28 ms·

Both Hepburn and the fact that English is deeply embedded in modern Japanese make sense only because USA has won the War (which is a good thing otherwise, but s

Both Hepburn and the fact that English is deeply embedded in modern Japanese make sense only because USA has won the War (which is a good thing otherwise, but some of its effects on Japanese are less desirable). Besides this historical motivation, there exists no technical argument in favor of any of them. I do not agree at all that Nihon-shiki can sabotage the ability of Japanese people to learn and pronounce English. Except for the native English speakers, all the other people of the World who are familiar with other languages besides their own are also familiar with the fact that every language has its own system of writing and pronunciation, whose rules you must learn, including the alphabet variations. It is the dominance of English in the international relations after WWII which sabotages the ability of most native English speakers to learn other languages, especially to learn how they are pronounced, so in foreign countries the native English speakers usually stand out much more than the native speakers of any other languages, because of their pronunciation, which is found funny by the locals. Making the rules for writing your own language more complex for your own country and for most other countries of the World, just to make them simpler for the citizens of a certain privileged country, is not a behavior that I can approve, because I find it too subservient.

stumulo_rob 5d ago
Incredibly arrogant/racist take that reduces Japanese people to passive recipients of Western influence as if they had no agency of their own for more than half a century.
- Lumich 4d ago
  Incredibly stupid and misleading comment of yours, slily insinuating Adrian has taken an "arrogant/racist" attitude towards the Japanese, when in fact not the slightest trace of such an attitude can be found in his comment. Rather, he (rightfully) criticized the generally negative effect caused by the deployment of anglocentric teaching methods (exclusively for the convenience of the Anglo world). In addition, he observed a negative feedback of such strategems on the Anglo world itself, in as much as it forms an "impediment by convenience" for them to learn about other cultures (and thus rise a bit on the scale of human development). So in a way what he said is the opposite of what you claim he did. Might that have been what triggered your inadequate reaction? As for "arrogance", you stated that Kunrei/Nihon have been "sabotaging Japanese people's ability to learn and pronounce English correctly", as if there was any value in that for a civilization that culturally stands much higher than, say, the USA. And as for "racism", it is well known that was an important factor on the "no prisoners" approach the US took against Japan, and also in terroristically and sadistically napalming one city after another (then repeated in Korea and Vietnam).

stumulo_rob 5d ago

Incredibly arrogant/racist take that reduces Japanese people to passive recipients of Western influence as if they had no agency of their own for more than half a century.

Lumich 4d ago
Incredibly stupid and misleading comment of yours, slily insinuating Adrian has taken an "arrogant/racist" attitude towards the Japanese, when in fact not the slightest trace of such an attitude can be found in his comment. Rather, he (rightfully) criticized the generally negative effect caused by the deployment of anglocentric teaching methods (exclusively for the convenience of the Anglo world). In addition, he observed a negative feedback of such strategems on the Anglo world itself, in as much as it forms an "impediment by convenience" for them to learn about other cultures (and thus rise a bit on the scale of human development). So in a way what he said is the opposite of what you claim he did. Might that have been what triggered your inadequate reaction? As for "arrogance", you stated that Kunrei/Nihon have been "sabotaging Japanese people's ability to learn and pronounce English correctly", as if there was any value in that for a civilization that culturally stands much higher than, say, the USA. And as for "racism", it is well known that was an important factor on the "no prisoners" approach the US took against Japan, and also in terroristically and sadistically napalming one city after another (then repeated in Korea and Vietnam).