Karnidge 2 Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 What do you do in response to the 'I can't or won't understand you' look that sometimes a gaijin gets here in Japan. You probably know the one. The one where you go into a shop and confront a petrified not-too-bright shop person, speak some understandable Japanese clearly*, and they look at you as if you just spoke Klingon. Refusing to accept that they can understand what you say. Really annoys me and yesterday I got quite irritated by this guy who was resorting to the nervous laugh and bowing to apologies for pretty much everything. Grrrr. Anyone got a good way to deal with this kind of thing, one that works. One that just isn't getting pissed off? How do you ask for someone else? (*correct words, grammar, decent accent, clear) Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 I win them round with my charm. But seriously, if your Japanese is decent, keeping friendly and calm and just continuing will, I find, win them round. After that first 'a!, gaijin' reaction. Getting worked up and piling on the pressure only makes things worse. There are some no hopers of course, when it's best to finish quickly walk round and find someone else. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 And if Pies diplomatic way doesn't work a rapid few punches to the cretins face will make u feel a million times better Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 I've had said cretin, reply to me in strained broken English "I no speak English".......no shit! But since I asked in japanese (and it was for something ridiculously simple) give me my fricking stuff!! Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Another fine example of omotenashi, Japan's "selfless hospitality". You can add in random searches of gaijin in the hope they have 0.1g of speed. Link to post Share on other sites
stemik 14 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 I win them round with my charm. But seriously, if your Japanese is decent, keeping friendly and calm and just continuing will, I find, win them round. After that first 'a!, gaijin' reaction. Getting worked up and piling on the pressure only makes things worse. There are some no hopers of course, when it's best to finish quickly walk round and find someone else. This is so true, even the charm! Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Those type of people really do my head in though. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Possibly the worst thing about this is that the shop person will go home, say "I had this gaijin customer today", and everyone will feel sorry for him or her for being put in what must automatically be a difficult situation. It must be difficult because that's what the stereotype is and they are always true. Link to post Share on other sites
tokabochi 9 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Yes, you just know that is going to happen. Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 One of the few times when I feel uncomfortable here, and very gaijin. Then again, back in my own country I sometimes feel similar frustrations, or even worse. So I think I can live with it. Link to post Share on other sites
r45 4 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Feel like shaking people like that. Link to post Share on other sites
xxx 2 Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 Doesn't always work, but I seem to have got better at spotting good and bad 'targets' Link to post Share on other sites
sanjo 2 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Pies offers wise advice. It's tempting to get agitated but with those type of people it will only make it worse. Much worse. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 On the flipside of this there are obviously very patient, nice people who will bend over backwards to help you.......like the woman in the bank yesterday. I had to open a new bank account as my night job only deals with one bank (WTF is with that in Japan??) and my Japanese isn't particularly good, but she was very patient as I blundered through and even when I was writing my stuff in katakana, she smiled and helped.......it looked like a baby wrote it, but she didn't make any comment etc Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 No agitation here.... I just kindly assure them I am in fact, speaking Japanese. Link to post Share on other sites
mina2 6 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Sarcasm doesn't go down too well either though does it. Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 No....it certainly doesn't. Link to post Share on other sites
Thunderbird2 0 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 What's almost worse is when they come back to you in barely recognizable 'English', further complicating things. Link to post Share on other sites
ProbablyaCrazyPerson 2 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Another thing that annoys similar to this. Speaking to a Japanese person, in the decent Japanese, when you are accompanied by another Japanese person. You ask the shop person a question. The shop person answers the Japanese person you are with - not you. Arrgghh! It's so rude. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 or even funnier when you are with an Asian looking gaijin who speaks less Japanese than you........the jokes turned onto the idiot shop assistant Link to post Share on other sites
Chriselle 158 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Haha....Yes, I've had that happen, too. Link to post Share on other sites
joshnii 2 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Fairly common. I find it quite amusing actually. No point in getting worked up over it anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
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