bobby12 0 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Is it just me, or is it really irritating when a gaijin puts on a really hardcore Japanese accent? I like my Britishness to come out in my accent, as long as its pronounced correctly I don't see the need to put on a whiny voice or a deep voice, or deliberately put in redundant words like 'sa' or 'nanka ne...' Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Do you mean filler language or actual accent/pronunciation? I for one use 'sa' purely because have picked it up from hearing it in conversations I've had in my time here. Stuff like that is native that can't be picked up from books or studying. As long as the person isn't being racist with the accent, then I have no issue with the accent, shows they are trying to make the effort to make themselves understood. My best mate lived in Japan for almost 4 years, spoke **** all Japanese and when he tried to, he murdered it with some shocking pronunciation that couldn't be understood. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Hmmmm well I want to speak Japanese as well as possible. No point in having a crap accent if you don't have to and if you have been here a long time and try your Japanese is going to get more natural even if you'll always have some gaijin accent to whatever degree. I know what you mean though I think it's more about behaviour than the language used. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 In the bar I own I've met some gaijin who come in and speak to me in Japanese. Now last time I looked I really didn't appear to look anything like a Japanese person. So why the hell would they speak to me in Japanese? I really find that annoying. Especially as I can barely understand a word they're saying regardless of accent Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 you shouldn't be dressed like a Rappongi bar girl then. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 God now that would be sight you'd wished you'd never seen! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Funny! I would have thought one gaijin to another they would have been thankful for the opportunity NOT to practice their Japanese! Although as an interpreter (and therefore fluent) I have sometimes found myself conversing away in Sign Language - big group of Deaf people - then all of a sudden I realize I am talking to a hearing person, but we are both still signing to each other. Cracks us up every time. Maybe it was just habit for the gaijin too... Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I know what you mean Bobby. I have a mate whose Japanese is pretty decent but when he speaks Japanese he puts on this really high pitched squeaky girl accent (cos his girlfriend has this annoying type of girl accent) and it really bugs the life outta me!! There is NO need to put that on!! Although when you think about it, if you wanna sound as natural as possible you will have to develop an accent. Think of how difficult/annoying english is to understand in some of the worlds accents! Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I don't know MB, a few of them seem to have become very Japanised, they wear similar local fashions and once they realise you don't speak good Japanese they move off to speak to someone who does. Frankly though as long as they're buying drinks they could speak to me in Swahili for all I care Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Swahili. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Ah the high pitched voices. No thanks, that annoys me to. But I do try to speak as well as I possibly can in Japanese. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I use a really low growly voice. Like that Aso arsehole. Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Very interesting thread. I have been taking Japanese lessons for about 4 months now, 1 a week and am getting NO BETTER. The other day I had a japanese couple in and thought I would practice on them. THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE HECK I WAS SAYING!!!!! Is it because we have a different sound when we are saying it even though we may be saying it right?? It has terrified my so I have stopped my lessons and am now to scared to use it when I go over. I was having fun learning it though. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 One a week?! Seriously? How much do you study in your own free time? Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 don't worry snowhuntress. Many a time (eg ordering at a restaurant) I would speak perfect Japanese (with Nagoya ben) and the person would just stand there like a stunned mullet. I think it throws them as they are expecting to hear English. saa, After a long time in the place you will naturally pick up an accent, especially if you have Japanese mates. Sounds better I think. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Originally Posted By: snowhuntress Very interesting thread. I have been taking Japanese lessons for about 4 months now, 1 a week and am getting NO BETTER. The other day I had a japanese couple in and thought I would practice on them. THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE HECK I WAS SAYING!!!!! Is it because we have a different sound when we are saying it even though we may be saying it right?? Perhaps they simply weren't expecting Japanese? They may have been thinking, "Argh, my English lessons have been useless -- I can't understand a word she said!" Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Originally Posted By: Indo don't worry snowhuntress. Many a time (eg ordering at a restaurant) I would speak perfect Japanese (with Nagoya ben) and the person would just stand there like a stunned mullet. I think it throws them as they are expecting to hear English. saa, After a long time in the place you will naturally pick up an accent, especially if you have Japanese mates. Sounds better I think. X2 Do you think the same thing about Japanese who use gambits as well, Bobby? All the ã‚ã®ã†ã€‚。。ã¦ã‚†ã‹ã€‚。。ãˆã£ãƒ¼ã¨ã€‚。。ã§ã™ã。。。ãªã‚“ã¦ã„ã†ã‹ã€‚。。ã›ã‚„ã‚“ãªã€‚。。what about all the different colloquial styles as well? Do you think Japanese sound dumb for using them? We are a product of our environment, much like babies learn, we learn what we hear, and repeat it as well. I dont understand the difference. The only thing I cringe at when I hear other gaijin speak Japanese is when they sound like their girlfriends and use female speech patterns. Otherwise, for me it is nothing odd to be sitting around with my J-mates speaking Kansai ben here, or Hiroshima ben when I go back there. Now only if I could learn ZuZu ben and really mess with people Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Originally Posted By: Go Native In the bar I own I've met some gaijin who come in and speak to me in Japanese. Now last time I looked I really didn't appear to look anything like a Japanese person. So why the hell would they speak to me in Japanese? Put yourself in their shoes. Unless you have a sign up advertising your language preference, they may not know what it is. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 I see a Chinese in London, I speak Chinese to him. Just common courtesy Link to post Share on other sites
minus 1 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Good point. I have friends from Russia and India. Interestingly we all speak to each other (rather brokenly!) in Japanese as thats the common language. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Originally Posted By: thursday I see a Chinese in London, I speak Chinese to him. Just common courtesy Fine, if you know he is Chinese. How does a random bar patron know what nationality Go Native is, or where he was raised? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 he's an Australian brick shithouse and has "shithouse" tatooed on his forehead. Have you not seen him? Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Originally Posted By: Metabo Oyaji Originally Posted By: Go Native In the bar I own I've met some gaijin who come in and speak to me in Japanese. Now last time I looked I really didn't appear to look anything like a Japanese person. So why the hell would they speak to me in Japanese? Put yourself in their shoes. Unless you have a sign up advertising your language preference, they may not know what it is. Believe me they knew. Maybe they are just showing off their language skills or possibly they have become so engrossed in the culture that they only want to associate with those that speak Japanese. They were native English speakers themselves, as that's what they do, teach English. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 thursday: Haven't had the pleasure. Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Originally Posted By: Go Native Believe me they knew. Ok, well then, I suppose you're reduced to, "the customer is always right." Link to post Share on other sites
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