How many people here are on a REAL first name basis?

[JarodRussell]

Just beware of Ninja assassins jumping off Tokyo roof tops and you'll be fine.

 

[Holdfast]

You see, KJ some Americans are whalers too. And while whaling is part of my culture, I don't support or condone it -- likewise, I'm sure there are some in Japan who are against whaling too.

This neatly sums up why I like you; separating out the national from the cultural and seeing each axis as interacting but independent variables is not often done by many people.

Just beware of Ninja assassins jumping off Tokyo roof tops and you'll be fine.

And I like you for making exactly the same point in an awesomely funny way.

 

[thestrangequark]

You see, KJ some Americans are whalers too. And while whaling is part of my culture, I don't support or condone it -- likewise, I'm sure there are some in Japan who are against whaling too.

This neatly sums up why I like you; separating out the national from the cultural and seeing each axis as interacting but independent variables is not often done by many people.

And all this time I thought you liked me for my irresistible sex appeal and uncanny fashion sense.

 

[Jadzia]

I'm worried about meeting Son's Japanese tutor. She has been brilliant to him and I would love to take her for a drink/chat. But I'm scared of mucking up. Would I look totally stupid if I bowed? Would that be showing respect or just looking silly?

She may herself feel unsure about adhering to British etiquette, instead of doing what is most comfortable and familiar to her from her own culture.

Be conscious of her body language and gestures, and slightly modify your own in response to soften any differences between them.

Off subject ~ do you think a Bosai tree would be an appropriate present?

I think that would be like going on holiday and buying some hand made ornaments as souvenirs of the culture you've visited, and then discovering the stamp on the base reads "Made in China".

 

[Holdfast]

You see, KJ some Americans are whalers too. And while whaling is part of my culture, I don't support or condone it -- likewise, I'm sure there are some in Japan who are against whaling too.

This neatly sums up why I like you; separating out the national from the cultural and seeing each axis as interacting but independent variables is not often done by many people.

And all this time I thought you liked me for my irresistible sex appeal and uncanny fashion sense.

That too, but 21st century life makes one feel so forced to be all post-modern about things and pretend that it's just about your personality.

 

[thestrangequark]

^ Alright then.

 

[Holdfast]

(*mops brow* Phew, I think I got away with it!)

 

[K'Ehleyr]

I'm worried about meeting Son's Japanese tutor. She has been brilliant to him and I would love to take her for a drink/chat. But I'm scared of mucking up. Would I look totally stupid if I bowed? Would that be showing respect or just looking silly?

She lives in the UK, right? Don't bow. Treat her like anyone else in this country.

Do take her out for a drink/chat though. Just don't challenge her to a karaoke contest.

But you've never seen or heard my version of "Hey Big Spender"

I'm worried about meeting Son's Japanese tutor. She has been brilliant to him and I would love to take her for a drink/chat. But I'm scared of mucking up. Would I look totally stupid if I bowed? Would that be showing respect or just looking silly?

She lives in the UK, right? Don't bow. Treat her like anyone else in this country.

Yeah, that can be really annoying. The country sets the "rules" basically. If you're in Japan, bow, if you're in Europe/America, shake hands.


It's funny to see most people react to tourists/foreigners. Kind of similar to how most people suddenly behave when they're confronted with kids or handicapped. Pretty awkward most of the time.

I'm sure we'll be fine. But I would like to show some respect and acknowledgement of her culture, but not so much that I look like a prat!

Try your best not to make jokes about tsunamis, and you'll probably be okay.

So I'll not be taking this then...

I'm worried about meeting Son's Japanese tutor. She has been brilliant to him and I would love to take her for a drink/chat. But I'm scared of mucking up. Would I look totally stupid if I bowed? Would that be showing respect or just looking silly?

She may herself feel unsure about adhering to British etiquette, instead of doing what is most comfortable and familiar to her from her own culture.

Be conscious of her body language and gestures, and slightly modify your own in response to soften any differences between them.

Off subject ~ do you think a Bosai tree would be an appropriate present?

I think that would be like going on holiday and buying some hand made ornaments as souvenirs of the culture you've visited, and then discovering the stamp on the base reads "Made in China".

Jadzia, I was very wary of that I know as much to realise those two countries are not friends.
I'm now thinking of encouraging Son to write a thank you 'scroll' on really good paper, and in his best calligraphy.
It would be much more personal.

And infinix ~ sorry for hijacking your thread

 

[KJbushway]

Of course you can.

Yeah. They can't harpoon you in the middle of Tokyo. It's wearing it near the coastline that you have to worry about.

hehehe. That made me choke on my tea a little -- just the wonderful image of a Green Peace hippie wearing a Sea Shepherd shirt with a harpoon through his chest in the middle of Shibuya.

I've eaten whale. It's OK, but very fatty. Nothing special taste-wise, though of course the cultural symbolism of it in Japan has little to do with the taste per se.

I was offered some at a Powwow once. You see, KJ some Americans are whalers too. And while whaling is part of my culture, I don't support or condone it -- likewise, I'm sure there are some in Japan who are against whaling too.

ETA: I didn't eat the whale meat. I've had alligator, though!

Whaling is illegal in America, now a small population of people in remote alaska, can't do the harm of a japanese factory ship along with 3-4 harpoon ships. Yes there is anti-whaling people in Japan, and from what I saw when a sea shepherd went to Japan court, they have some guts. I don't hate the Japanese I dislike what some Japanese fisherman do. But If you look at my post you'll see that I am in a arguement of why dropping the Atomic Bomb was un-justified and wrong(my side). I did not mean to put down Japanese people as a whole.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Spanish has similar words for "you": tu (informal) and su (formal). I was taught to use "su" as a term of respect, so it's something you might use with your boss or when meeting your significant other's parents for the first time. You would even use it when meeting a stranger for the first time just in case. They might then invite you to use "tu" and let you know that it's fine to do that from then on. On the flip side of that, if you suddenly started using the formal "su" when talking to your buddy, it would sound incredibly awkward.

I thought it was Usted (or, alternatively, perhaps Vosotros).

 

[thestrangequark]

Yeah. They can't harpoon you in the middle of Tokyo. It's wearing it near the coastline that you have to worry about.

hehehe. That made me choke on my tea a little -- just the wonderful image of a Green Peace hippie wearing a Sea Shepherd shirt with a harpoon through his chest in the middle of Shibuya.

I've eaten whale. It's OK, but very fatty. Nothing special taste-wise, though of course the cultural symbolism of it in Japan has little to do with the taste per se.

I was offered some at a Powwow once. You see, KJ some Americans are whalers too. And while whaling is part of my culture, I don't support or condone it -- likewise, I'm sure there are some in Japan who are against whaling too.

ETA: I didn't eat the whale meat. I've had alligator, though!

Whaling is illegal in America, now a small population of people in remote alaska, can't do the harm of a japanese factory ship along with 3-4 harpoon ships.

The legality has gone back and forth in Washington State as well.

Yes there is anti-whaling people in Japan, and from what I saw when a sea shepherd went to Japan court, they have some guts. I don't hate the Japanese I dislike what some Japanese fisherman do. But If you look at my post you'll see that I am in a arguement of why dropping the Atomic Bomb was un-justified and wrong(my side). I did not mean to put down Japanese people as a whole.

I'm just pointing out that your statement about wearing a Sea Shepherd tee in Tokyo, as well as your refusal to visit the country, seem awfully silly to me. It has nothing to do with "putting down" anyone, it has to do with recognizing and discriminating between the individuals, the culture, the society, and the government.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

But you've never seen or heard my version of "Hey Big Spender"

One of my life's greatest regrets.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I think a lot of us probably know each other's first names but don't use them, perhaps. There are probably a lot of people that know mine, but still call me Kestra/Kes.

That's because you have a really nice screen name. Sounds like a real name, but it really isn't.

I know the first name of a few people here, but I don't think it would ever occur to me to use real names on the board. It would just feel... unnatural.

I think some people know my first name, too, since I'm not too possessive about it (also, what I use as a first name is not really my complete first name, so no risks for my privacy )

Many languages have different terms for "you" that change either with the subject or the speaker.

Just to add my two bits, it's the same in Italy. We have "tu" as a familiar form, "lei" as a formal form, and "voi" as a reverence form (even if it's discontinued nowadays).

And all this time I thought you liked me for my irresistible sex appeal and uncanny fashion sense.

Is it ok if I like for your irresistible fashion appeal and uncanny sex sense?

 

[RoJoHen]

Spanish has similar words for "you": tu (informal) and su (formal). I was taught to use "su" as a term of respect, so it's something you might use with your boss or when meeting your significant other's parents for the first time. You would even use it when meeting a stranger for the first time just in case. They might then invite you to use "tu" and let you know that it's fine to do that from then on. On the flip side of that, if you suddenly started using the formal "su" when talking to your buddy, it would sound incredibly awkward.

I thought it was Usted (or, alternatively, perhaps Vosotros).

You're right. "Su" is the formal version of "your." Sorry, been a while since my last Spanish class.

 

[thestrangequark]

And all this time I thought you liked me for my irresistible sex appeal and uncanny fashion sense.

Is it ok if I like for your irresistible fashion appeal and uncanny sex sense?

I read that twice to be sure I read it right.

Why are all the good ones thousands of miles away and spoken for? Why?!

 

[Alidar Jarok]

The legality has gone back and forth in Washington State as well.

Probably not the greatest thread for this, but the ICW moratorium does not include subsistence hunting, presumably because of necessity and because the impact is much less.

Of course, there are tribal groups that have argued cultural subsistence, which is very much a gray area (honestly, while the impact is still less than Japan's "Whale Research", it's still on shaky ground with regard to how this thing was set up).

 

[iguana_tonante]

Why are all the good ones thousands of miles away and spoken for? Why?!

Because the best things in life are to be fought for, my dear.

Or, on a different note: because having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true. (Hey, I am a nerd, after all.)

 

[thestrangequark]

^Nevertheless, I shall lament the ease with which I flirt and tease with foreign men with great fashion sense online, whilst my conquests in the analog world leave so much to be desired!

The legality has gone back and forth in Washington State as well.

Probably not the greatest thread for this, but the ICW moratorium does not include subsistence hunting, presumably because of necessity and because the impact is much less.

Of course, there are tribal groups that have argued cultural subsistence, which is very much a gray area (honestly, while the impact is still less than Japan's "Whale Research", it's still on shaky ground with regard to how this thing was set up).

The tribe I am referencing is the Makah tribe on Neah Bay in Washington State. They've been fighting an ongoing battle for the right to hunt grey whales, and won in 1998, pulled of a successful hunt, and since then the ruling has been overturned, appealed, ruled again, overturned again, etc. The tribes primary argument is a cultural one.
Personally, I'm not for it, and I know of many in the Makah tribe who are against whaling.

 

[RJDiogenes]

So you'd say, "voulez vous coucher avec moi" to your boss and "voulez tu coucher avec moi" to a friend?

"Veux-tu...", but yes.

Heh. Well, I was close.

That too, but 21st century life makes one feel so forced to be all post-modern about things and pretend that it's just about your personality.

Down with Postmodernism. Up with Futurism.

Why are all the good ones thousands of miles away and spoken for? Why?!

 

[Alidar Jarok]

^Nevertheless, I shall lament the ease with which I flirt and tease with foreign men with great fashion sense online, whilst my conquests in the analog world leave so much to be desired!

The legality has gone back and forth in Washington State as well.

Probably not the greatest thread for this, but the ICW moratorium does not include subsistence hunting, presumably because of necessity and because the impact is much less.

Of course, there are tribal groups that have argued cultural subsistence, which is very much a gray area (honestly, while the impact is still less than Japan's "Whale Research", it's still on shaky ground with regard to how this thing was set up).

The tribe I am referencing is the Makah tribe on Neah Bay in Washington State. They've been fighting an ongoing battle for the right to hunt grey whales, and won in 1998, pulled of a successful hunt, and since then the ruling has been overturned, appealed, ruled again, overturned again, etc. The tribes primary argument is a cultural one.
Personally, I'm not for it, and I know of many in the Makah tribe who are against whaling.

Yeah, that was the tribe I was referencing as well. In 9th Grade, my first major research paper was about the Makah and Whaling. I didn't really understand all the factors that were involved, but there was a quote from a Scientific journal that stuck with me and really forced a change in my viewpoint. Essentially, it was something like "What's to stop the Japanese from making a cultural argument for whaling. You think it isn't cultural for them, bullshit!". I don't think I was able to put that quote in my paper, however

Four years later, I had a Freshman English class in College where I decided to write about Whaling again (my Professor was shocked that people still Whaled). I focused on the Japanese this time, but I also considered Norway. Then I discovered that Whale Wars existed and it felt like a show geared towards me

Interesting that some Makah are opposed to whaling. It doesn't really surprise me. I'm willing to bet that there are Japanese as well who are opposed. Actually, it seems most are just completely indifferent (since it's not like whale meat sells well over there).