades_children,</p>
<p>Yeah, it is. I'm not a linguist, but that much I'm pretty sure of.</p>
<p>BTW, the difference between 橋 and 箸 (first is bridge, second is chopsticks) is not as prevalent in daily speech as you might suspect. In fact, in my little part of Japan (Saga), I don't think they differentiated it at all!</p>
<p>Then you get into the differences in pronunciation in Kanto vs. Kansai!</p>
<p>Ugh.</p>
<p>"Which asianic language has the best songs to listen to?"</p>
<p>Isn't it asiatic, or asian? asianic I don't think is a word.</p>
<p>Pillows and the Boredoms are 2 pretty good bands.
Utada hikaru has a great voice, but it's not something Im normally gonna listen to.</p>
<p>I think Utada Hikaru knows how to put emotion into her voice but overall as a singer... ehhh. She has an interesting voice at least though in my personal opinion. I really like some of her songs though. (you are easy breezy I'm japanesey made me laugh though)
But hirai ken. he has a fantastic voice.</p>
<p>For korean music though Younha (she also sings in japanese as well) has a phenomenal voice and is amazing live. Wonder Girls and Big Bang are doing really well too although they aren't really great vocally.. G-Dragon's a good songwriter though, lies is an amazing song.</p>
<p>Hirai Ken performed to a standing ovation at the Apollo once. That says something in my mind.</p>
<p>Don't get me wrong about Utada. I don't think she's exceptionally talented compared to many other singers, but I was just comparing her to pop singers. I tend to hold most pop singers in pretty low regard, so it's not really like I consider it a fantastic benchmark...</p>
<p>Oh, Crystal Kay impressed me with ONE song once. I forget which one. Not my type of music, though.</p>
<p>^LOL i agree whole heartedly with you. Crystal kay's voice gets too weak for me alot of times, its too... light? breathy? Don't know the word. </p>
<p>Japanese pop singers... yeah i know what you mean. Morning Musume.. arashi.. berryz koubo...haha they are cute i guess but not fantastic... at all. Too maniac for me in the first place, lol.</p>
<p>yeah people keep on talking about what an amazing singer utada is and im just thinking... uh really? i guess each to their own opinions...</p>
<p>I like voices of Misia and Hayashi asuca though. :) great singers. I also like K although he's korean. whatever his japanese songs are good too.</p>
<p>hirai ken's voice is so soft and unique, its amazing. I remember watching his video with my friend and my friend going like "WHOA i did not expect him to sound like that" or something like that hahaha</p>
<p>I think Hirai Ken also gets points for me for being so un-Japanese looking. You can't put a price on that. It's nice to see non-kawaii non-bishounen looking people making it big in Japan.</p>
<p>Oh, the one Japanese band I do enjoy on a regular basis is Asian Kung-Fu Generation. Power chords and screaming... nice for running to.</p>
<p>These are definitely the best</p>