Japan Times letters
Dave Fossett
having trouble trying to work out what the first one (Discrimination starts
with 'you') is trying to say, despite the fact that it was apparently
written by a native English speaker. It seems to boil down to "Japanese use
different levels of politeness so it is not surprising that they
discriminate against foreigners", which really doesn't make much sense to
me.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/ric.htm
--
Dave Fossett
Saitama, Japan
Rindler Sigurd
"Dave Fossett" <re...@via.newsgroup> wrote in message
news:bRYXa.309$U8....@news1.dion.ne.jp...
> Has anyone else read the readers' letters in today's Japan Times? I am
just
> having trouble trying to work out what the first one (Discrimination
starts
> with 'you') is trying to say, despite the fact that it was apparently
> written by a native English speaker. It seems to boil down to "Japanese
use
> different levels of politeness so it is not surprising that they
> discriminate against foreigners", which really doesn't make much sense to
> me.
As I understood it, they would used various levels of "politeness" depending
to the rank of people in society.
1) Emperor and the royal crowd
2) Presidents, Living natural treasures and other mummies, Doctors without
degree or with a purchased one, certain politicians who haven't bee caught
yet, other top brass whether they deserve a swift kick in the nuts or not,
etc.
3) to 10) Japanese of the underdog class (including Kaz and the Outhouse
guy)
11) Yakuza members and convicts
12) Foreigners from industrialized nations
13) Foreigners from the third world
14) Foreign English teachers
Of course, this is not exactly my own perception, but there is some truth in
it. The Japanese practice their own caste system and inhumane pecking order.
I am not saying that these don't exist elsewhere, it's just more obvious in
this country.
Sigi
______________________________________________________________________
Posted Via Uncensored-News.Com - Still Only $9.95 - http://www.uncensored-news.com
<><><><><><><> The Worlds Uncensored News Source <><><><><><><><>
Brett Robson
Hard to work out what he's on about. Perhaps he feels offended if people speak
simply to him? We can only guess, but how common is this?
Recently I chewed out the manager of a local coffee shop about his and his
staffs' poor manners after a guy serverd me without saying a single word. His
defence was the staff don't speak English, but I pointed out that any foreigner
in Japan understands "arigatou gozaimasu".
-
"Wherever you go, you carry a message of hope - a message that is ancient and
ever new. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, 'To the captives, come out, and to
those in darkness, be free."' Bush II exhorting his soldiers on their Crusades.
"light the darkness of the entire world" Kita Ikki
mtfe...@netscape.net
> Recently I chewed out the manager of a local coffee shop about his and his
> staffs' poor manners after a guy serverd me without saying a single word. His
> defence was the staff don't speak English, but I pointed out that any foreigner
> in Japan understands "arigatou gozaimasu".
Never had it that bad; most people who "don't speak English" were very
diffident and made a big point of bowing when being otherwise inconsid-
erate (like, trying to inform me they couldn't serve me because they don't
speak English.)
It DOES remind me, though, of the absurdity of carrying on a conversation,
in Japanese, about how they can't seat you because they don't speak
English. One time, one of the customers pointed that out to the manager,
who turned 3 shades of red, then disappeared into the back.
Mike
Rindler Sigurd
> staffs' poor manners after a guy serverd me without saying a single word.
His
> defence was the staff don't speak English, but I pointed out that any
foreigner
> in Japan understands "arigatou gozaimasu".
>
Happened to me in a new Indian restaurant. The Indian husband was welcoming
me with enthusiasm, while the Japanese wife served the food without a single
word, not only to me but also to Japanese customers. It looked like she was
fed up with doing her job. Shops like there are doomed to fail...
Brett Robson
>
>Brett Robson <jet...@deja.com> wrote:
>
>> Recently I chewed out the manager of a local coffee shop about his and his
>> staffs' poor manners after a guy serverd me without saying a single word. His
>>defence was the staff don't speak English, but I pointed out that any foreigner
>> in Japan understands "arigatou gozaimasu".
>
>Never had it that bad; most people who "don't speak English" were very
>diffident and made a big point of bowing when being otherwise inconsid-
>erate
It works both ways of course, I make up for my direct and rather informal
Japanese with smiles and bows.
>(like, trying to inform me they couldn't serve me because they don't
>speak English.)
A Royal Host that I often frequented in Nagoya was terrible like that. They had
nominated English speaking waitresses. They would take names from all the
Japanese and get in quite a flap if the English speaking waitress didn't appear
quick enough. I know they were trying to do the right thing, but it's very
frustrating when the worms are biting and I don't need help ordering a steak and
beer. Once I worked out what was going on I always made a point of spekaing to
the head waitress, the added benefit was I didn't have to sit in the gaigin
corner.
Eric Takabayashi
> Has anyone else read the readers' letters in today's Japan Times? I am just
> having trouble trying to work out what the first one (Discrimination starts
> with 'you') is trying to say, despite the fact that it was apparently
> written by a native English speaker. It seems to boil down to "Japanese use
> different levels of politeness so it is not surprising that they
> discriminate against foreigners", which really doesn't make much sense to
> me.
Why not? They classify each other and the language suitable for for use on or
to refer to each other, by such things as which identical twin was born a few
minutes earlier, who entered a company or school first, the job one holds, or
who married whom, perhaps regardless of the individual's personal merit. Why
is it not natural that they would use the same system to classify foreigners,
or rank foreigners against Japanese, probably poorly?
> http://www.japantimes.co.jp/ric.htm
>
> --
> Dave Fossett
> Saitama, Japan
--
"This is the best book I've ever read! Even though I've only read one, it is
by far the best in the world."
- A 12-year old reader from California, CA USA
John W.
> On Wed, 6 Aug 2003 04:28:14 +0000 (UTC), mtfe...@netscape.net ...
> >
> >Brett Robson <jet...@deja.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Recently I chewed out the manager of a local coffee shop about his and his
> >> staffs' poor manners after a guy serverd me without saying a single word. His
> >>defence was the staff don't speak English, but I pointed out that any foreigner
> >> in Japan understands "arigatou gozaimasu".
> >
> >Never had it that bad; most people who "don't speak English" were very
> >diffident and made a big point of bowing when being otherwise inconsid-
> >erate
>
> It works both ways of course, I make up for my direct and rather informal
> Japanese with smiles and bows.
>
>
> >(like, trying to inform me they couldn't serve me because they don't
> >speak English.)
>
> A Royal Host that I often frequented in Nagoya was terrible like that. They had
> nominated English speaking waitresses. They would take names from all the
> Japanese and get in quite a flap if the English speaking waitress didn't appear
> quick enough. I know they were trying to do the right thing, but it's very
> frustrating when the worms are biting and I don't need help ordering a steak and
> beer. Once I worked out what was going on I always made a point of spekaing to
> the head waitress, the added benefit was I didn't have to sit in the gaigin
> corner.
>
in Japan. An interesting read, IIRC.
John W.
Ed
"John W." <worth...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:73fde4f0.0308...@posting.google.com...
> Sounds like something I recall from Dave Barry's book on his travels
> in Japan. An interesting read, IIRC.
As far as I'm concerned, Dave hit the nail on the head. By far the best book
on Japan you are ever going to come across.
Dave Fossett
> > Sounds like something I recall from Dave Barry's book on his travels
> > in Japan. An interesting read, IIRC.
>
> As far as I'm concerned, Dave hit the nail on the head. By far the best
book
> on Japan you are ever going to come across.
I suppose there are thousands of these "what I did in Japan" books, but
"Hokkaido High Blues" by Will Ferguson is also a good read. He hitchhiked
the length of Japan following the sakura zensen, and the book describes the
people he met along the way.
Collin McCulley
"Dave Fossett" <re...@via.newsgroup> wrote in message news:f7DYa.365$U8....@news1.dion.ne.jp...
Sounded like it might have been inspired by
Alan Booth's "The Roads to Sata". He walked the length
of Japan and described the people he met along the way.
--Collin