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Forum - View topicPretending to be Japanese?
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jetz
 Posts: 2148 Location: Manila, Philippines |
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I recently joined another anime forum (it's for Filipinos like me so I can find people I can closely relate to, so ANN please don't think I'm cheating on you
 ) and my brother asked how were the members there.. I mentioned that a lot of them would address each other with honorifics, like someone-chan, person-san, etc., and they also would occasionally type Japanese phrases in their posts.. He immediately referred to them as posers and/or losers.. He also claims that in another forum he's in, these so-called posers are made fun of..
I don't know if these people are to made fun of, but since my brother brought it up I came up with some questions.. First, if you're not Japanese why do you have to pretend to be one? It's not like you have to be Japanese to understand/enjoy anime.. Second, are these people just trying to make themselves cool or maybe trying to prove they're better than anime fans? Just because you know how to speak Japanese doesn't make you a better fan, does it? And last, do these people "pretend" to be Japanese because of watching too much anime to the point of wanting to live out what you watch? What about you guys? What do you think? Do you also think such people are posers or just avid fans? Does it even matter to you? And for those so-called posers who just happen to see this thread, can you answer my questions?
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Jedi General
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Interesting topic, jetz-san.
I'm one of these so-called "posers." Other than common terms (like shonen, otaku, seiyuu, etc.), I like to use certain commonly used Japanese words or phrases (such as Gomen [Nasai], Yatta, Arigato [Gozaimasu], Urusai, Sugoi, etc.). I use honorifics on occasion as well. To answer your first question, I do it simply because I like the language and also because well .... it's fun (There's a startling revelation for ya)! I know that I don't have to be Japanese to enjoy anime. Anybody can enjoy anime, I just find it fun to spice up my conversations with other anime fans with a little Japanese. I only do this forums related to anime though. I'm not so extreme that I'd use Japanese in person with an anime fan who is a complete stranger. If I know that person well and they don't mind my using Japanese (such as my siblings), then I'll have fun and use Japanese. I've never done it, but it is always tempting to answer the phone using moshi moshi just to see what someone's reaction would be. I'd love to do that to telemarketers. To answer the second question, I'm not trying to prove anything. Like I said, I normally only use terms that are most likely common knowledge to anyone who watches a lot of subtitled (or even raw) anime. Sure my knowing what a Japanese word means can be impressive to some people, but that's not what I'm aiming for. It's just all in good fun like I said earlier. As for as Knowing Japanese, it can definitely make it easier to enjoy anime (I would like to learn Japanese myself), but it doesn't necessarily make you a better fan. More avid perhaps, but not better. To answer the third question, the answer is YES. At least for me anyway. 
And for the final question, I consider these people just avid fans. Yeah, I'm biased since I'm one of them, but I don't see anything wrong with just having some fun in relation to a hobby. |
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kolibri
 Posts: 712 Location: Vancouver |
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I think there's a difference between "posing" and just using otaku slang, Jedi-chan
Here at ANN we joke around with honorifics and phrases, but if someone would use them all the time I think it would be frowned upon, or thought a bit silly... I've seen it, but not by any regulars. I think it would probably be seen as weird even if the person in question was actually Japanese - it is an English speaking forum after all, despite the topic... we have members from a lot of different countries but they are all expected to use English (I don't burden you with my native language either, no I'm not a native English speaker either). As for real life, yeah, I do that with my best friend, but I do all sorts of silly things with her that would probably disgust all the straight-laced serious otakus. In the privacy of my own home, etc... Personally I don't really care either way - spice up your language all you want as long as you're understood. |
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Jedi General
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Yeah, good point. I guess I more of an "otaku slang" kinda guy, since you put it that way. I have noticed that Japanese isn't overused here and it's usually done as a joke, and so I try not to overuse it either, though I don't always use it in a joking manner. It would be silly indeed to do use Japanese all the time. |
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fighterholic
Posts: 9193 |
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Let's put it another way, there's a guy in my Japanese class, hasn't studied the language for a year, but somehow made his way into the second year semester class. It has become very clear at this point that he is the teacher's pet (though he probably doesn't realize it), and answers in a pretty weird way, as well as often making mistakes and being corrected by the teacher. He has alienated himself enough that we would rather not have anything to do with the guy, on top of that he seems a little empty headed. He's a loser, because he's using his Japanese and thinking that he's all cool and stuff when really, he's just kissing ass.
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Jedi General
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Ugh ... that's totally beyond annoying there, fighterholic. I'd hate to be in any class with a kiss-up like that.
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Asako
 Posts: 751 Location: Hawaii |
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I don't think they're pretending to be one. Using another language of any sort does not mean you're pretending to be them. I think they use it for their own enjoyment.
Again, I think they're just having fun  And it shouldn't make you a better fan at all. There are many people who are a fan of anime but not of the language.
... I've seen people that take things to extreme. I think they're expressing their like of something in their own way, which may not be my sort of thing or your sort of thing, but people do really weird things sometimes  I don't think people need to watch a lot of anime to be that way, it can just be a very influential, single, particular anime that makes them huge enthusiasts.
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Richard J.
 Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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Maybe I'm completely off base here, but aren't honorifics more of a cultural than language issue? Perhaps it's not a matter of someone trying to "be cool" or "be a better fan" but rather that they appreciate and even want to embrace an aspect of a foreign culture. Granted, it's not quite the same as when Christmas trees were brought to England, but is it really so odd that some anime fans might develop a desire to emulate the culture that produced something they love?
Personally, I don't find it annoying when people use random Japanese terms or start tossing around honorifics, assuming they use them all correctly. The only people who really bother me are the "unless you agree with me about [Insert Series Name Here] being the best anime/manga ever, you are a stupid noob." Also the "if you like that genre/show, then you must be a pervert/moron/total noob" types drive me bonkers. Elitists bug me so much more than people who just want to act Japanese for whatever reason. I'll admit, there are days I wish I'd been born there. Some of my personal quirks would be normal if I had been born Japanese. kolibri: For a non-native speaker, your written English is excellent. Considerably better than some of the people I have classes with. Is your first language French? (Your location is in Canada and I'm of the understanding that the Quebec province is mostly French speaking, although that's on the otherside of the country from Vancouver.) |
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dormcat
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 9903 Location: New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC |
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Just a wild guess: Vancouver has many large Asian communities, and according to an old survey about one-third of multi-lingual ANN users are Chinese-Americans (or Canadians in this case). |
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DKL
 Posts: 1994 Location: California, USA |
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Daniel-san...
Wax-off... wax-on... Yeah, just felt like posting that, since that movie was awesome. I dunno about the honorifics thing, but the name thing sorta bothers me since it's pretty inconsistent (in the context of looking at all the posters in a place)... I mean, I'm not Japanese, so how the hell will I be able to tell whether or not it's a last name or a first name? If you're speaking in English, arrange it in a way where English-speakers will understand it... Meaning: [First Name] [Last Name] Or do it in a way where I can tell which is the last name: [Last Name] , [First Name] ... Yeah, I'm done. |
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kolibri
Posts: 712 Location: Vancouver |
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Now this is actually a very interesting topic that I've been thinking a lot about lately. English is almost an exception because it's so widely spread, but in many cases culture and language are so intertwined that to understand the other you need to understand the other. For example in Japan to understand the social structure and interaction between people you have to grasp some concepts of the language, honorifics and politeness levels - and the other way around. I just started studying Sanskrit which is a language of philosophy, spirituality and religious texts, and it contains concepts, words and nuances around those subjects that other languages simply don't have. To understand those texts you have to understand the language, but to be able to understand the language you need to understand it's context.
No But my current location is a huge red herring (Chinese is a very good guess, considering), you wouldn't be able to guess my origin except maybe by making an educated guess about my nickname... I'm originally from Finland, arrived in Canada via seven years in UK and now three in Vancouver. (kolibri means "humming bird" in many languages, including Finnish - see, here I go burdening you with my native tongue after I said I wouldn't )
Last edited by kolibri on Fri Apr 27, 2007 3:00 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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BrothersElric
 Posts: 1996 |
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Ha Ha, nice! I am so going to do that the next time a telemarketer calls! In fact, that actually reminds me of what me and my hotel roomies did with our friends in the room next door on a high school band trip!
Anyways, I've never seen it before other than just joking around, heck, even participated in it joking around (if neesan Kolibri remembers correctly ). But then again this is the only forum I've ever been apart of, so you could say I lack the experience. As for real life, well, the only time I've ever done it is when I was apart of a reenactment group of medieval-aged cultures, and my persona was a 16th century samurai, but other than that, no.
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Momoko_Yumi
 Posts: 98 Location: Heidenheim, Germany |
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Here in Germany we use Japanes phrases or names just for fun. You see my nick is also a japanese girlsname and I know many people in German forums who uses japanes nicks and the endings -chan, -san or so. It's just for fun, nothing else. Also the using of Japanese phrases. We are interessted in Japanese culture and the using of japanese terms in any way is just a sign of it. It has nothing to do with looking cool or so on, cause in the real life we mostly doesn't use it, only in foren where we find people with the same interessts. It's like you're on a "Star Trek" Convention and call youself Cpt and using the phrase "Beam me up...". Its just for fun...to think to be someone else for a short time, nothing more.
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10円
Posts: 605 |
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I have a lot of respect for people who go on to learn Japanese as a result of their appreciation of anime or interest in Japanese culture. It takes a lot of work and it's not something that should be frowned upon. That being said, people who are inclined to lavishly sprinkle Japanese terms in their English conversations do sometimes bother me. If they're using it sparingly for a specific comedic effect or to show special respect for a favorite Japanese artist then it's not as big of a deal to me. Likewise, if they truly understand Japanese and are using it for any sort of explanatory or educational purpose then I'm all for it. It's mainly the unnecessary and repeated usage of Japanese terms that bothers me.
I really have no idea why these specific people would do it. I've never been to the forum you're talking about and I didn't catch if it was in English or Tagalog. I'm tempted to go against the grain here though and say that a willingness to learn Japanese may in fact make you more of a fan of anime, especially if anime was your sole or primary reason for learning it and you managed to reach true proficiency. It takes a lot of effort to become proficient in Japanese and people who are willing to spend years learning another language just so they can get closer to the things they enjoy might be 'better' fans than those of us who just take it easy with our subs and dubs. But, in the end it's not something of true relevance in most respects. If you know Japanese the benefit is defined by what you're likely to get out of it more than how others are likely to see you. (Edited to refine an unconventional position and to remove a speculative contention) Last edited by 10円 on Fri Apr 27, 2007 9:16 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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mind over matter
Posts: 67 |
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I've always felt like using random Japanese words (especially ones that are so common like Gomen, Hai, Domo, Arigato, Baka..etc..) are just out of place on an English speaking forum. I can see it being used to joke around once an a while, but usually it just seems...out of place some how. Especially with honorifics...there are plenty that make sense in English (Jedi General, SgtTai, Dr.Who.. [these are names of people on another forum, but they are good examples). I know there are a few foreign words that have become part of vocabulary in America (A Priori or Bon vivante for example), but I don't think most words in Japanese are. I don't know if I would be as harsh as to say it's "posing"..and impersonation isn't right either...I guess it's just when people do that it's like trying to be something your not. I don't think that using words like that mean your more of an anime fan....
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