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yuiyoshida

(41,765 posts)
Sun Jul 16, 2017, 08:47 PM Jul 2017

I don't think you understand....私は本当にあなたが理解しているとは思わない


A few years ago I was visiting an Asian chat room on line. While there someone noticed my name and asked me if I was Japanese. I said "Yes Japanese American".

"oh good, " he said, "dattebayo! Boku wa 11 tsuki ni Nihon ni iku yotei de, muryo de nihongo o manabu hoho wo manabimashita."

I said, that's interesting that you are going to Japan in November but where is it you picked up such rough language? Who taught you to speak Japanese?

"No one". He said,

I picked it up on my own, from watching Naruto Anime and reading Naruto Manga (Comic books). "

I replied, "ah, no wonder. I said " You really should take a formal class in Japanese before you go to Japan."

He tossed out an Japanese expletive.

"I don't need formal school. I can speak Japanese perfectly well, and people there will understand me" he said arrogantly.

I explained to him that Japanese is not like a language like Spanish, where you can just pick up phrases and get by.

"There are grammatical errors you have used, like not knowing about formal, semi formal and Casual speech. The way you say something depends often on who you are saying it too."

He laughed and called me a "Baka Yaro" , which means Stupid Bastard. I told him, say that phrase to a stranger in Japan and you might get your teeth knocked down your throat.

You are sounding more like a Yakuza crime boss than someone who is more than a guest in a country that you seem to know nothing about."

"That's fine by me, because they will understand me, and no one will mess with me, cause I know how to talk tough."

I said the one thing Japanese people are, is very polite. Its how they speak to each other, in a civil tone. You are totally asking for trouble by using what you learned from anime and manga. People will either think you are very crude or an idiot, for example, you used the Phrase "Dattebayo". That alone will make people believe you are really ignorant. The word is a nonsensical word created by the writers of Naruto Anime, and has no real meaning. If you were to look it up in a Japanese-English Dictionary it won't be there. Only fans of Naurto will know what you mean, and they will think you are an idiot for employing it."

He scoffed. "Demare kono yaro, Neboken ja Neyo!"

"Telling someone to shut up and calling them a bastard will not get you any friends either. Say that to the wrong person, and you might end up being beaten"

"Betsu ni" he replied. (I don't care) "Boku no ni hon go wa totemo subarashidesu yo." (My Japanese is extremely amazing.)

"Again, I said, rude language doesn't play well in Japan. You need to take a class so you can understand how to speak properly in Japan."

"I am not going to pay 50 to 300 dollars for Language Lessons, and I am beginning to think you have no clue what you are talking about. I don't need any language lessons, they will understand what I say and the way I will say it, just fine."

I asked him how long will he be in Japan and he said over a month and He planned to be there longer, as he said,

"America sucks, I want to be in Japan and learn the martial arts and run my own bar there." I plan on finding a hot little Geisha, marrying her and settling down in Tokyo."

I told him,
"if you speak like you do, and don't take a formal course, you may end up back here and very disappointed."

He laughed at me.

"If I do come back, I will personally come and apologize to you, but I will be just fine. Hey! I am an American! These people will welcome me with open arms, despite what you are telling me. That's just so much bullshit you are peddling, and I will be fine. I might even be a celebrity in Japan after I have lived there a few years"

So I shrugged and said, "Ganbatte kudasai" (do your best) and he flipped me off and left the chat room. I never saw him again, but I didn't have to. I had heard he had come back to the States, and was planning a trip to mainland China.

Apparently, he had wanted to take a formal course in Mandarin before he left. Lesson learned I guess.







14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
I don't think you understand....私は本当にあなたが理解しているとは思わない (Original Post) yuiyoshida Jul 2017 OP
What an idiot. nt pnwmom Jul 2017 #1
One more 'ugly American' malaise Jul 2017 #2
. . . janx Jul 2017 #3
conversing with Trump? lunasun Jul 2017 #4
Interesting story. The arrogance. You tried. Eom pirateshipdude Jul 2017 #5
Truly the ugly American ornotna Jul 2017 #6
He might also include some classes safeinOhio Jul 2017 #7
I'll say it on here like I told you on Twitter JuJuYoshida Jul 2017 #8
Your kindness and patience with him has its own reward I think. I doubt he apologized to you, that monmouth4 Jul 2017 #9
Similar horrors await those who arrogantly believe they are fluent in Russian or German when not. hunter Jul 2017 #10
Great story! Blue_Roses Jul 2017 #11
Vietnamese language is a lot like that madokie Jul 2017 #12
Thanks for the pleasant read. It's a nice story. TheBlackAdder Jul 2017 #13
What a willfully ignorant moron. 5 seconds of researching Japan and one should get the idea stevenleser Jul 2017 #14

monmouth4

(9,664 posts)
9. Your kindness and patience with him has its own reward I think. I doubt he apologized to you, that
Sun Jul 16, 2017, 09:11 PM
Jul 2017

would have been an admission that you were correct. Ugly American is right..

hunter

(38,264 posts)
10. Similar horrors await those who arrogantly believe they are fluent in Russian or German when not.
Sun Jul 16, 2017, 09:32 PM
Jul 2017

That's my personal experience as a people watcher.

It's always best to express humility when you are stumbling about in languages you were not born to.

Hell, not a day goes by I don't fuck up in my native English.

My sputtering attempts at other natural languages sometimes make people laugh. I'm okay with that. They know and I know I'm a language klutz. I'm okay with that. Honorable mention to Hunter simply for trying...

Blue_Roses

(12,894 posts)
11. Great story!
Sun Jul 16, 2017, 09:35 PM
Jul 2017

Years ago, while I was in college, a young Japanese student spent a year as a foreign exchange student, studying for her Masters in English. She lived a couple of doors down from me and we all grew to respect and adore her. She was so sweet--and I mean a genuine sweet--but yes, a little naive to the crazy American college "ways".So many of us were constantly watching out for her, even though she was just fine. This was in the Deep South and while it was in the '80's, you never knew when some racist jerk would spout off.

I often think about her and wonder how she is doing. At the time, she said she had to go back to Japan because her father was choosing her mate and she was very concerned about that. But the next Christmas, I got a Christmas card from her and she had moved to New Zealand and chosen her own mate. I was so excited for her.

While I never saw her as a guest of our country, because she was just one of us, she always remained polite, kind, and courteous. I will never forget that.

madokie

(51,076 posts)
12. Vietnamese language is a lot like that
Sun Jul 16, 2017, 09:40 PM
Jul 2017

it depends on the setting what something means

A very difficult language to learn. needless to say I learned very little and in the 50 years since I've forgotten all I had learned


You always make me smile when I read a post of yours Your family and friends are fortunate people.

 

stevenleser

(32,886 posts)
14. What a willfully ignorant moron. 5 seconds of researching Japan and one should get the idea
Sun Jul 16, 2017, 11:33 PM
Jul 2017

that politeness is the de facto religion of the country.

Oh well. Can't say you didn't try.

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