My Japanese teacher is so awesome

[Lady Heartilly]

Well this probably isn't worth of an entire new thread, but . . .

Today during Japanese class, my teacher asked us to say something that we like in Japanese instead of just saying "Hai, koko desu" (here) when he takes attendance. So when he go to this one guy, the guy asked him "How do you say sex in Japanese?" and Sensei (teacher) made this face and then he was like "No, they don't do that stuff in Japan!" and then everyone started laughing. There was also another class where someone mentioned sex and he said "No, none of you should be having sex! You should all be virgins until you're 21!" and then he looked at me and said "Right?" and I nodded. He just chose me randomly; it's not like he knew I'm a or anything. I just thought it was very amusing.

Okay, this is probably a pointless thread, but it amused me so I'm posting it anyway.

[anticulus]

Maybe he knows more about you than you realise. He's not stalking you is he?

[anima]

I'm jealous of you.

Just because you're learning Japanese.

It's one of the three spoken languages I want to learn. (I speak English, and I know some sign language -- but I really need to work on that more. The other two spoken languages I want to learn are German and Swedish. I don't know why I want to learn Swedish. Don't ask. Oh, and Italian too.)

[Lady Heartilly]

Watashi wa sexu o shimasen.

That's Japanese for "I don't do sex." Or at least I think it is . . . I only started learning it this semester. :P It's really a fun class, though, if not a bit difficult since you have to memorize several new alphabets. I have an excellent teacher though, and yes, I'm pretty sure he's not stalking me. :P When it was my turn to say what I like, I said

Watashi wa anime no hime ga sukidesu.

Which means "I like animated princesses."

This has been your AVEN Japanese lesson for the day.

[Budgie]

This thread has put a cheery smile on my face. I don't know why! :D

I'd love to learn an 'exotic' language like Japanese. At school we did the usual French and German. I liked French but hated German, lord, what a difficult language to learn.

After 3 years of learning i can say, "I'm very hungry" in German. What a result! :lol:

Lady Heartilly, i hope this doesn't sound like a stoopid question, but why are you learning Japanse?

[Verin]

Japanese is a very cool language in my opinion, i would love to learn another language, i can only speak english but i can write in runic. Go figure eh?

Japanese culture i also find very cool. I wonder if theres a japanese word for asexual or Aven? So just a thought.. :D

[Harutaru]

*Has a giggle fit* Kawaii desu! Anou....Konban wa, Ore no namae wa Kami desu. Kore wa hen na sensei, ne?

^^ Ok, to translate for the english speakers - pretty much what I said was- (Hope I haven't made any mistakes!)

*Has a giggle fit* CUTE! Um.....Goodevening, my name is Kami.

This is a weird teacher, eh?

I've been learning japanese for awhile now, its quite the interesting language don't you think? XD Your school sounds like some much fun.

[Harutaru]

Japanese culture i also find very cool. I wonder if theres a japanese word for asexual or Aven? So just a thought.. :D

AVEN DESU! *giggles again* That would be the only way to say Aven I'm afraid, because it is a name afterall.

The only thing that came to mind for asexual would be 'Sekkusuresu' (sexless) which could be taken the wrong way I think. Gah. I'm sleep deprived.

[Lady Heartilly]

Lady Heartilly, i hope this doesn't sound like a stoopid question, but why are you learning Japanse?

Well I'm required to take one language class in order to graduate, and since Japanese is the language they speak in anime, and I like anime, I figured I'd give it a shot. Watashi wa nihon-go no benkyou shikoto ga sukidesu. (I like studying Japanese.)

[anima]

Gah. I'm sleep deprived.

Aren't we all?

Also -- I love your av. Who is it? (Makes me think of Miyavi... )

[Friendly]

Aren't we all?

Hai, soo desu.

Lady Heartilly-san, watashi wa anata no sensei ga suki desu!

[Xumbra]

I wonder why Japanese is so appealing to so many people. I don't think that all of this could have stemmed from anime. I'd love to learn Japanese myself, along with French and Italian. I'd love to learn any exotic impressive language, really.

In regards to the comment your teacher made, I assume that its this mode of abstinence that most Asians take (I don't mean to be stereotypical). I sure know that my parents are. But it's really cool that, of all people, he chose you. I wonder what opinions he has about asexuality. Have you asked him yet?

Well, I'm going to be stuck with Spanish for awhile. It sound really awesome, and confusing at the same time, when Spanish speakers converse in rapid-fire. I like to confuse people: it's one of my hobbies.

[Hexpiral]

I spent a year learning japanese. Too different from european languages to be a practical communicational language for me. And kanjis are a pain in the ass.

[Penumbra]

There was also another class where someone mentioned sex and he said "No, none of you should be having sex! You should all be virgins until you're 21!" and then he looked at me and said "Right?" and I nodded. He just chose me randomly; it's not like he knew I'm a or anything. I just thought it was very amusing.

:) Most Asian cultures are quite moderate and conservative. I saw a documentary once about several British women, all of European/Nordic descent, who chose to convert to Islam because they felt more at ease with a culture of modesty than with Western culture.

I'd love to learn Japanese. At present, I know two European languages but only one Asian one. Besides, Japanese culture is awesome. :)

[Harutaru]

Gah. I'm sleep deprived.

Aren't we all?

Also -- I love your av. Who is it? (Makes me think of Miyavi... )

Aha, indeed. I'm not sure if it Miyavi or not....since I punked the icon off a community I joined and was too scared to ask. >> <<;;

I started to learn japanese because I got kicked out of French when I was really young. We could only learn that in my school, but I rebeled and started getting out-side-school tutors! ^_^

I want to learn Egyptian and Mandarin too. I could then talk and understand anyone in the little town here.

[deladangerous]

Watashi wa sexu o shimasen.

That's Japanese for "I don't do sex." Or at least I think it is . . . I only started learning it this semester. :P

Oh m'goh! :shock:

The Japanese language does not have a letter 'x'. :? If they were going to use the phonetic Katakana, it'd be 'sekkusu'...

'Sekkusuresu' (Sexless) means being of neither gender, so that doesn't apply. Unless it applies. ;) The Japanese word for 'asexual' is "musei" -- noun, not adjective, so careful whatcha' do with it. I'm not really sure if it's applied to people, though.

I do believe that if you wanted to say you don't 'do sex', it'd be "Sekkusu o shinai", (I don't do sexual intercourse) or "Intaakoosu ga suki janai" (I don't like intercourse).... Possibly even "Sekkusu ga daikirai desu" (I hate sex).

Harutaru, where is it that people speak Mandarin and French?

....*goes back to watching the Robots dance*

[Friendly]

Watashi wa sexu o shimasen.

That's Japanese for "I don't do sex." Or at least I think it is . . . I only started learning it this semester. :P

Oh m'goh! :shock:

The Japanese language does not have a letter 'x'. :? If they were going to use the phonetic Katakana, it'd be 'sekkusu'...

'Sekkusuresu' (Sexless) means being of neither gender, so that doesn't apply. Unless it applies. ;) The Japanese word for 'asexual' is "musei" -- noun, not adjective, so careful whatcha' do with it. I'm not really sure if it's applied to people, though.

I do believe that if you wanted to say you don't 'do sex', it'd be "Sekkusu o shinai", (I don't do sexual intercourse) or "Intaakoosu ga suki janai" (I don't like intercourse).... Possibly even "Sekkusu ga daikirai desu" (I hate sex).

Harutaru, where is it that people speak Mandarin and French?

....*goes back to watching the Robots dance*

Sekkusu o shimasen . . . I don't remember all my Japanese conjugation, but it definitely has something to do with "doing sex."

[Harutaru]

^^ Its a little town named Peterborough. Approximately three or so hour drive from Toronto, ever heard of it?

Not alot of french is spoken here, though people know it... they just tend not to put it to use after highschool.

Sekkusuresu *giggle* I'm so silly sometimes.

[anima]

Gah. I'm sleep deprived.

Aren't we all?

Also -- I love your av. Who is it? (Makes me think of Miyavi... )

Aha, indeed. I'm not sure if it Miyavi or not....since I punked the icon off a community I joined and was too scared to ask. >> <<;;

LOL. Nice. What community and where?

Maybe I can find out.

[deladangerous]

Sekkusu o shimasen . . . I don't remember all my Japanese conjugation, but it definitely has something to do with "doing sex."

Yeh, that works too. That version sounds a little more like "I'm not doing it right now", though, as opposed to the "-o shinai", which is more like "I don't do it at all".

[Mysteria]

Coincidentally, I just read a very angry rant by an ESL teacher in Japan about why she has come to hate Japanese culture before reading this thread.

I used to think Japan was so great just because of anime and whatnot, but as I've been studying Japanese (on my own, unfortunately, which means I haven't been able to get very far) and learning more and more about the culture for about seven years now, I've become a lot less enamored of it. Sometimes I get a little annoyed at japanophiles (generally it's the more obnoxious ones that I have to deal with irl) these days because they don't know about the social injustices that go on there, so they tend to have totally unrealistic, overly genki attitudes about it.

Honestly, I don't think people would care whether you LIKED sex or had any sexual attraction or not in Japan; you're just expected to get married and do it anyway. Not doing so is unacceptable enough, but talking about it would be social heresy. People don't want to know about your personal life in Japan. There is no PDA. They don't even acknowledge that homosexuals exist. Why on earth would they understand the concept of asexuality?

I forget who brought this up, but I think a lot of the appeal of Japan to foreigners is there because the Japanese actually work at appealing to us. They don't want us to know that there are rude people in Japan. They don't want us to see the country's defects.

I hope no one took offense at this, since I've been known to inadvertently offend people on forums before. In a lot of ways I do agree that Japan is cool, and I actually really want to study abroad in Tokyo for a while. I want to experience a Gackt live and Harajuku on Sundays for myself. =P

(EDIT - Now that I think about it, I should also add that I just mean the main culture as I understand it from an outsider's perspective. There may be an asexual group that I'm not aware of, but I'm guessing that they will be pretty much underground.)

[Harutaru]

Coincidentally, I just read a very angry rant by an ESL teacher in Japan about why she has come to hate Japanese culture before reading this thread.

I used to think Japan was so great just because of anime and whatnot, but as I've been studying Japanese (on my own, unfortunately, which means I haven't been able to get very far) and learning more and more about the culture for about seven years now, I've become a lot less enamored of it. Sometimes I get a little annoyed at japanophiles (generally it's the more obnoxious ones that I have to deal with irl) these days because they don't know about the social injustices that go on there, so they tend to have totally unrealistic, overly genki attitudes about it.

Honestly, I don't think people would care whether you LIKED sex or had any sexual attraction or not in Japan; you're just expected to get married and do it anyway. Not doing so is unacceptable enough, but talking about it would be social heresy. People don't want to know about your personal life in Japan. There is no PDA. They don't even acknowledge that homosexuals exist. Why on earth would they understand the concept of asexuality?

I forget who brought this up, but I think a lot of the appeal of Japan to foreigners is there because the Japanese actually work at appealing to us. They don't want us to know that there are rude people in Japan. They don't want us to see the country's defects.

I hope no one took offense at this, since I've been known to inadvertently offend people on forums before. In a lot of ways I do agree that Japan is cool, and I actually really want to study abroad in Tokyo for a while. I want to experience a Gackt live and Harajuku on Sundays for myself. =P

(EDIT - Now that I think about it, I should also add that I just mean the main culture as I understand it from an outsider's perspective. There may be an asexual group that I'm not aware of, but I'm guessing that they will be pretty much underground.)

Actually the japanese culture is very open to the thought of homosexuality, and from my own research I found it to be amongst the first countries to allow marriage and couples - of course there are certain individuals and groups (religious and otherwise) who won't ever change. its the mainstream that I've focused my own view upon.

Alot of people still hold themselves tight toward traditional ways and the promise that their children would not bare off-spring is ususally quite a blow - but of course, there are quite a few ways to go around this while holding the family ties strong.

Its true that there is not alot of PDA though, but thats more a sign of respect? I mean, highschoolers here will make out on the street - where as anyone in school/work in japan are seen as a direct representation of the whole student body/corporation, so people reframe from such open behavior so not to get a bad reputation.

Its the power and secretness that hold me enthrawled, and also the undescribale beauty that comes from the land and traditions, both old and new. Everything flows so well in such a chaotic way. Thats why I think the people who love japan for simply their artwork are only seeing one portion and I'm a little sad that their missing out on the rest. To each their own of course.

[Mysteria]

Actually the japanese culture is very open to the thought of homosexuality, and from my own research I found it to be amongst the first countries to allow marriage and couples - of course there are certain individuals and groups (religious and otherwise) who won't ever change. its the mainstream that I've focused my own view upon.

I'm curious as to where you found that out, because I had heard someone say something similar and then was told on no uncertain terms by someone who has been living in Japan for about three years now that gay marriage IS NOT legal or accepted there, and that the people who thought that were sorely misguided. :?

I'm confused now.

[Harutaru]

I remember fighting with friends and grandparents over this topic a few months ago. Actually I just googled the laws/regulations and emailed several friends in japan to make sure it was true.

JAPAN

LAWS: 1. Has no sodomy laws, the age of sexual consent for males ranges by local from age 13 to 17.

2. Bans open homosexuals from its military.

3. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government includes sexual orientation as a category protected from discrimination within its human rights

guidelines. Ehime (in the south west district of Japan), also

has human rights guidelines which mention lesbian and gay rights.

4. The southern Japanese city of Miyakonojo bans discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people.

NOTE: 1. Kanako Otsuji, member of the Osaka Prefectural Assembly, is openly lesbian.

I'm tired and not at home or I'd go threw my history-folder. X_x;

[Wario]

Heh, I want to learn Japanese too!

[spinneret]

Watashi wa sexu o shimasen.

That's Japanese for "I don't do sex." Or at least I think it is . . . I only started learning it this semester. :P

Oh m'goh! :shock:

The Japanese language does not have a letter 'x'. :? If they were going to use the phonetic Katakana, it'd be 'sekkusu'...

'Sekkusuresu' (Sexless) means being of neither gender, so that doesn't apply. Unless it applies. ;) The Japanese word for 'asexual' is "musei" -- noun, not adjective, so careful whatcha' do with it. I'm not really sure if it's applied to people, though.

I do believe that if you wanted to say you don't 'do sex', it'd be "Sekkusu o shinai", (I don't do sexual intercourse) or "Intaakoosu ga suki janai" (I don't like intercourse).... Possibly even "Sekkusu ga daikirai desu" (I hate sex).

Harutaru, where is it that people speak Mandarin and French?

....*goes back to watching the Robots dance*

Sekkusu o shimasen . . . I don't remember all my Japanese conjugation, but it definitely has something to do with "doing sex."

I'd use "sekkusu o shimasen," because "sekkusu o shinai" is casual form. Then again, you'd probably be on casual-speech terms to be talking about a/sexuality with someone. . .shiranai.

"sekkusu ga suki ja arimasen" would work too, " do not like sex." Informally, "sekkusu ga suki ja nai."

"sekkusu ga omoshiroku arimasen" would be "sex is not interesting [to me]," informally "sekkusu ga omoshirokunai."

My stock answer, translated into Japanese, would go something like, "otoko no hito mo onna no hito mo suki ja arimasen," "I don't like men or women."

Ugh. Japanese. I mean, uh, ii o-tenki desu nee? Ganbatte kudasai, Lady Heartilly-san.

"watashi wa keeki yori sekkusu no hou ga suki desu yo!"

[deladangerous]

Mysteria, in time I too have become disenchanted with people who say they're into Japanese culture, simply because a lot of people say that just because they're interested in anime.

For instance (but not limited to this), there was something called a "Japanese culture club" at my highschool. And what did they do to "learn about Japanese culture"? They sat around after class let out and watched anime. A couple of them knew how to poorly write a couple kana, or picked up a few phrases, which they thought they'd heard correctly, but of course they had zero grasp on the language, and therefore were in error. And then, they run out and shove it all in people's faces saying they know Japanese!

Indeed, many lose sight of the fact that it's not the cutest planet in the world, and just because they'd like the television doesn't necessarily mean they'd get on very well living there.

Although I really don't want to be mean, I'm just....really... tired of rambunctious fankids.

However, I'm not so sure there's such a 'don't ask, don't tell' attitude towards homosexuality. I don't know for certain, but I don't think that's quite how it is. However their attitudes do differ significantly from us on a lot of counts. For instance, women haven't come quite as long a way as they have in other western countries..

That doesn't bar me from studying it, still, though. I like the way it sounds, and it's very easy to learn if you know Mandarin. They're kind of similar in a lot of ways.

And thank you spinneret for reminding me that not everybody speaks so casually, because I'm on my year off from Japanese classes. :roll:

[spinneret]

And thank you spinneret for reminding me that not everybody speaks so casually, because I'm on my year off from Japanese classes. :roll:

Yeah, it's just that I have this thing with casual Japanese. As in it hates me and I butcher it so it hates me more. Vicious cycle, I'm telling you. It's just. . .my sensei last year SMASHED INTO OUR BRAINS that we should always be extremely formal, so I can't help but speak like a five-year-old girl. I can't not say "desu," ever.

In any case, I'm assuming Lady Heartilly's just going to be learning keigo for starters.

And WORD on the Japan fankids. Mrrgh. I'm studying Japanese because I wanted to try my hand at a non-Indo-European language. And, you know, I'm into cyberpunk as well. But the average student of Japanese isn't exactly someone I'd spend all my time with, you know? (Which is why you need cool Japanese studying friends to commiserate with)

Finally, the Japanese I know are -not- all that openminded when it comes to sexuality. My old roommate could not wrap her head around the fact that that girl with my sister was her girlfriend.

[Mysteria]

Heh. Yeah. I had the most annoying otaku in my web design class last year. EVERYTHING was about how Japan is OMGSOKAKOIIII!!!!111 with him. (And yes, the misspelling was intentional, lol.) His definition of the word neko? Not >this<, but >this<. I'm not kidding, I sat there and listened to him explain to another guy in my class that a neko was a person with cat ears. O_o;;

And then there was the time I wore Gothic Lolita to school, and he tried to fondle me. >>;; I'll give him points for knowing it was not cosplay, I guess, but uh... Heh. I'm just glad I'm in college now.

And thank you spinneret for reminding me that not everybody speaks so casually, because I'm on my year off from Japanese classes.

I always have a hard time remembering I ought to be speaking more formally... When I practice by myself, I'll often refer to myself as boku instead of watashi, and I imagine if I had a teacher they'd get on my case about that. I learn a lot by listening, and the people I listen to most just happen to use masculine speech, lol.

Anyway. Because I have such a strong interest in Japan, and have been considering living there at some point in my life, I've found it extremely helpful to listen to what these ESL teachers have to say. I really don't want to link to their personal journals since I don't have permission to do so, but if I remember correctly, some of them were discriminated against because they were bisexual. ALL of them have had their companies harass them, even though it's illegal for them to be doing that. So I'm thinking that while the laws might prohibit people from discriminating against homosexuals, homosexuality is still considered "hen" (or strange, and NOT strange in the Western sense that everyone thinks it's cool, either. Strange in the Japanese sense that it is VERY VERY BAD and it must be hammered back down into conformity) by the general populace.

They've also observed that while there is a lot of fanservice (male/male interaction) in J-rock concerts, very few people actually believe that the people involved are gay. Girls like to fantasize about guys being gay, hence the shounen ai and yaoi genres of manga/doujinshi, but for some reason they don't think anyone actually is. It seems really weird to me, especially because in America, even the tiniest things can make people assume you're gay! *lol*

[spinneret]

Heh. Yeah. I had the most annoying otaku in my web design class last year. EVERYTHING was about how Japan is OMGSOKAKOIIII!!!!111 with him. (And yes, the misspelling was intentional, lol.) His definition of the word neko? Not >this<, but >this<. I'm not kidding, I sat there and listened to him explain to another guy in my class that a neko was a person with cat ears. O_o;;

Oh, I feel your pain.

These kids will go on for hours about Ringu or Miyazaki but they've never heard of Kurosawa. I don't think my sensei will be asking us about "nihon no eiga" again anytime soon. Fortunately they've thinned out since first year, but they still scare me. They've got to realize that Japan isn't like on their TV screens. (Frankly, I'm not even that interested in going to Japan, except Hokkaido. Hm, I should've taken Ainu classes :?)

Pronouns are weird. I think even casually I'll stick with "watashi" and other unmarked speech; I think my er, gender neutrality will speak for itself. My sensei does admit some teenage girls are going as "boku" these days, but she says it like it's some rebellious stage. :lol: There's a girl in my class who refers to herself as "ore," which makes me cringe. I don't think the male graduate fellows are even "ore" around this sensei. Oh, and there was the guy who wanted to pick up the phone with "NANI?!"

They've also observed that while there is a lot of fanservice (male/male interaction) in J-rock concerts, very few people actually believe that the people involved are gay. Girls like to fantasize about guys being gay, hence the shounen ai and yaoi genres of manga/doujinshi, but for some reason they don't think anyone actually is. It seems really weird to me, especially because in America, even the tiniest things can make people assume you're gay! *lol*

J-rockers are like glitter/glam rockers of the '70s--they're pretty, they're cashing in on fetishization of genderbending/sexuality blablabla, but it doesn't reflect actual mainstream acceptance. (I had a long class discussion about glitter/glam rock re: Hedwig last week, and kept thinking about J-rock)

Like you said earlier, most Japanese just wouldn't talk about a/sexuality, period. Very taboo, and I think asexuality would be just as "hen" as any other "deviation," if not more so.