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question I very much appreciate your informing me about
markedness. –  kinyo Dec 4 '13 at 23:45 add comment  3 Answers
up vote 1 down vote accepted   1 Common knowledge:   2
Contextual/Situational:     share|improve this answer add
comment    share|improve this answer We NEVER say 新幹線の速さは何ですか？
You guys are "translating" way too much. –  Tokyo Nagoya Dec 4
'13 at 14:21 @VictorySaber. yes. You are missing something. To
wit: "What is the speed of that Porsche?". If it were made in
the 1950s and compared to a Porsche made in 2013, I'd be slow.
Compared to other cars in the 1950s, I'd be fast. But, compared
to train travel in the 1950s, I don't know if it's fast, slow,
or probably it depends on the terrain? So, how could you
possibly rely on preconception to choose "速さ" or "遅さ"??? Speed
is an absolute measurement that has nothing to do with anything
else's speed. And then, extrapolate that to every other Japanese
adjective. That is my question. –  kiny