Japanese - Ask questions thread

Basically if you have a question about the language, ask it and fellow 4channers might see it and answer it for you.

To start it off. When an animate object (iru) dies, is it considered inanimate(aru)?

In anime when someone ask for a stranger's name, sometimes they go  "etto..." (Erm...).
Then the other party will know he's asking for his name.
Does this happen in real life?