Where Does This Idea Come From?

[Sashimister]

I've been wondering about this quite some time but was always afraid of asking.

Why do many people seem to think it cooler to write letters or cards to Japanese friends in Japanese when they aren't able to write them by themselves? We get these types of requests in the Japanese Help section from people who, later on, turn out to be complete noobs to the Japanese language.

Why do they want to send something that isn't their own and something that their Japanese friend will find out in a second was clearly written by someone else? Who do these letters make happy? What's wrong with writing it in your first language even if you had to use simple language?

I have no problem with this if the language of communication has always been Japanese between the two persons. Otherwise, this phenomenon leaves me in the dark.

[MMM]

I am not sure if it is a matter of "being cooler" as much as a desire to make their Japanese friend happy.

However, I am afraid the result would be the opposite. If I were a Japanese living in a foreign country, I would probably be happier receiving a note in the native language of that country (assuming I understand it to some degree) rather than in Japanese.

[sakaeyellow]

I don't know but Sashimister-san, you seem to be a little bit too angry at the things around you.

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by sakaeyellow

I don't know but Sashimister-san, you seem to be a little bit too angry at the things around you.

Don't follow me around, spammer. If you've got nothing to say, don't post.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

I've been wondering about this quite some time but was always afraid of asking.

Why do many people seem to think it cooler to write letters or cards to Japanese friends in Japanese when they aren't able to write them by themselves? We get these types of requests in the Japanese Help section from people who, later on, turn out to be complete noobs to the Japanese language.

Why do they want to send something that isn't their own and something that their Japanese friend will find out in a second was clearly written by someone else? Who do these letters make happy? What's wrong with writing it in your first language even if you had to use simple language?

I have no problem with this if the language of communication has always been Japanese between the two persons. Otherwise, this phenomenon leaves me in the dark.

I think the letters to their Japanese friends is understandable. What irks me is the people designing t-shirts, getting tattoos, trying to make their video game or novel character have a Japanese name that means something like "dark sinister man of the cape" or whatever.

There are still vestiges of orientalism in the West. Orientalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kanji are mystic, cool, exotic, weird, and grab people's attention. By using them, you obtain the exotic traits of the Asians.

That is what a lot of people think, based on my experience interacting with people.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

I've been wondering about this quite some time but was always afraid of asking.

Why do many people seem to think it cooler to write letters or cards to Japanese friends in Japanese when they aren't able to write them by themselves? We get these types of requests in the Japanese Help section from people who, later on, turn out to be complete noobs to the Japanese language.

Why do they want to send something that isn't their own and something that their Japanese friend will find out in a second was clearly written by someone else? Who do these letters make happy? What's wrong with writing it in your first language even if you had to use simple language?

I have no problem with this if the language of communication has always been Japanese between the two persons. Otherwise, this phenomenon leaves me in the dark.

Thinking back to when I was starting out, most of my Japanese friends both here and abroad were naturally aware that I was learning the language. My speaking was pretty poor so we spoke english in person but personally most of the letters i wrote were in japanese for absolutely everything I could manage, and English for everything I couldn't. However, some of my friends didn't speak much English, so yes, there were a couple of times I went and got advice on how to write a letter that I couldn't manage alone, for example, if I had something that needed to be conveyed accurately. And a lot of the time the Japanese people wrote back (subject to ability) in English.

I agree that trying to write a whole letter in Japanese when you don't have even a basic idea of the writing system is a silly idea. But I don't think it's silly to write to your japanese friends in japanese, even if you aren't fluent though, or to try and include at least some. It's good practice for you and it shows effort and consideration as well. On which note, I don't think the idea of it is just to look 'cool' either. I didn't do it to be cool, it was just a gesture.
I certainly can't say that i'd be offended if someone wrote to me in English, even if it was bad. And I don't know why the commonality of it surprises you; most textbooks lead students towards the idea at some point or other.

[seiki]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

I think the letters to their Japanese friends is understandable. What irks me is the people designing t-shirts, getting tattoos, trying to make their video game or novel character have a Japanese name that means something like "dark sinister man of the cape" or whatever.

There are still vestiges of orientalism in the West. Orientalism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kanji are mystic, cool, exotic, weird, and grab people's attention. By using them, you obtain the exotic traits of the Asians.

That is what a lot of people think, based on my experience interacting with people.

Speaking of which. I need a character name that means most honorable badass who does not seem to care about anyone but saves the whole town of dying people while wearing black. Make it happen.



I think they believe it will make them appear cool which is a very stupid reason because they will just look like even more of a loser when they are found out. And I agree tatoos in a language you do not understand are just a terrible ideas in so many ways.

[Columbine]

Originally Posted by seiki

most honorable badass who does not seem to care about anyone but saves the whole town of dying people while wearing black.

スネイプ？You might get done for plagiarism though. :P

[PockyMePink]

I think it's because people enjoy communicating with others around the world. Just because you want to comminicate with someone across the world, doesn't mean that you have any desire to learn their language. Many people use translators every day to send letters and messages around the world.

In fact, I have a cousin that lives in Bulgaria who used to write us. He didn't know English, and went to a translator to have his messages translated for us to read. It wasn't "cooler" to write his letters that way, it was just convient and helped communication between us.

[Decen]

I know when my wife and I were dating she always appreciated that I wrote or spoke in Japanese. In my experience people like seeing you make an effort like that. It's being considerate, even if its horribly written and in Romanji. I feel that people's impression that I or anyone else would do it only because it "looks cool" is kind might be a little inconsiderate.