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Off topic: Japan Times Article
Thread poster: Geraldine Oudin
Geraldine Oudin
Geraldine Oudin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Japanese to French
+ ...
Nov 7, 2009

This article about the Japanese Language is not-so-serious but interesting to read anyway.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/fl20091107cz.html
 
Gabriel Francesch (X)
Gabriel Francesch (X)  Identity Verified
Local time: 21:56
English to French
+ ...
Very true... Nov 7, 2009

Thanks for sharing !
 
ShaniinParis
ShaniinParis
France
Local time: 21:56
Japanese to French
+ ...
Oh so true Nov 7, 2009

"Sometimes I hear Japanese say that if something is difficult for them, it must be even more difficult for a foreigner since we are obviously impaired to a certain degree by birth"

Ah! Memories...
 
TCN6YR
TCN6YR
Japan
Local time: 04:56
Russian to Japanese
+ ...
Not for professional Japanologists Nov 8, 2009

The article should be useful for those who just started to learn Japanese language because it gives you ideas what kind of compressed expressions are used in ordinary life and how words are simplified to convey any thoughts. I agree with some parts of the article, especially about excessive responses we often encounter, but when it comes to self-expression through words (or communication with people), it should not sound so weird if you look at it from historical and cultural standpoints.
 
Tokyo_Moscow
Tokyo_Moscow  Identity Verified
Japan
Local time: 04:56
Japanese to Russian
+ ...
Thanks for posting Nov 8, 2009

Hi Geraldine, thank you for posting.
It has been a long time since I last bought Japan Times, and it was good to see that Amy Chavez is still contributing to it. When I lived in Okayama, she used to live in a small island of the same prefecture, and I had an impression that she was very good at noticing obvious yet unnoticeable sides of Japanese life and language. I believe that living at such extraordinary conditions for a long time gives her the strongest opportunity to write about "Thin... See more
Hi Geraldine, thank you for posting.
It has been a long time since I last bought Japan Times, and it was good to see that Amy Chavez is still contributing to it. When I lived in Okayama, she used to live in a small island of the same prefecture, and I had an impression that she was very good at noticing obvious yet unnoticeable sides of Japanese life and language. I believe that living at such extraordinary conditions for a long time gives her the strongest opportunity to write about "Things Japanese". Plus her journalistic skills, of course. ▲ Collapse
 
Geraldine Oudin
Geraldine Oudin  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Japanese to French
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Of course Nov 8, 2009

As an anthropologist I find this article a bit superficial, but there is some truth in it...especially, as ShaninParis noticed, the following:

"Sometimes I hear Japanese say that if something is difficult for them, it must be even more difficult for a foreigner since we are obviously impaired to a certain degree by birth"

It is meant to be enjoyed without thinking too much.
 


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Japan Times Article






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