Topic: 何で -- なにで vs. なんで
In this section, the guide says this:
The word for "what" （何） is quite annoying because while it's usually read as 「なに」, sometimes it is read as 「なん」 depending on how it's used. And since it's always written in Kanji, you can't tell which it is. I would suggest sticking with 「なに」 until someone corrects you for when it should be 「なん」. With the 「で」 particle, it is read as 「なに」 as well.
Later it says this:
Here's the confusing part. There is a colloquial version of the word "why" that is used much more often than the less colloquial version 「どうして」 or the more forceful 「なぜ」. It is also written as 「何で」 but it is read as 「なんで」.
This implies that you must read 何で as なにで when it means "by what means" and なんで when it means "why", but this doesn't seem to be the case. Japanese for Busy People Vol. 1 has this dialogue exchange (Unit 3, Lesson 7, Exercise X):
鈴木「チャンさん、いつ大阪支社に行きますか。」
チャン「木曜日に行きます。」
鈴木「なんで行きますか。」
チャン「飛行機で行きます。」
Here なんで clearly means "by what means", not "why". Both the audio and the text (the text in the book itself is all kana) unmistakably say なんで, not なにで. Now, it might be the case that なにで is much more common -- I certainly wouldn't know -- but surely なんで is still correct.
- Kef
Last edited by furrykef (2009-08-17 03:21:01)
