Should we still teach Japanese in the dojo?

[CrackFox]

I shouldn't take the piss so much. There's nothing wrong with wanting to use Japanese words or immerse yourself in Japanese culture if that's what you're into. I just feel that it is only a matter of taste, and not something that makes the style objectively better or worse.

[thrutch]

Sounds fantastic... Tell me more...

San, then shi, then roku, then go, and I can't get a good enough look at the rest of the faces, but probably ni then ichi.

I shouldn't take the piss so much. There's nothing wrong with wanting to use Japanese words or immerse yourself in Japanese culture if that's what you're into. I just feel that it is only a matter of taste, and not something that makes the style objectively better or worse.

and this^^. I quite like the attempts at Japanese we make. It all adds to the LARPing factor.

[Styygens]

Well we have these things called walls between the rooms, so all I know about what goes on there is that it involves a lot of Shakira and Maroon 5.

That sounds so hot. But then again, I'm married, so it doesn't take much.

Though before and after the class lets out we get a bunch of college aged girls in the corridor looking in at us. Usually when we're practising triangle chokes, or something equally dodgy looking.

Do you think they would respect us more if they knew we used the word sankaku-jime to refer to the move?

I don't know about the college girls, but I respect you more for knowing the term "sankaku-jime."

[Muerteds]

I have always known that my Japanese pronunciations were way off, being taught by people with either a Texas drawl or a Cubano accent. I have had to improve my pronunciations here in Hawaii, where the people I train under actually speak Japanese. They make it part and parcel of the classes, because to them learning an art with Japanese roots is silly without learning a bit of the language and culture (language and culture are often intertwined enough that insight into one can help with another). That's why we're doing Osoji this weekend. Of course, that is also a good excuse to get the place clean and eat a big potluck, but that's beside the point.

Learning Japanese as spoken and as kanji also helps immensely when dealing with the danzanryu jujitsu boards. It prevents bad translations turning into misunderstood techniques. I suppose I'll get there one day. For now, I'm still working on translation. Kanji remains a future goal. When I notice that my lack of ability to write kanji imperils my ability to respect others, I'll make sure and do something suitably Japanese to make up for it. Maybe some mochi pounding....

[It is Fake]

I don't expect everybody to learn the entire Japanese language just the basic etiquette and throws and locks.
As for tradition we must keep up the basic mat etiquette for example rai onto and of the mat , not coming onto the mat until invited.
These things need to be upheld , I once went to a class and I entered the class where they were playing"number of the beast" by iron maiden this was just not right.

Read my posts again. I NEVER said it needs to be eliminated. I never said it was unnecessary. I NEVER said it was wrong. I said it could be debated, regardless of what Bodhi just typed and that is all.

I said, if it disappears, honor, respect, tradition, culture and now the newly minted "mat etiquette" are not "lost." I do not know how to make it ANY CLEARER.

[dewey]

Yeah, it's a little different with JSA. In Canada and the US, most of the top kendo and iaido instructors are Japanese immigrants, so there is a real strong connection there. We also pretty regularly have seminars with guys from Japan with little or no English.

You "get it"...yay!

Sometimes, the language divide is the best way to learn a martial art. When the instructor can't wax on eloquently about the efficacy of said technique/waza/kata/whatever...he's forced to show it to you, over and over again. No words spoken, just observation and doing.

Watch his footwork. Watch his posture. Watch his hands. Watch his timing. Watch, watch, watch. If he's full of ****...it'll become very obvious very quickly. He can't bullshit his way through. That's how you know if you have a qualified instructor...someone who can prove that he knows his ****.

But more onto topic of this thread: the use of Japanese nomenclature is a good thing to retain if one is studying a traditional Japanese martial art. Why re-invent the wheel by trying to make labored English translations for the lazy or xenophobic?

On the other hand, inventing a pseudo-Americanfried Japanese syllabus that will supposedly imbue you with the samurai virtues of: honor, loyalty, duty and whatnot by merely uttering said phrases and doing riduculously dramatic bows and such...uh, no.

[Vieux Normand]

Ever trained in a hall with a bums'n'tums fitness class going on in the next room?

I'm so sick of that same bloody Shakira song being played over and over.

We'll give them a call and request a change.

You'll doubtless kind nonstop 'gangnam' more to your liking...

[Jim_Jude]

Don't be a ***** ass meathead. If you're learning a foreign art, learn some foreign language. The good thing about knowing the source language is that people from all over the world can train together & at least have technical knowledge in common.

[SpamN'Cheese]

Read my posts again. I NEVER said it needs to be eliminated. I never said it was unnecessary. I NEVER said it was wrong. I said it could be debated, regardless of what Bodhi just typed and that is all. I said, if it disappears, honor, respect, tradition, culture and now the newly minted "mat etiquette" are not "lost." I do not know how to make it ANY CLEARER.

Actually, you would lose honour....the "honour" of being called a "weeaboo".

[SpamN'Cheese]

But in all seriousness, I agree. It's not necessary, but it does help if you planned to go overseas for training. (I don't just mean Japan either)