Grit's Culture Thread

[Grit]

Bahh, Instead of flooding a forum with a bunch of new topics and such, I'd rather just create a single thread for questions like I did in the grammar section.

My two other threads (which are on the front page as of now) can be accessed here:

http://www.thejapanesepage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4385

and here:

http://www.thejapanesepage.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4323

Anyways, I got a couple of questions here.

First one is pretty straightfoward. Never thought of it until now, but do people have middle names in Japan. Now this sounds like a pretty moronic question, because of course an individual and those around them can in essence establish a middle name and use it, but I am more talking about it 'officially'. For example, my middle name is featured right in the middle of my birth certificate, all three letters of it. It's not like I think the government would prohibit it or anything, just wondering if its done and featured in legal documents.

Second is a question about Kansai's (the region, there is only one Kansai right?) name. In my 漢字 book it features the 漢字 for 関西 and calls it かんさい. In my other book however, the name きんき is used instead. Here I have noticed that members opt to use 関西, so I wonder, what's the deal with two names, and which one is more commonly used?

My third question is a bit larger and I'll save it for later.

[keatonatron]

Grit wrote:
do people have middle names in Japan

No.

It's not like I think the government would prohibit it or anything

They do, actually. A Japanese citizen can only have two names, officially.

I have noticed that members opt to use 関西, so I wonder, what's the deal with two names, and which one is more commonly used?

It's Kansai. "Kanki" has a few meanings, but "the Western part of Japan" isn't one of them. I don't know where you got that from...

[Oyaji]

Question 1: What keatonatron said.

Question 2: The area is "officially" known as 近畿地方 (kinki chihou) but it is most commonly called 関西. I might tell my wife that I am going to 関西 (kansai) to attend a 近畿地方大会(kinki chihou taikai) Kinki Regional Conference.

[AJBryant]

Bahh, Instead of flooding a forum with a bunch of new topics and such, I'd rather just create a single thread for questions like I did in the grammar section.

It would be better to have a different thread for a different topic. People who might answer a question may not see it based on disinterest in previous questions in a single thread -- but if you have separate threads, you'll likely get more response.

BTW, you have to understand Japanese history a bit to get some of those names. The area *specifically* is the Kinki Area. "Kansai" and "Kanto" mean, respectively, "West of the Barrier" and "East of the Barrier" and have to do with old toll roads and travel patterns and major population centers.

Tony

[Grit]

"It's not like I think the government would prohibit it or anything"

'They do, actually. A Japanese citizen can only have two names, officially.'

I actually contradict myself here:

"It's not like I think the government would prohibit it or anything, just wondering if its done and featured in legal documents." 'I don't think they do it, but do they?' is what I basically said

"It would be better to have a different thread for a different topic. People who might answer a question may not see it based on disinterest in previous questions in a single thread -- but if you have separate threads, you'll likely get more response. "

Grr, spoil what I thought was a good idea. You of course have a point there though.

Thanks for the clarification on it Bryant and Oyaji.

I have a headache now so I'll ask the third question later.

[AJBryant]

I have a headache now so I'll ask the third question later.

I get those, too. Scotch helps (or sometimes causes...) 'em.


Tony

[Grit]

AJBryant wrote:I get those, too. Scotch helps (or sometimes causes...) 'em.

[center]XD[/center]


I was looking up something about Japan on Wikipedia and noticed a familiar name at the bottom in the sources section. Actually, that's pretty awesome that you have your own article on Wikipedia. Hmm, I wonder how I could get myself on there...?

I was going to ask my third question now, but now I have a headache from seeing all those new posts in my other topic. I guess I see what you mean Oyaji.

[Grit]

Yeah so I double posted. Quick question here: What's the first name of that guy who's always on TV and has puffy lips, last names Yamada (<-- IME isn't working right now)?