Thursday, December 12, 2013

Everything becomes humor 日本語には向いてない?

他の国の文化に触れてるといろんな発見がある。ここアメリカでは自分にはないユ-モアが溢れている。ある人が僕の筋肉を使いたいとたずねて来た。最初は何が言いたいのかよくわからなかった。単純に一人では運べない重さのあるテーブルを移動させたかっただけ。状況をつかむまで5秒くらいかかったかな。もし日本で同じ状況になった場合、ほとんどの人が「テーブル動かすの手伝ってくれない?」と聞いてくるだろうなと思った。日本語と英語では言葉の遊び方が違うんだろうな

There are many things I can find whenever I saty in different culture. Here in US, I do feel inferior to people with humor issue. Someone just asked me if she could borrow my muscle. I had no idea what she's actually asking for. It was just she wanted to move wooden meeting table to the other side of the office. I took me 5 seconds to get an idea what she really meant. So come to think of it, if someone in Japan asked me the same thing, most people would just say something like `` Can you help us to move the table?''  There would be no humor.... I think each language makes many different results in many different situations.

  

5 comments:

  1. I think most Japanese are very kind and polite to each other, and humor often uses sarcasm, which can be mean or impolite. For what it's worth, I often find your videos humorous because you like to joke and play and wear costumes. You are very funny!

    I hope you are enjoying your time in the US, Taro! :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. My exchange student from Brazil had a tough time learning local colloquialisms. I remember when he was asked by fellow students here in the US if he wanted to, "kick it". He was confused and came home to ask me what it meant. I told him it was a slang way of being invited to join fellow classmates after-school. I also advised him that "hang out" could also be used interchangeably. It's amazing what you can learn from different cultures. We are all genetically so similar but at the same time can be so different in other ways.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It depends where you go in the U.S.. many people in states like california are rude. also, california is a bankrupt hellhole. it is not representative of many other parts of the U.S.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There are good parts along with the bad, just like any other state. The rude people you met in California are not representative of the nice, courteous ones you haven't met :)

      Delete
  4. It's not so much 'humor', it's just a casual way of saying things... like someone said, it's called "colloquialisms". If you were to go across the United States, you'd be very confused! Because a lot of our sayings/slangs sometime go by different regions, not as a nation as a whole. Like some people say 'soda' for soda drinks in general, some people say 'pop' and only use it for carbonated water.. things like that. My friend from California always laugh at me for using certain words, because in his area it means something jokey or inappropriate. So don't feel inferior, just tell them you don't understand if you don't get it :3

    ReplyDelete