ありがとう

[Mike Cash]

keatonatron wrote:
I normally wouldn't be so extreme, but you can't simply say "In English I say 'thank you' to make the person feel better, so in Japanese you should do the same," because:

I can't say that? How very fortunate for all concerned that I did not say that, then. (You're not going to be one of those people who reads what they think I said instead of what I said, are you?)

Japanese ≠ English

Thanks for the heads up. Was that an independent discovery of yours?

I agree I was overly dramatic to make a point. Sure at work your boss can thank you for doing stuff with ありがとう.

I'll let him know his use of Japanese meets with your approbation. His relief will no doubt be palpable.

[keatonatron]

AHA, I see now. You weren't comparing it to English, you were just saying that, in Japanese as well, you say it in order to "recognize that I am dealing with a fellow human being, and not some anonymous, faceless automaton in a crappy uniform shirt".

In that case, all my points about not being able to compare English and Japanese are irrelevant.

Why couldn't you just say that first thing instead of going on about hyperbole and your boss?

[Mike Cash]

keatonatron wrote:
AHA, I see now. You weren't comparing it to English, you were just saying that, in Japanese as well, you say it in order to "recognize that I am dealing with a fellow human being, and not some anonymous, faceless automaton in a crappy uniform shirt".

Correct. I do it more to affirm my own humanity to myself than to buck up anybody else's feelings. Sort of like the old, "I'll treat you like a gentleman. Not because you are one, but because I am one."

Why couldn't you just say that first thing instead of going on about hyperbole and your boss?

I did say that. The other bits came in after you read what you thought I said instead of what I said.

[keatonatron]

Mike Cash wrote:
I did say that. The other bits came in after you read what you thought I said instead of what I said.

I misunderstood what you meant in the "look at it as..." post.

In the very next post, I started talking about comparing English and Japanese.

In response to that, here is an example of a good post that would stop the miscommunication immediately:

"Where'd you get this whole 'in English' thing? I wasn't talking about English!"

And here is an example of a terse reply that only furthers the misunderstanding:

"Not one given to hyperbole, are you?"

[Mike Cash]

keatonatron wrote:

In the very next post, I started talking about comparing English and Japanese.

In response to that, here is an example of a good post that would stop the miscommunication immediately:

"Where'd you get this whole 'in English' thing? I wasn't talking about English!"

Who am I to constrain thread drift? I just figured that was a tangent you wished to explore.

And here is an example of a terse reply that only furthers the misunderstanding:

"Not one given to hyperbole, are you?"

Terse is my specialty.

[AJBryant]

Terse is my specialty.

I always thought it was surreptitous photography while driving.


Tony

[Harisenbon]

When I first came back to the States after living in Japan, I had to relearn to tip.

I went to Europe on my honeymoon last month. I had to keep running back into the restaraunts because I forgot to tip the poor waiter/ess.

******************

I used to think that food prices in Japan were abnormally high (they still are in some places) but after you add in tip and tax, american (and especially EU) rates aren't that different. I like the fact that I know exactly how much I'm going to be paying up front, without having to calculate tax and tip in my head.

Also, I think it's better for the waiters as they get a decent wage instead of the 2.50 an hour and getting screwed by bastards who only tip 5%.

[Ihatehippies]

Sorry for bringing back a thread that seems to have run it's course.

I also thank the people who serve me here in Japan. It just comes natural as I act the same in my home country.

I was a Bartender back in the States anyone who has ever worked in a tipping position knows how hard it is not to tip. So when I first came here I did try to leave a small TIP at a local drinking establishment. I ofcourse was chased down by my Server. I was confused by this so I ask my teacher (I do a Language exchange at the local community center) why this is and this is how she explained it. Her English/ My Japanese was only so-so at this time but this is what I think she was trying to say. The service people here view you trying to give them money for something that is already required by their employer as an act of something like "One upmanship". Like your saying here I can give you this because I 'am higher up on the social and financial latter then you so here is some monetary pity of sorts. Made sense to me in a way.