Should a person who can't even PRONOUNCE the word "karate" be allowed to teach it?

**SifuAbel** · Posted On: 12/07/2004 5:07pm

Yes, waki, whatever you say, waki. Feeds waki a treat, pats waki on his little head, Sends waki chasing after his wakiball. Waki is happy, until the next mood swing.

per·snick·e·ty ( P ) Pronunciation Key (pr-snk-t)
adj.

1.
1. Overparticular about trivial details; fastidious.
2. Snobbish; pretentious.

oops I miss spelled it.

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 12/07/2004 5:29pm

What certain people can't grasp is that there are people that take martial arts very seriously and depend on it for a living. You would expect a professional to be able to PRONOUNCE the name of the business he's in.

The reason opinion of martial arts is so low is that we have fraudulent people making a room full of little kids stand in a line while punching yelling "kiai". They do this because they have no understanding of the art they're teaching, they just have an understanding of the BUSINESS they're in.

4 year old back belts, pink outfits, rainbow colored belts, kids in ninja suits, instructors who cant even say the name of the art that provides them with the food they eat and the roof over their head......all of it ties in together with the fact that martial arts has turned into a complete joke in this country when it can be such a great tool for young people and adults alike.

When your standard for an INSTRUCTOR is so low you don't even expect him to be able to PRONOUNCE the art he teaches then you have no business pointing fingers and calling bullshido at anything becasue you're terrible standard for a professional is part of the problem.

**SifuAbel** · Posted On: 12/07/2004 5:39pm

Well, to sort of, kinda, in a way, defend the mispronouncers. They are saying it like their instructor said it and how their level of education would permit them to say it and how the regional dialect would change the word. So its not totally a mcdojo sign even though the practice does invoke the image of fat elvis.

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 12/07/2004 5:45pm

I know its not a total sign of a Mcdojo or anything but DAMN man whats your reason for excusing these people for pronouncing their PROFESSION like an idiot while still being able to say " hors d'oeuvres" with CRYSTAL CLEAR PRONOUNCIATION?

Its crazy to me man, theres just no excuse.

If we keep having standards this low we cant complain while the quality of martial arts goes waaay down and legit instructors are pushed out simply because some doofus in a black uniform has a neon sign and perfomers in ninja turtles suits entertaining the kids.

**SifuAbel** · Posted On: 12/07/2004 5:50pm

The only thing we can really do about it is exactly this, make a mention on it and hope it incites change.

Otherwise, there is nothing we can do about it, except shame them into chnaging.

**wakinonioi** · Posted On: 12/07/2004 10:24pm

Originally Posted by PeedeeShaolin

Waki also has no working knowledge of any martial art and he's DEFINITELY never taught anything.

Hey! 0 for 2! Nice job!

**wakinonioi** · Posted On: 12/07/2004 10:26pm

Originally Posted by PeedeeShaolin

What certain people can't grasp is that .

"people should pronouce any word according to the conventions of their native language. This includes foreign words that have been borrowed in from other languages. In the event that a word is alien enough as to have no conventional pronunciation in the L1, the conventions of the source language for that word should be followed to the extent that one is able to do so."

**The Wastrel** · Posted On: 12/07/2004 10:55pm

Originally Posted by samurai_steve

I can't stop giggling at the word "krotty."

As for the pronounciation, barring a severe linguistic disability, it shouldn't be hard for someone to pronounce the art/profession they've attained skill in. That would be like a poli-sci professor saying "Welcome to "poly-tackle seance".

I was in a small seminar with about three or four other students, and one of them kept referring to "electorial" systems. A few of us pointedly found opportunities to say it properly during discussion, to no effect. Finally, the professor, a quiet man who has said that as far as he's concerned he's only there to teach the top 10% of students, was forced to stoop to correcting him.

**Wounded Ronin** · Posted On: 12/07/2004 11:22pm

Professionalism couldn't hurt the business.

However, I don't think that the public as a whole sees MA instructors as jokes. If that were the case no one would take MA. When I talk to the uninitiated most of them still seem to be in awe.

It's kind of funny. Once I went to a party and got drunk. While in my drunken state, I got ready to play a game of twister. Took off my shoes, emptied my pockets. Dropped to the ground and started stretching. Then I think I did a pair of crescent kicks to see if my legs were well stretched out or not.

At least one person practically cheesed their pants at this apparent display of "martial arts", when all I was doing was being a drunken moron getting ready for Twister.

Heh...funny and embarassing, in retrospect.