Is the word 'Jap' offensive?

[Nick]

Do they not also have a rule where you have to leave after your boss does, not before? and a certian ammount die each year from exhaustion?

 

There's no rule as such, just the done thing. It's very much a work culture, no one wants to be the first to leave the office. I prefer to work flat out and go home early, here people take a more moderate pace. I often get Emails from my team leader at gone midnight, but then they think I'm mad for getting into the office at 7am

 

I would love to see an exhange program between some Italians and some Japanese, they would be funny

[KaoriFan]

ah, i see i have been afk from forum for 8 weeks, may as well start with a reply to an 'interesting' subject which i relate to.

 

personally, i wouldn't use the word "jap", it can be seen as offensive, derogitory, etc. everything has been covered by ben-san, homer and nick, and agree with them 100% in their explanations.

 

Asian culture is different from western in many ways, especially the traditions. so what we might find ok here, could cause problems there. things we would pass by, get noticed there. the most obvious thing is down to the giving of business cards, or the non-wearing of shoes indoors, to us may seem trivial, but not in Asia. Westerners are given leeway on a lot of things, as we are not supposed to know all the rules. Mostly it is down to common sense and treating people how you would like to be treated in life.

 

An interesting observation in Japanese Schools, the students wear their outside shoes to school, and then get their 'indoor' shoes they have stored at the school and wear them in the day.

Also, pray you don't forget to put on the 'toilet slippers', lol

 

if i am referring to something Japanese, i would use the "j-" or "jpn", or use the full name, etc. same as when i talk about chinese or korean, its "c-" or "k-". so for asian TV it would be j-dorama, c-drama, k-drama et al.

 

as for the word "brit"' it's not really in same context or strength as "jap". brit is more a lightweight word, not an offending term.

 

i better not get started on people using the "w*g" word, which someone used the other week openly in town >_

 

talking about Japan, now i want to go to Akihabara and Shinjuku

 

if we get another heatwave, anyone for a group vacation to Japan and visit an Onsen, lol

 

風林火山

[Gaz Walker]

I've been in Japan for 3 months now and I would never, ever use the word Jap.

 

Yep, most people seem to think its a shortening of the word and its just not.

 

People without a taste of the Japanese culture will not understand it.

 

Gaz.

[Tannhauser]

Hang on I'll ask Mr Cunterbald from the office upstairs.....

 

This had me chortling for some time...

[Tannhauser]

Look at the mursery ryhme "Baa baa black sheep" that was banned from nursery as it was seen as racist after several complaints by ethnic groups.

 

I am first to say that it's getting beyond a joke that certain slangs words or whatever are said or teached and those are complained about by ethnic support groups and they get banned.

 

You have to remember who reports these sorts of stories. It's usually right-wing papers like the Daily Mail. I swear they have a team of people that are out 24/7 looking for the worst examples of PC barminess to print.

 

I'm not saying that things like this haven't happened - most famously in some of the most left-wing London districts in the nineties. But tabloids usually have a political agenda and that means they will select, distort and exaggerate to manipulate opinion. They have an interest in portraying the UK as 'PC gone mad'; they play on the same fears as the republican elements of the press in the US -"we're being taken over by pussy-ass liberals, etc, etc."

[tepster]

 

風林火山

 

Kazabayasi volcano? dont understand japanese writing!

[Guest Angel]

Angel, bhave's missus (can i say missus?? partner etc) is japanese...

 

lets give her casting vote !

 

I'm 29 a Japanese girl?!(woman) and I take no offence being called a Jap girl.My parents however might consider this rude.

I might be upset if someone mention of colour of my skin in a bad way or my pronunciation of EngRish

[KaoriFan]

Kazabayasi volcano? dont understand japanese writing!

 

lol,

 

風林火山 reads as Fuu-Rin-Ka-Zan in Romaji. Originally from Sun Tzu's - The Art of War, but used By Shingen Takeda on his famous war banner. In English this translates to 'Swift as the Wind, Silent as a Forest, Fierce as Fire and Immovable as a Mountain'.

 

Shingen (Kai), and Uesugi Kenshin (Echigo) had been interested in Sun Tzu's works, and were adversaries over many years. they faced each other 5 times in one of the most famous series of Battles in Japanese history - Kawanakajima (between 1554 and 1564).

 

looking forward to watching Sengoku Jieitai, the 4 part dorama series, with Sorimachi Takashi (would be perfect if Matsushima Nanako was in it as well), which i downloaded the other day

 

time to disappear and watch the movie So Close starring Karen Mok

[b_have]

lol,

 

風林火山 reads as Fuu-Rin-Ka-Zan in Romaji. Originally from Sun Tzu's - The Art of War, but used By Shingen Takeda on his famous war banner. In English this translates to 'Swift as the Wind, Silent as a Forest, Fierce as Fire and Immovable as a Mountain'.

 

Shingen (Kai), and Uesugi Kenshin (Echigo) had been interested in Sun Tzu's works, and were adversaries over many years. they faced each other 5 times in one of the most famous series of Battles in Japanese history - Kawanakajima (between 1554 and 1564).

 

looking forward to watching Sengoku Jieitai, the 4 part dorama series, with Sorimachi Takashi (would be perfect if Matsushima Nanako was in it as well), which i downloaded the other day

 

time to disappear and watch the movie So Close starring Karen Mok

 

My gf is impressed by your Jp history knowledge!

But she wants to know who is Kaori?

[Mike]

But she wants to know who is Kaori?

 

Check it out..

[andrew7]

I'm 29 a Japanese girl?!(woman) and I take no offence being called a Jap girl.My parents however might consider this rude.

I might be upset if someone mention of colour of my skin in a bad way or my pronunciation of EngRish

 

Japanese women have very nice skin. Why would anyone mention it in a bad way?.......

[Guest Yewtave]

Is it to do with sauerkraut???

No, thats just an unhappy German.

[Guest Yewtave]

Maybe we should refer to the Japanese as "J"

 

like Ales says, J-Spec and J-Horror (Japanese horror films)

 

But then again,.. we have the Brits Awards so is that offensive?

I wouldn't call a guy from the USA a Yank, not because its racist but because its disrespectful.

 

I would say all the following ARE racist:

A 'Paki' (Packistan)

A 'Chink' (Chinese)

A 'Nigga' (Nigeria & Gibsons bog in the dambusters)

 

so it follows not obvious rules

what about J peg ?

[Guest Yewtave]

Is a J peg a japanese persons wooden leg ?

[andrew7]

Is a J peg a japanese persons wooden leg ?

 

 

FOMCL (fell off my chair laughing)....

[spikesjz]

so could anyone tell me why if it is offensive to use the word "jap" did toyota call their new car AYGO!! which phonetically spoken means "i-go" which in japanese means English!!"

 

only read this on their web site!!

[Nick]

so could anyone tell me why if it is offensive to use the word "jap" did toyota call their new car AYGO!! which phonetically spoken means "i-go" which in japanese means English!!"

 

only read this on their web site!!

 

 

What's your point?

[Nick]

Just looked at the results of the poll, and wondering how many Japanese voted....?

 

Fact is, it IS offensive so only use it when speaking to someone Japanese if you want to be impolite.

[spikesjz]

no point just an observasion and a bit of not common knowledge!! just say that we in japan are called "i-go's !" or AYGO which ever way you look at it maybe a case of " get your own back time!!"

[spikesjz]

suppose it's us being know as brit's the americans as yanks austrailians as aussies french as frogs and so on idon't take offence do you??

[Nick]

no point just an observasion and a bit of not common knowledge!! just say that we in japan are called "i-go's !" or AYGO which ever way you look at it maybe a case of " get your own back time!!"

 

In Hiragana "English" is "e-i-go" but I find that sometimes the phonetic translation varies.

 

I see what you're getting at, but I'd be very, very surprised if that's meant as an insult.

 

I'm quite thick skinned, and have to be with the people I go out for beers with. I give as good as I get, if someone takes the piss out of me then they have to expect it back and if they can't take it then don't dish it out....

 

From what I've seen this just isn't the Japanese way, but if someone Japanese insults me then I'll insult them back but I'd be personal about it and not use general terms.

 

I came here 3 months ago and had an idea of what to expect, but coming here has been a real eye opener. I really like the country, the people and the culture.

[KaoriFan]

My gf is impressed by your Jp history knowledge!

But she wants to know who is Kaori?

 

cheers, have been interested in Japanese history, culture and art for many years, but got really hooked after watching Shogun mini series in early 80s.

hoping to visit later this year, or spring time 2007. have a few friends in Tokyo and Osaka, also in HK, China, Philippines

 

hopefully sometime, i will actually get around to reading the Heike Monogatari

 

ah, now to the important part. SonicSoop beat me to it, yes, its the ever wonderful Kaori Mochida from the J-pop group Every Little Thing.

still holding her own against my other fave Asian Singers, Shiina Ringo, Yuri (Masuda) from Move, Keiko from Globe, Seiko Matsuda, Karen Mok, and many more.

 

Since i have had the Supra, its never had Western music in it, only Japanese. its interesting looking at people when you drive round town, and they can't hear English voices

[KaoriFan]

the use of 'eigo' in Japanese to show someone as being English, as in:

 

do you speak english? - eigo ga wakarimaska

 

the 'e' in Japanese would be pronounced in the way we say 'eh' (as in men) in English, and not as in 'aye'. the 'i' in Japanese is pronounced as the English 'e' (as in eat).

where you find 'ei' it is pronounced as both vowels 'eh-i'.

 

so the Toyota aygo/'i-go', is different in pronounciation than 'eigo'.

 

it's more probable that Toyota meant for the name to mean actual movement, as in 'i am going somewhere', though i may be wrong. which would mean it's said as in 'aye-go' as opposed to 'eigo' meaning English person

 

if i can think of anything else will add it later, lol

 

for now

 

ja ne