Please read this in natural speed, like when you are talking about it to your friends. Thank you!
There are some routine phrases used in English schools in Japan.
Today, I would like to put up the phrase " See you" here, because I have a question for you about this term.
When students finish their lessons and are off the school, everybody in the school, the staff, the teachers and the students, say "See you~~~~." And the pronunciation is just like "see youuuuuuu~~~~~." The "U" sound is streched longer.
An American teacher, who first came to Japan and started working in a private English school, seemed to have felt really weird when he heard us say " see you" when we were leaving.
He said to me privately that he had never heard that long sound of "you" for the term " see you." According to him, it's supposed to be " see ya" in pronunciation, because the term is originally very casual.
But now, I have a question for you. Does this happen only in the US?
I would like to know how you pronounce it. Do you say " see YOUUU" or " see ya" in your country?
Since I heard his opinion, I have tried to say " see ya". However, it seems like I sound a bit strange, and some people who know English correct me to say it should be " see youuu."
I am confused.
Hi Ringo, I think the lesson here is that no native speaker of English will know ALL kinds of English. It's very diverse! The important thing is to use what feels comfortable for you.
We do say "see ya" in Australia, as well as "see you" and "see youuuuu". The long U is very friendly and a bit funny, so only close friends would use that.
I don't agree the term is originally casual; the full sentence is "I will see you later" -> "see you later" -> "see you" -> "see ya". But all of these options are correct, use whichever you like. ^^