If All Japanese Spoke English, What Would Happen? (Interview)

[yuiyoshida]

[guillaumeb]

1. Very interesting responses.

French and English are my maternal languages. I am comfortable in both. I agree that English is becoming the default language for business and in many places around the world, but language is where culture lives, and all languages should be treasured.
All languages matter, to borrow a phrase.

Again, a very nice post.

[angstlessk]

2. A couple things I noticed about Japanese

Their babies and school kids seem to be very happy.

The people seem to be fit and very attractive.

But do they have Walmart, and do their shoppers look like ours?

[yuiyoshida]

3. lol noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

One does not wish to lose face in public!! XD

[angstlessk]

7. even babies and first graders?

I do remember in the 50, all the Japanese products...mostly battery operated devices..we all had one...the music sounded tinny, but it was portable!

In our neighborhood (in the 50's) a Japanese woman (married to a military person, I'm sure) we saw cutting grass with scissors, and thought that must be how the Japanese cut grass. Never thinking she was trying to keep the grass cut without a lawn mower.

I did not always think the Japanese people were handsome, but after losing a prejudice I think they are very good looking.

[Art_from_Ark]

6. There aren't stores called Walmart in Japan

But the Japanese supermarket chain Seiyu is owned by Walmart. And no, the average Seiyu shopper has no particular "Walmart" appearance.

[msongs]

4. we have lots of japanese visitors here in Hawaii. some are adventurous and trying some english

a bit but majority don't I suspect. after all there are special tour bus lines with regular routes just like city buses, only for japanese tourists so they don't even have to ride the public bus or tour buses non-japanese ride. I suspect that is a comfort thing.

When I went to tokyo and got lost I just showed people the map or pic of where I wanted to go on my cell phone and they got it and helped lol

[SheilaT]

5. Very interesting.

Thank you for posting.

It seems that the Japanese -- certainly the young people interviewed here -- are very aware of a degree of isolation that they have if they live in Japan and don't speak any English.

[angstlessk]

8. Here is one about food

[paleotn]

11. The Japanese are so wonderfully polite...

...certainly compared to my ancestry trying something new.

[Uncle Joe]

9. That's an enlightening video.

Thanks for sharing, yuiyoshida.

[Feeling the Bern]

10. Sounds like the Chinese speaking English

You are who?
How many money?
Today is hot.
Outside is rain.
Yesterday, I go Beijing.
I want go the Shanghai.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

12. "The grass is always greener" has driven people to trade a good live for a bad one.

[Lodestar]

13. I think Americans are going to have to get serious about learning other languages

if we are going to be global citizens. Unlike the UK we are so much more isolated
and insulated from our global neighbors and used to foreigners adjusting to our culture rather than the other way around.
The Japanese language is so rich and beautiful.
And so are the characters of its historic written language and calligraphy. It's much more
a form of art than English.

I was surprised to hear so many young Japanese say they did not feel a connection to their culture. I wonder why? I'm so in awe of Japanese arts and design, especially from the Edo period with its deep spiritual connections to Zen Buddhism, etc. Is there any interest in carrying those traditions on? I fear it will be lost.

[yuiyoshida]

14. Well with us having people like

Donald Trump as a front runner, America will have to get over its hate of foreigners, and yeh Japanese have that problem too. I don't know of too many places in the world that don't have a problem with foreigners.. on the other hand, the main reason I love San Francisco is that there is a lot of love and Respect here for other cultures and traditions, and we have quite a community of people from all over the world ...its gives me hope for the future.