帰国子女

[tanuki]

Hello!

In another thread (last post), I read this:

coco wrote:
帰国子女は口語でも「彼」「彼女」をよく使いますが、もともと姓を知っている相手のことを「彼」「彼女」と呼ぶことは、礼儀正しいことは考えられていません。

...which brings me to the question: what's exactly a 帰国子女? The only thing I know is that the person was born in Japan, raised in another country and has then come back (right?). But, does it matter of what nationality their parents where? How much time did they (the person) stay in Japan before leaving? Before coming back?

I would appreciate if you could help me understand the concept of 帰国子女. Thanks a lot in advance! Bye!

[Ezrach]

They are typically raised in another country, and return at a later age. There is no defined amount of time. The only difference between them and an American born Japanese is that the 帰国子女 never really loses the Japanese identity, despite having been raised for a significant amount of time in a different country. So, they are "returnees".

On a sidenote, they are often ostracized by their peers for being somehow less Japanese, like they had somehow been tainted by a foreign country. The Japanese can be extremely xenophobic.

[Shibakoen]

My girlfriend has a few close friends who are "returnees". I don't notice any difference, really, in how they were treated. Then again, I really wasn't exposed to "xenophobic" Japanese. I mean if my friends were xenophobic, then logically they probably wouldn't have wanted to meet me in the first place, I guess.

It's just that coming from a "red state," I'd seen more American xenophobia in my year in Greenville, NC than I had in my year in Tokyo. Granted Greenville's much more rural and "backward" even than Tokyo.

[Harisenbon]

One should note that because there is no set time you need to be abroad to be considered a 帰国子女, many students will go abroad for a year in High School, come back to Japan and be considered 帰国子女, without being able to really speak english.

This is particularly obnoxious for most college students, as the college entrance exams for　帰国子女 are much simpler than those for students who spent all 3 years in a Japanese school.

This is also a tactic used by parents of "less than capable" children to get them into a good college.

[TrilinguisT]

口 what exactly is this character? For some reason, i cant see it. It just a box ...

[paul_b]

TrilinguisT wrote:
口 what exactly is this character? For some reason, i cant see it. It just a box ...

Well if you don't quote the surrounding characters how the heck are we supposed to know?

*ahem* However in this case I'm guessing you're just unfamiliar with the kanji 口 or the word 口語 【こうご】 (n) colloquial language; (P)

[AJBryant]

Trilinguist, DO NOT HIJACK THREADS!!!

How many times have I posted this note to people?

If you have a question, START A THREAD.



Tony

[keatonatron]

That's all it is... just a box.

[tanuki]

TrilinguisT wrote:
口 what exactly is this character? For some reason, i cant see it. It just a box ...

I interpret it as an empty jail cell or a country without balls.

[richvh]

No, it's a Guchi display case.

[paul_b]

AJBryant wrote:
Trilinguist, DO NOT HIJACK THREADS!!!

To be fair this was a question about text in the first post in this thread.

It was a very poorly worded question about text in the first post in this thread but there was at least a thread of a connection.

[keatonatron]

I guess I'll post the first non-sarcastic answer. It's actually a picture of a mouth. It's read as くち, and means, well, mouth.

[paul_b]

keatonatron wrote:
I guess I'll post the first non-sarcastic answer.

Look six posts up from your post.

[AJBryant]

To be fair this was a question about text in the first post in this thread.

You know, I never noticed that. You're right. My apologies, T.

But... damn. The kanji for MOUTH!?


Tony

[two_heads_talking]

Some one needs to disarm the resident katana weilder.. Tony, please turn in your weapon for 1 hour.. during this time, take a deep breath, perform the tea ceremony and then do kata for the rest of the time.. Then return to your post ... thank you.. rofl