Pronunciation in Wanikani

[Esceptico]

Some of the example readings - pretty much always done by the man rather than the woman - sound very different from what I would expect from the hirigana. These are always the voiced/nasalised sounds. Some examples from today’s lesson: 下着 the hirigana is したぎ and so I was expecting to hear shtagi but to my ears his pronuciation is closer to shtani.
Same with 湯気. Written ゆげ and so I was expecting yuge but heard yue (well not really as it was heavily nasalised and not sure how to represent that in English).

There are other examples. I can’t think of one for the woman.

My question: is his pronunciation the standard pronunciation or rather a variant/dialect? If his is standard I am concerned that Genki did not mention that at all because then I have been pronouncing all such combinations incorrectly.

[Leebo]

The nasalized ガ行 sounds are part of the pronunciation of standard Japanese and of Tokyo in a regional sense. The difference between the non-nasalized ガ行 sounds and the nasalized ones is rarely taught to beginners, but both exist in standard Japanese, and correct pronunciation does distinguish them.

For instance, in the sentence

がっこうがひろいです

the が of がっこう is non-nasal, and the が particle is nasalized.

So, yes, not all ガ行 sounds are created equal.

Here’s a Stack Exchange question about it

The nasal allophones of /g/

BTW, I personally think it’s an exaggeration to say that they don’t sound like g’s, but maybe I’m just used to it.

[Cychloryn]

To me, the nasalization sounds like a “ng” sound instead of a “g” sound.
“shitang-i” or something

But yeah, patterns like that are something I’ve just picked up/gotten used to after listening to a lot of Japanese

[Ssqvist]

Don’t know about these particular words, but my Japanese friend sometimes hear the recordings when I do WaniKani next to her and says that the man has more natural pronunciation. This is probably for level 9/10.

[Kuvshinova]

I’ve noticed this before but never realised it was actually a thing. I’ve tried looking on youtube for audible examples or a lesson on it but I’ve had no such luck. Does anyone here know where I might find sound examples?

[Sezme]

I listen to a lot of Japanese people speaking, but rarely hear anyone use the nasalised G sound. So when I do (usually in audio recordings), it often catches me off guard and I hear it more as an N sound. Not to say that it isn’t common among certain groups, just not in my circle. Ultimately it’s a matter of getting used to it.

Many Japanese people (even the ones who don’t use it) don’t recognize it as a variation. It just sounds like a regular G sound to them.