Pangolin Wrote:We're talking about kids here to a great extent. What do many other countries and cultures have to offer kids, and to a great extent American kids, in comparison to the lure of anime, manga and j-pop? Such followings of other countries offerings are minute, particularly in respect to kids. Even the output of a culturally accessible country as the UK doesn't compare. I can't think of any to compare with Japan (excepting the US, of course, but I think we are largely talking Americans as the consumers here). That's why Japanese entertainment receives so much attention.

This is sad but true, especially in third world countries. Take Vietnam for example, books for children are practically non-existent, and the one's they have are incredibly bad. So what do kids survive on? -Translated manga from Japan and Korea, of which the selection is endless.

woodwojr Wrote:Man, I really hate it when people incorporate snippets of languages they don't know, from cultures they don't know. For example, just yesterday I saw a restaurant with a big sign that said "Cafe" in the middle of Indiana. Nothing to do with France or French culture at all.

And don't even get me started on people who use "vice versa" but can't even tell me how to properly sweeten wine (hint: lead acetate).

~J

A cafe is just a coffee shop, and "vice versa" is just a Latin phrase. It doesn't have to be any deeper than that, and it's a silly reason to get upset. I mean, at least these things are real words that are actually a part of the English language at this point. Now, people who say things like "irregardless" non-ironically and think they sound smart, that's amusing.

I do believe he was being sarcastic.
Irregardless, I can't actually think of any excuse to use that word right now.

I can't talk Japanese now (I can say some VERY basic sentences) so it's embarrassing to say some Japanese words in front of someone lol.
About showing off, hmm... I wouldn't feel what you felt , I think, but I will surely show off sometimes!! lol
But it's truly for myself satisfaction , I wanna read untranslated Manga, watch unsubbed Anime and drama , play Japanese games (specially the Japan exclusive games) read Japanese websites without Google translate (which sux and doesn't help!) and, if I get the chance, work in Japan! Lots of motivation eh?

Virtua_Leaf Wrote:I'm just thankful for the internet so I can study on my own. I'd probably get done for serial assault if you put me in a Japanese class...

Honestly sometimes the idiots in my Japanese class make the most embarrassing mistakes.

like one time this really stupid girl was talking to a japanese girl and was asked a question by said japanese girl and responded with " hmmm that's a really difficult ITSUMO" :facepalm:

another time a diffirent girl was asked " shuumatsu ha dou deshitaka?" by the teacher and responded with "HAI!!!" :mega ultra facepalm:

Pangolin Wrote:Even the output of a culturally accessible country as the UK doesn't compare. I can't think of any to compare with Japan (excepting the US, of course, but I think we are largely talking Americans as the consumers here). That's why Japanese entertainment receives so much attention.

Yeah, Harry Potter, for example, had no impact... ;-)

liosama Wrote:I don't know why Japan receives so much attention in this respect when every single other country/culture also suffers from some sort of a small group of fans who know near to nothing about the country itself. This really bugs me.

Really? Even Yemen?

GoodSirJava Wrote:

liosama Wrote:I don't know why Japan receives so much attention in this respect when every single other country/culture also suffers from some sort of a small group of fans who know near to nothing about the country itself. This really bugs me.

Really? Even Yemen?

I see "Looking for a Yemenese girlfriend" tshirts that people bought from ylist all the time.

Machine_Gun_Cat Wrote:

Virtua_Leaf Wrote:I'm just thankful for the internet so I can study on my own. I'd probably get done for serial assault if you put me in a Japanese class...

Honestly sometimes the idiots in my Japanese class make the most embarrassing mistakes.

like one time this really stupid girl was talking to a japanese girl and was asked a question by said japanese girl and responded with " hmmm that's a really difficult ITSUMO" :facepalm:

Couldn't be any worse than what Japanese do to English, could it.

Machine_Gun_Cat Wrote:another time a diffirent girl was asked " shuumatsu ha dou deshitaka?" by the teacher and responded with "HAI!!!" :mega ultra facepalm:

Maybe she though どう meant well.

On a side note:

I know you're just having fun, but this sort of judgment is why some hesitate to take/learn foreign languages.

Yeah it's not people enjoying Japanese culture or trying their hand at the language that bugs me. Enthusiasm's good. Just yesterday I forwarded some Mexican dude to this site off Youtube because he wanted to know how to learn Japanese.

It's just the ones that are into it purely for the reason of letting people know that they're into it (or at least that's the impression I get form them).

It's kind of like depressed people Vs. emos. One would really like to improve things, the other makes a morbid fashion out of it.

Still. Nothing I'd go to town to protest about though.

EDIT - Forgot a big reason: my own stupidity. You know that feeling when you have an interest that suddenly goes "mainstream"? (ie. a band). It used to be something that said a lot about your personality, now it essentially doesn't? Well perhaps that's what I feel like a bit.

But then I have to think, Japan was around a few years before I was born. In some ways I'm the one whose late to the party.

I went through a phase a while back of having "given up Japanese" and basically everywhere I looked I'd be reminded of my failure. Every time I saw a "^_^" it made me angry (which is kind of hilarious looking back). Either way I'm back on the learning trolley now and am finding myself less caring about the whole 'issue'.