Ocean11 0 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Yeah, that's when you have to start saying things like "Datte, Nihonjin ha minna yasashii mon, ne... II hito bakkashi da yo ne..." Link to post Share on other sites
bettyx 0 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 yes, stereotyping. but it's the use of the 'gaijin' stereotype which i don't like. it's bad enough that every person i meet thinks i'm american, but to suddenly lump every single non-japanese person together is a bit of a stretch, no? i wish i could be sarcastic in japanese. i just can't seem to do it. Link to post Share on other sites
klingon 10 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Sarcasm doesn't seem to be very popular here. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by Ocean11: Yeah, that's when you have to start saying things like "Datte, Nihonjin ha minna yasashii mon, ne... II hito bakkashi da yo ne..." I had the "gaijin" thang pulled on me this morning walking to the bus stop. Theres a street that is about 2 meters across, ya know, those strees where only a K-car can fit through. Anyways, theyre doing construction nearby and theres a "guardsman" to help direct traffic Yes, this 2 meter stretch is quite dangerous. So, walking towards the bus stop my light is red but since there are no cars, in any direction, I cross over. The gurard starts blowing his whistle and raising his flags saying "stoppu, stoppu, Omae! Abunai, abunaizo! Gaijin ha meccha bakayanka?!" Stopped dead in my tracks, looked at him, spun around slowly looking for any traces of a car, and said the only thing dangerous here is your inability to think. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted October 21, 2005 Author Share Posted October 21, 2005 J-walking creek boys. Japanese need to learn in school that there are better ways to indentify people. Id rather be called white or american then gaijin to be honest. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Hum no offence even if my English can not explain things good, let me try. The point you dislike is why Japanese always distinguish between Japanese and foreigners, right? If it's in your country and when you see people with different skin color, you never say "Ahhhh gaijin!". Right? Link to post Share on other sites
dale#1 1 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 One thing that differs here than in many western countries is that here gaijin are still relatively rare. I would think when "gaijin" types were still in low numbers in these western countries, the "gaijin phenom" was probably similar to what it is here now. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted October 21, 2005 Author Share Posted October 21, 2005 Know one I ever knew said that gams. We always say something like afro-american, indian, asian never gaijin. Link to post Share on other sites
Dims 0 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 When I read posts like this I am just so glad that I don't live in Japan anymore. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Gotsta take the rough with the smooth. I think on balance I've experienced more benefits than handicaps in being a gaijin. Link to post Share on other sites
Dims 0 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Yeah true, I used to play the gaijin card a fair bit while I was there, and it does let you get away with a lot. Nice not to be a stranger in a strange land anymore though. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 I think some people think about this word waaaaay too much..... You'll get sterotyping everywhere. Speak with the ethnic communities in big cities in England and you will hear a lot of complaints. Link to post Share on other sites
sava 0 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 rach: I agree, the university I work at has a lot of international students and you see both sides of the story. It's just part of life I guess. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 Hum........this mackerel fish posts over 1,000 posts within a year while he is at work at the uni. No spy cam to monitor ya? lol Link to post Share on other sites
scoobydoo 0 Posted October 22, 2005 Share Posted October 22, 2005 I've discussed this with my friends and they seem to understand the situation and how it can cause offence. One friend I know insists on calling foreigners "gaijin-sama" which seems to take it a bit far! Very well meaning person.. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 I don't think "Gaijin-sama" sounds nice though.... Link to post Share on other sites
r45 4 Posted October 24, 2005 Share Posted October 24, 2005 How come gamera? Link to post Share on other sites
Davo 1 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Hasn't this gaijin-sama thing come up on another thread? I do find it odd when Americans have called me as "Sir" before. I know it's only a politeness but it still sounds a bit wierd when it's not in a server/customer context, as in "Would you like some fries with that sir?" Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 "Thank you sir, may I have another?" Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 Gaijin-sama sounds smarmy. Fortunately I don't know any Japanese people who are smarmy like that. Link to post Share on other sites
gamera 0 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 r45 - I am not sure why. But if someone said "Gaijin-SAMA", it sounds really strange to me. Sounds as if the person made a fool of foreigners. Maybe some would accept the way even when they are called like that in casual occassions. Perhaps only I might feel that though... What do you think? Davo - I sometimes reply " Yes, sir" when my guests ask/talk something to me coz I am in server/customer situation. Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 25, 2005 Share Posted October 25, 2005 > Sounds as if the person made a fool of foreigners. Yes. Either that or they are making a fool of themselves. Link to post Share on other sites
Bonio 0 Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 I'm white brit but live and was brought up in a city in the UK that has a very large ethnic 'minority'. I also live in the area of the city that has the largest number of indians and pakistani's(the local mosque is visible from my window). The white people in my area are infact by far the minority with black people coming a close forth.. then chinese and then immigrants from eastern Europe. Growing up this led to the interesting situation where me and my white friends were expieriencing racism growing up. This though was outweighed by the racism thrown back and forth between the muslim pakistani's and the hindu indians. This leads me to think that in general that racism is usually only a product of insecurity and ignorance of individuals rather than any actual belief of inferiority by anything further reaching. Therefore though it still shocks me if somebody is blatently prejudiced against me it doesnt make me feel at all unwelcome in the particular land I'm in, just that the person is an idiot. Therefore if I ever expieriance a large amount of racism in a particular place or area, i'll probably just think to myself not "blimey this place is very racist" but "blimey this place must have a bit of a crappy education system" Or something along those lines Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 > Davo - I sometimes reply " Yes, sir" when my guests ask/talk something to me coz I am in server/customer situation. Oh dear. I hate being called "sir". Link to post Share on other sites
Oyuki kigan 0 Posted October 26, 2005 Share Posted October 26, 2005 It is still a term with racist undertones. In Canada, i talked with some Japanese kids (in japanese) and they sometimes referred to me as a gaijin, right in my oun country. So i would stop the conversation, and ask what `gaijin` meant. They said the usual thing about it being a forigner, not getting the hint at all. So then i have to ask them what country they are in, and sometimes they get it. And for those that don`t, i spell it out for them, its that ingrained. And when i call them gaijin, they do not take kindly to the term. Hmmmmmmmm... Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts