てか (teka)

English translation: Y'know

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Japanese term or phrase:てか (teka)
English translation:Y'know
Entered by: rubyhatchet (X)

09:07 May 14, 2005
Japanese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Slang / daily conversation, slang
Japanese term or phrase: てか (teka)
Here's an example where person #1 is telling person #2 about attending an English lesson that day: 今日、早速「I'm worn out」を使った。「Why?」って聞かれたから「I worked overtime.」って答えた。てか、最近英語力が落ちた気がする。

It's obviously some sort of connecting phrase like "however," but I cannot find the exact context in which to use it. It seems to be a younger kind of slang, too, with a more female version to boot.
rubyhatchet (X)
Local time: 06:49
Y'know
Explanation:
Everyone's already answered about what it means, this is just how I'd tranlsate it.

Y'know, I think my English is slipping.
Selected response from:

statusquo (X)
Local time: 20:49
Grading comment
The sample sentence is from an actual Japanese friend who often uses this phrase, and, looking at other examples from his emails, I think "y'know" is a good way to translate てか *in general.*
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2Y'know
statusquo (X)
4 +2"Or rather", "in other words"
kokuritsu
3と言うか (te/to iu ka)
KathyT
3というか
Momoka (X)
3In spite that (the preceding context)
Minoru Kuwahara


Discussion entries: 10





  

Answers


58 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
てか (teka)
と言うか (te/to iu ka)


Explanation:
I'm pretty sure this is just a lazy slang way of saying "te/to iu ka"...The URL below gives "like" as a rough English definition.

From: haradakun.cool.ne.jp/slang/gyaru01.html
【Like】・・・〜ってカンジ/てゆうか/てか
→アメリカ(カナダ)のティーンは、この"like"という表現を"超"多用します!「〜ってカンジ」とか「てゆうか」「てか」という意味になります。


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Note added at 1 hr 0 min (2005-05-14 10:08:34 GMT)
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As usual, ¥'hyougen¥' has mojibaked (in quote above).

KathyT
Australia
Local time: 22:49
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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56 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
てか (teka)
というか


Explanation:
I think it's a conversational form of というか or っていうか, and it's used as something like "it seems", "to tell you the truth", "what happens is"... Sorry but I'm not a native English speaker, so I think someone else will be able to give you a translation that fits better this term. Just wanted to help with a hint. Good luck!

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Note added at 1 hr 6 mins (2005-05-14 10:14:15 GMT)
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Sometimes it¥'s used like ¥"by the way¥"...

Momoka (X)
Local time: 20:49
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
てか (teka)
"Or rather", "in other words"


Explanation:
Used as a conjuction meaning “or rather,” or “in other words,” mostly followed by a statement adverse to what the speaker or its counterpart has said earlier.

A contemporary slang used by youngsters, males as well as females.

An colloquial abbreviation of “というか” or “っていうか,”
as everyone has already pointed out.

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Note added at 2005-05-14 13:51:18 (GMT)
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Re the asker¥'s note added:

The person #1 tries to imply: ¥"Although I think my English was without a hitch as far as the conversation with my teacher is concerned, I think my English is slipping lately.¥"



kokuritsu
Local time: 20:49
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kurt Hammond: Here it also could be intepreted as "because, like, I think my english is getting worse..."
2 hrs
  -> 謝謝, Kurt San.

agree  ypsudo
1442 days
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
てか (teka)
Y'know


Explanation:
Everyone's already answered about what it means, this is just how I'd tranlsate it.

Y'know, I think my English is slipping.

statusquo (X)
Local time: 20:49
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Grading comment
The sample sentence is from an actual Japanese friend who often uses this phrase, and, looking at other examples from his emails, I think "y'know" is a good way to translate てか *in general.*

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  mike.sickler (X): Yup
1 hr
  -> Thanks!

agree  tappi_k: i'd go for somethng like this - everybody is right about where てか comes from liguistically, but the truth is, it doesn't really add any meaning to the sentence. a filler, it is.
14 hrs
  -> Thanks!
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
てか (teka)
In spite that (the preceding context)


Explanation:
I suppose you're basically right about the definition of this new slang: however. I personally do not use it, but sometimes come it across to find it's an abbreviation of a proper Japanese expression "というより(も)(rather)", "むしろ (it's more like)", "にも関わらず (inspite of)" , etc. probably. This slang possibly could be mostly understood as the meaning: "OR more exacty, I'd rather say...". But I think your example above is not a usua one.

In my view, the third definition I pick up might be most conforming to the speaker's intention. In the above use, the person #1 would be possibly tring to say "In spite that I answered his question using the English phrase, I guess my English has getting worse recently." Pls think about the context.

HTH

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Note added at 1 hr 16 mins (2005-05-14 10:23:46 GMT)
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Looking at others¥' answers, I definitely agree that ¥"というか¥" is another form of its original prasing.

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Note added at 4 hrs 35 mins (2005-05-14 13:42:54 GMT)
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I suggest using ¥"By the way¥" in the context of the example above. As I said, that¥'s a bit different from its usual meaning: ¥"In other words¥", etc. -

Minoru Kuwahara
Japan
Local time: 20:49
Native speaker of: Japanese
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