Pet peeves regarding "fluency"?

Index » General discussion

 
Reply #26 - 2012 August 12, 1:15 pm
Zgarbas Watchman
From: 名古屋 Registered: 2011-10-09 Posts: 1210 Website

Oh don't be spoilsports. Choose something that's really easy to remember/pick up and teach them to say it, then watch and amuse yourself when they repeat it to others.
I teach them "その口じゃない" smile.

Reply #27 - 2012 August 12, 5:24 pm
howtwosavealif3 Member
From: USA Registered: 2008-02-09 Posts: 889 Website

why that phrase?
which meaning of kuchi are you going for?

the one that pops up into my head from that phrase is 手段 as in when you are committing a crime.

Last edited by howtwosavealif3 (2012 August 12, 5:25 pm)

Reply #28 - 2012 August 12, 6:56 pm
vileru Member
From: Cambridge, MA Registered: 2009-07-08 Posts: 750

Gingerninja wrote:

The thing that annoys me most is when people ask you to "say something" in Japanese. 

Yes. ok, because you'll understand anything I say anyway.   
Why even waste my time, I'm not a performing monkey.

I used to get annoyed by this too, but after some thought, I realized I may have been the annoying one. Most people probably ask you to say a random phrase because (1) they just want to continue the conversation or show their interest or (2) they want to hear what the language sounds like when you speak it.

(1) is probably the most common reason, and we could still criticize it for being shallow. If someone really wanted to continue a conversation or show their interest, there are much more interesting ways they could do so (but, to be fair, perhaps they simply didn't have time to think of such ways).

(2) makes a lot more sense because perhaps the person has never carefully listened to the language or is curious to hear your voice in the language. People are often surprised when they hear me speak in my Japanese voice ("It's not you!").

In any case, if it bothers you so much, why not follow up by questioning their motives, e.g. ask why they want to hear something they couldn't even understand, etc.?

Advertising (register and sign in to hide this)
JapanesePod101 Sponsor
 
Reply #29 - 2012 August 12, 7:35 pm
Fillanzea Member
From: New York, NY Registered: 2009-10-02 Posts: 534 Website

There was a time when I had a lot of yaoi-related music on my computer, and one of the songs had a little monologue in front of it, and just by listening to it enough times I accidentally memorized it. So when people asked me to say something in Japanese, I would say, in a kind of desperate growl:

俺には、ここにいるあんたらを皆殺しにしてもいいほど大切な人がいる。
あの人が聞いていない、俺の歌なんか意味がない。
俺だけ見てくれたら、必要してくれたら、あなたがいてくれないなら、俺なんかいらない!

I found this hilarious enough that it mitigated the annoyance a great deal.

Reply #30 - 2012 August 12, 8:40 pm
Inny Jan Member
From: Cichy Kącik Registered: 2010-03-09 Posts: 720

僕は嘘をつくのは得意ではない、でも嘘を付くこと自体はそれほどきらいではない。変な言い方だけど...

Reply #31 - 2012 August 12, 10:31 pm
Ash_S Member
From: UK Registered: 2011-02-24 Posts: 156

Yeah, having a funny line ready makes it a lot more bearable when people ask you to "say something"

"Say something in Japanese!!"
「目の前のことに一生懸命になれないやつに、夢を語る資格なんてない」
"Oh cool, what does that mean?"
"Hello, my name is Ash."
"Ooh..."

Last edited by Ash_S (2012 August 12, 10:31 pm)