Foreigner visiting Japan for the first time, have alot of questions!
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Ahega
ﾂ『ﾂ〜ﾂ?｡ﾂ〜ﾂ』
- 3 Dec 2006
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To get back to the topic~ look through those links, there are pretty cheap accommodations listed. ジェイホッパーズ - J-Hoppers
Though I have to say that it will be difficult to stay one month with that budget. You should look out for 100 Yen Shops to buy your basic food and stuff you need, that'll save you a lot of money.
As suggest have a map and something to write with you to get directions and stuff. Also there are quiet a lot of nice people who would bring you all the way to your destination. You don't have to give something to people who help you on the street. In fact they'd feel uncomfortable if you do so. Just say "thank you" with a nice smile as you would do anywhere else.
I think it's never wrong to try to speak at least some words of the language, which is spoken in the country you're visiting. Personally I consider it as polite. And don't be bothered by your accent. Just imagine someone with heavy accent and somewhat broken English will speak to you, somehow you'd understand that person anyway, right?
Maybe you should learn a phrase saying that you only speak English...? Anyway, try to pick up some of the language while you're there. It's the best way to learn it and will definitely help you. Especially if you decide to visit more rural areas.
I guess that's all I can think of for now... I hope you'll have a nice trip! And don't forget there are hundreds of thousands of people who managed to enjoy Japan without speaking one single word and knowing nothing about it - so you'll make it, too!
Though I have to say that it will be difficult to stay one month with that budget. You should look out for 100 Yen Shops to buy your basic food and stuff you need, that'll save you a lot of money.
As suggest have a map and something to write with you to get directions and stuff. Also there are quiet a lot of nice people who would bring you all the way to your destination. You don't have to give something to people who help you on the street. In fact they'd feel uncomfortable if you do so. Just say "thank you" with a nice smile as you would do anywhere else.
I think it's never wrong to try to speak at least some words of the language, which is spoken in the country you're visiting. Personally I consider it as polite. And don't be bothered by your accent. Just imagine someone with heavy accent and somewhat broken English will speak to you, somehow you'd understand that person anyway, right?
Maybe you should learn a phrase saying that you only speak English...? Anyway, try to pick up some of the language while you're there. It's the best way to learn it and will definitely help you. Especially if you decide to visit more rural areas.
I guess that's all I can think of for now... I hope you'll have a nice trip! And don't forget there are hundreds of thousands of people who managed to enjoy Japan without speaking one single word and knowing nothing about it - so you'll make it, too!
Do all native speakers of English?
Ask a Texan that question about a Bostonian.
Do all native speakers of English?
Do all native speakers of English?
Exceedingly close attention.
Do all native speakers of English?
The same thing it would show among native English speakers; a variety of outcomes based on a variety of aspects.
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Thank you so much, Ahega! I see things have been sidetracked a bit, so I'm grateful you spoke up and offered much appreciated advice! Just to clarify, the $1500 CDN (or roughly 150000 Yen) is for my accommodations alone i.e. just the hotel, or apartment rental in my case. I will be bringing another $3000 CDN spending money for other costs like food, shopping money, etc. It's still not a high end budget, but I don't think it's so low that I will be begging on the streets! Most, if not all gift buying, will be for family and friends back here and not for me (the exception being nice art supplies I might find cheaper here, but I'm not sure about that).
That is good to know! I think I'd feel bad if they felt obligated, out of politeness, to bring me all the way to my destination -- but I am not sure if it's rude to tell them it's unnecessary? Also, it's good to hear your counsel on the gift giving ; small advice as simple as this helps me out a great deal, because I expect I will be lost a few times. Thank you!
Oh yes, I definitely plan to make an effort even with my poor / nearly non-existent abilities. I think I can say "Eigo o hanashimasu ka" / "Eigo de iidesu ka" / "Eigo ga dekimasu ka"? Though I'm not sure which would be the most polite form. I have a phrasebook as well, which I will be putting to use!
Ahh, thank you for the kind word of encouragement Ahega! I can only hope it will be as brilliant and beautiful as I'm anticipating; but I believe my attitude and how I conduct myself will play a big part in all of that as well.
Please keep the suggestions and advice coming, guys!
Ken
Ahega
ﾂ『ﾂ〜ﾂ?｡ﾂ〜ﾂ』
- 3 Dec 2006
- 227
- 1
Oh~ I see! There should be no real problem then. Just one thing, which crossed my mind: you should calculate a fair amount on transportation! I think those expanses are a bit underrated in my opinion.
No I don't think so. Actually I think they'll just go on insisting to go with you... It just happened to me once and that time I was glad that they showed my friends and me the way.
They are all polite, though you should go with the first and the third. The second one is not wrong at all, but personally I wouldn't use it for that purpose. But I guess you're better off asking someone with a higher level of Japanese.
So true~
Chidoriashi
In imagination land
- 2 Feb 2007
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Does this even need to be explained?
It is intuitive.
I'm glad I could enlighten you on this.LOL! You don't say!
(sensing the smart aleck remark...)
I'm not quite sure what youre laughing about cuz bringing it up as an example of "bad native speakers" says that you really did not realize that.
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Chidoriashi
In imagination land
- 2 Feb 2007
- 824
- 63
I like how you avoided all of my very direct questions, which in a lot of ways tells me you would have answered "No".
Well first off, in regard the the accent thing, I said "FOREIGN" accent, and by foreign I mean non-native English speaker accents.
And for prepositions, "a" and "the", nuances etc.. all this shows me is you have missed the point. Are all native speakers perfect? No, people do make mistakes. You got me.
The point is though produce one Japanese who can do all those things better than a native speaker. You know anybody? Didn't think so..
And give a thoughtful response this time, or don't bother please.
Well first off, in regard the the accent thing, I said "FOREIGN" accent, and by foreign I mean non-native English speaker accents.
And for prepositions, "a" and "the", nuances etc.. all this shows me is you have missed the point. Are all native speakers perfect? No, people do make mistakes. You got me.
The point is though produce one Japanese who can do all those things better than a native speaker. You know anybody? Didn't think so..
And give a thoughtful response this time, or don't bother please.
Chidoriashi
In imagination land
- 2 Feb 2007
- 824
- 63
Kusojiji> No, in other words you're not making any sense.
and covered it? If you mean the fact that you cannot produce anybody. Then yeah we covered it.
Well, you can't give more than a 10 second "I know you are but what am I response" so I am done trying to convince you an apple is not an orange.
and covered it? If you mean the fact that you cannot produce anybody. Then yeah we covered it.
Well, you can't give more than a 10 second "I know you are but what am I response" so I am done trying to convince you an apple is not an orange.
- 19 May 2007
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Are you just playing the fool ,or are you really feeding the crap that you are serving?
becki_kanou
Sumo Freak
- 20 Jul 2008
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Hmm. I'm not sure I like the way this thread is heading, but I'll throw my two cents in anyway.
I've lived in Japan for many years and met thousands of Japanese people and I've yet to meet one who I would consider as good as a native speaker, let alone better than a native speaker. (This is, of course, leaving out native bilingual speakers.) Most people I've met spoke a little English (greetings etc.) some spoke intermediate/conversational English and a few spoke quite excellent English that would be sufficient for business/ professional communication.
Among those, however, I never met anyone who had the perfect intonation, vocabulary, pronunciation, knowledge of casual and formal expressions and when to use which that would qualify them as, "as good a native speaker" in my mind.
Of course the plural of anecdote is not data, but if there really are "loads" of NSOJs who are better than a NSOE at English, I'd think I'd have met or at the very least heard of even one.
I've lived in Japan for many years and met thousands of Japanese people and I've yet to meet one who I would consider as good as a native speaker, let alone better than a native speaker. (This is, of course, leaving out native bilingual speakers.) Most people I've met spoke a little English (greetings etc.) some spoke intermediate/conversational English and a few spoke quite excellent English that would be sufficient for business/ professional communication.
Among those, however, I never met anyone who had the perfect intonation, vocabulary, pronunciation, knowledge of casual and formal expressions and when to use which that would qualify them as, "as good a native speaker" in my mind.
Of course the plural of anecdote is not data, but if there really are "loads" of NSOJs who are better than a NSOE at English, I'd think I'd have met or at the very least heard of even one.
- 19 May 2007
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And of the close to 15 years I have been here I also have only met one person who was good enough at English for me to not know that their first language was Japanese. (however she lived in the US for most of her life and my Japanese was better than hers. She could not write kanji at all . Both her parents were Japanese BTW.)
And although we are in agreement Becki, Kusojiji seems to know better. But I am betting that he would not know the difference between hyougoken and kyuushu dialect.
So What do have a problem with? The fact that the statements you have made are clearly showing your knowledge or lack there of on the situation on the Abilities of the majority of the population and their English speaking abilities. It is not that Japanese are completely hopeless, it is just not how you are putting it.
You've never met a native speaker of English who was perfect in all those areas either.
And you never will.
becki_kanou
Sumo Freak
- 20 Jul 2008
- 163
- 11
Are you kidding? While I'll grant you that there may be some tact-less or uneducated native speakers who can't handle register-switching appropriately or have a low vocabulary, all native speakers have perfect grammar, pronunciation and intonation (leaving aside momentary slips of the tongue and memory losses); that's what makes them native speakers.
When it comes to vocabulary no one is perfect, no one knows every single nuance of every single obscure word in their native language. I may have a larger vocabulary in some areas of knowledege than many NSOJs, but never would I consider myself better than a NSOJ, they have an instinct about their language that I'll unfortunately never have, however close I may get.
becki_kanou
Sumo Freak
- 20 Jul 2008
- 163
- 11
You're right.
I'd forgotten the original purpose of the thread. I'll leave off here.
And I hope the OP will enjoy his trip. I recommend visiting the Kansai area, in my opinion it's the best part of Japan!
I'd forgotten the original purpose of the thread. I'll leave off here.
And I hope the OP will enjoy his trip. I recommend visiting the Kansai area, in my opinion it's the best part of Japan!
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