Why You Want To Learn Japanese

[Yudan Taiteki]

It seems like that to people who only are there for a short time.

[AJBryant]

Definitely.


Tony

[doinkies]

Every country has some rude people in it - nobody's perfect.

[Jayman]

I just was referring to the small things i noticed when i was there that showed courtesy. Wearing the surgical masks, giving up their seat for other people, their manners and so on. I never said that Japan didn't have rude people in it, just compared to where i live it was a big difference to me.

[chikara]

..... I love the food, the anime and the technology. I love final fantasy ....... Don't ever change Japan.

Yes, don't ever change Japan. Please stay just the same as anime and final fantasy.

I'm very glad that you experienced the real Japan while you were there.

I just was referring to the small things i noticed when i was there that showed courtesy. Wearing the surgical masks, ......

Wearing surgical masks is a sign of courtesy

[monkeykoder]

When you're sick it is.

[Yudan Taiteki]

I just was referring to the small things i noticed when i was there that showed courtesy. Wearing the surgical masks,

I think women use the masks to hide their mouths, personally (the same way they cover their mouth with their hands sometimes when they talk). In any case, it's often claimed to be for moistening the air you breathe to help your throat, not as courtesy to other people. It also supposedly helps you from getting sick.

giving up their seat for other people,

I have never seen this.

[Feba]

giving up their seat for other people,

They're just making themselves taller?

[chikara]

When you're sick it is.

Do you honestly believe that all the people you see walking around in public wearing surgical masks are sick?

Do you actually know why surgeons wear surgical masks?

.....giving up their seat for other people,

I have never seen this.

I see this all the time, just not in Japan.

[becki_kanou]

giving up their seat for other people,

I have never seen this.

I've seen fellow gaijin give up their seats to little old ladies, but I had never seen a Japanese do it, until one day in the Osaka subway. I was suprised and I mentioned it to the friend I was with, saying: "I've never seen a Japanese person give up their seat before", then the guy who had done it turned around and said: "Actually I'm Japanese-American, from New York".

[Hardi_E]

I just like it. And it's pronunciation seems not to be so difficult like english. The a e i o u vowels are all same as in Estonian. English Idn't speak at all, only write. And I would like to watch Japanese Animes without subtitles. But mostly I just like the language. The first time I heard it from tv. I liked it.

But actually I think that I did swear when I was kid, that when I will grow up, I will learn Japanese, then marry with a Japanese girl and move to Japan to buy some good Japanese color tv. Because we didn't had a good tv. The soviet color tv where so bad that there wasn't point to waste money. So we had black and white one. Some of my friend who had it. There was almost no way to get all color to be presented. Either it was too red or too blue, but green and yellow was hard to get. But since my father was repairing electronic at home for friends or some, to earn some extra. And once one guy took a made in Japan tv to repair. It was so awesome thing. It had so nice and clear picture. I wanted such tv too. But there wasn't nowhere to get it. I think that guy got it from his Moscow relatives. Since my older brother told that I'm too stupid to ever get such thing, because I have to learn Japanese and marry to a Japanese to get it. I did swear that I will learn it.. Well I can now buy any good tv from store with money. So I guess don't need to marry, good thank. But learning Japanese self is very interesting.

[fielle]

I've seen fellow gaijin give up their seats to little old ladies, but I had never seen a Japanese do it, until one day in the Osaka subway. I was suprised and I mentioned it to the friend I was with, saying: "I've never seen a Japanese person give up their seat before", then the guy who had done it turned around and said: "Actually I'm Japanese-American, from New York".

I actually had to read a newspaper article in one of my Japanese classes, bemoaning the fact that young Japanese people no longer do polite things like giving up their seats on buses and trains. So they probably used to do it in the past, and have just turned into thoughtless youngsters, and all of the old ladies are like "Kids these days!"

[chikara]

...... all of the old ladies are like "Kids these days!"

The old ladies are behaving like kids these days

[monkeykoder]

I really have no clue why I started learning Japanese it was just one of those things I always wanted to do. Since starting to learn I developed an interest in the culture and what the language has to say about the culture. Maybe something will come of it maybe I'll never get past the upper beginner/lower intermediate range.

[Budonoseito]

I train and teach Japanese martial arts. So I started with some terms at the dojo. But, learning more helps me understand the concepts better. I also never seem to pick and easy hobby.