The Okinawan Language

The Okinawan Language

           

            Okinawa language is very different from the Japanese language and probably only a hand full of people can understand what they are trying to say. When Okinawa people say, “How are you?” they say “ウブクンジャナシィーミシェービーティ” (ubukunnjansyemisyebeetee.) There is many more Okinawa dialect that Japanese would have any clue to figure out what it means. It is less than 200 years that Okinawa had become a part of Japan. Okinawa was previously classified as the Ryuku Island, a completely different country. This might be the reason for Okinawa having a totally different language. Then one question comes up to mind, if one country joins another (such as Okinawa joining Japan) would their language be classified as a part of the new country or would their language still is classified as a different language? Is Okinawa dialect part of Japanese language or is it totally a new language?

Is Okinawa dialect part of Japanese? Or is it not?

Examples of Okinawa dialect:

Good Morning

おはようございます (ohiyogozaimasu)

ウゥキンシェービティー (ukinnsyebitee)

Excuse me

すみません　（sumimasen)

ユシリヤビタン (yuushiriyabitan)

Thank you very much

ありがとうございます (arigatougozaimasu)

ニフェーデービル (nifedebiru)

Connected independently, we are alone together.

Connected independently, we are alone together.

Technology has given people a massive opportunity to learn and communication has become far easier than the past however I have one awkward feeling for the developing technology; “People are together but not together.”

Text messages are editable unlike speaking that has a possibility of causing problem. Soon the quickness and perfection creates a drug like effect in which makes it hard for people resists using cell phones. Many kids in Japan face similar problems. 携帯依存症（Cell phone dependency syndrome）is a symptom which has spread as the cell phone has become widely known. People with this disease will check its phone intentionally and if their battery goes out, they will panic and will not be able to keep one’s presence of mind.

Destruction on relationship is the constant concern with the phone. It is common these days that kids gather up and play on their phone, even if friends are next to them. Phone has made people very connected however; I feel that we are connected very much independently and alone together.  

The Culture Creators

         Nachika Fujimoto

The Culture Creators

Japan’s animation is now gaining attention from the world. Cosplay, wearing costume as an animation character, is not a hobby favored only in Japan but now a worldwide hobby. Who has developed the animation to such a worldwide scale? It was not the elite of the Japanese society nor the scholars; it was the young generation group called the “Otaku.” The people who play an active role in the country do not always create new culture; the “abnormal” people can create a new innovation. People who do not follow the path of others will create astounding movements.

                Otaku is a group of people who has strong interest into certain subject, which can be classified similar to scholars, however the difference is that their interest is in animation. “Disgusting” is a synonym used to represent the Otaku. Otaku has been looked down at from the society as introverts or even as psychopaths. The “Introverts” has kept its interest and affectionate towards animations no matter how the society had labeled them as. Ordinary people cannot create this culture; only the otaku can create it. The hobby of the “introverts” is now spreading to the world.

                The society tends to place their focus on the elites and exclude the extraordinary people. What Japan needs right now are “weird,” “abnormal,” and people who can think outside the box. An eccentric characteristic is needed to create an original culture yet Japan society tends to exclude these people. Stubborn society blocks the new ideas because it is against what they believe as “common sense”. In fact who makes the “common sense?” It is actually we, the citizens, that makes it and this idea of common sense is killing the expansion of culture.

A mutation is necessary for Japan. If Japan is an organism then the people are the DNA; we shape the society. Organism’s evolution is caused by a mutation. Unfortunately, Japan has evolved to resisting new ideas but it has to be changed so that Japan can grow. There has to be a mutation to accept new ideas.

                Otaku, the new culture creators, are still seen as a negative trend from the elites of the society however the world has accepted it and absorbed it as a part of its culture. Now it is our turn.


                                                                       Reference 
Girl from Russia Cosplaying as:Ayanami Rei（綾波レイ）From animation Neon Genesis EVANGELION（新世紀エヴァンゲリオン）
Image from: http://livedoor.blogimg.jp/kyousoku1/imgs/b/1/b1dfcd4b.gif

Cultural Shock in Japan by Nachika

When riding the train you might encounter ”女性専用乗車口”meaning the
section of a train is only available for ladies in a particular time. From Japanese
this “Ladies Only” sign is not particularly surprising however, from foreigners
this seems to be very surprising. Majority of the countries have public trains
however not many country enforce the train to have ladies only cargo. A foreign
friend of mine had taught me many things which are very interesting and
sometimes shocking to see in Japan; and one of them is gender roles.

A typical gender role in society will be considered as men going out to work
and ladies staying at home doing household chores. As women got their rights, they
gained a larger opportunity to have access to education and some women are more
educated compared to men. As power of men and women started to become more equal,
the gender roles have also started to change. Full-time house-husband is a word use to
explain the situation when the husband is at home doing chores while his wife is outside
doing work. In the past, the society disavowed such circumstances and looked down at
them however, in the modern day the number of full-time house-husband is increasing.
My friend who comes from a country where the gender roles are strictly followed upon
until this day and from his perspective, Japan is a very generous country due to the
amount of opportunities they give for the ladies. I agree with my friend’s idea because
Japan has become a very generous country compared to the past. Accepting ladies to
have education and giving high rank position in society was simply unimaginable from
the past Japan.
The other factor which had given a shock for my friend was how citizen have
small amount of interest in politics and governmental actions. The actions which
government makes will directly result in the life of the citizen therefore we should have
great attention however citizens in Japan does not. It was amazing to hear that some
didn’t know the name of its prime minister. I feel that people in Japan is less ambitious
than the past; meaning the citizens has somewhat given up fixing things to make their
life better.
Also religion was another factor which my friend was shocked about. Religion
can be associated as one of the key factor of making the society however, though Japan
has many shrines and temples, people will not go worship for God. Shrines are now just

a touring spot and the worshipping for God on the New Year’s Day is just a festival for
Japanese people.
Through speaking with a foreign person made me realize that Japan has many
weird characteristics and traits which other countries does not follow upon. Some are
weakness and some are uniqueness. Maybe what you think as normal can be a “Cultural
Shock” for other people.

Academic Paper Interpretation by Nachika

After reading several academic books in class, I realized how I
interpreted “Academic Paper” was very narrow. In my past experience, using the
word “I” in essays was prohibited and the structure of the essay was designed to a
particular structure. These particular restrictions were not forced from the teacher but
assumptions which I had made and misunderstood. Through observing various writing
styles, I thought the interpretation I had towards academic paper was very narrow and
should be changed to prosper my writing level.

Was globalization necessary for Japan? by Nachika

Japan, a past introvert country, has changed very much after the sudden interaction from outside world. Amazingly, it is now one of the leading country in trading and technology；there isn’t any glimpse of the past Japan now. By viewing the history, we can observe how Japan has changed and what sort of effect it had received. However, adaptation of new trends from outside worlds lead to Japan lose very much of its national tradition. With many of their traditions lost, can we still consider the globalization of Japan a positive effect?

Japan, in the past, have cut out foreign affairs due to an assumption that influences from outside world will cause corruption to their country. However, Meiji Restoration was a turning point of Japan’s modernization. After the arrival of Perry, Japan was shocked with how much they were behind with technology. Finally at 1870, the leaders of Japan had decided to catch up with the west; the beginning of the modernization of Japan. It began with simple improvement such as: building railroads, land reforming, and improving conditions of the roads. The biggest improvement was seen in the field of education. The government will send many students abroad for education and hire thousands of English speakers to teach at schools of Japan. After this restoration, many got the chance to gaining education at school.

The contractions with the outside world gave both positive and negative effects. By having connections with the outside world, it gave Japan an improvement in language, new influences in culture, and adaptation of new religion however; it took away much uniqueness from Japan.

English, a widely spoken language in the world, is very well used in Japan today. Language is one of the biggest effects Japan has received from connecting with the outside world. Also, as well as the language, many foreigners are living today at Japan; having foreigners at Japan was unimaginable. Having diversity of people at Japan can be classified as one of the significance which the modernization had led to.

On the other hand the biggest lost which Japan had been culture and nationalism. In the present day we would hardly see people wearing Kimono (Japan’s national clothing) or have Chon mage (Japan’s traditional haircut.) The reason is definitely due to the influence of west. As Japan adapted new tradition, it took over national traditions and in the modern day of Japan we can only see several that are still being practice.

              Through observation, I thought the globalization of Japan was very positive. By opening the door to the outside world, Japan was possible to gain new technology. If the interference with the outside world was slower than now, then the massive power which Japan possesses right now would not be present. Majority of the items we use in our daily life and even the people around us will be completely different therefore, I can conclude that globalization have given a great impact in a positive way.

Accepting new ideas offered Japan to lose many traits however, the changes which Japan went through were essential. I believe the globalization of Japan with the outside world was indeed important.  

Nachika Fujimoto

World Map Assessment by Nachika

During our earlier classes of Academic English, we have participated in an activity of drawing the world map. The procedure of the activity was to draw the map then, observing works of the others and drawing the map again. Through the activity I have noticed an interesting feature; no map was the same.

A famous German physicist, Albert Einstein stated that “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.”*1 Through our life all of us have seen the map and should have done some learning about it. Then why have all the maps differed? The answer is simple: we have experienced a different type of education.

The type of education each took will give an influence to where the center of the map will be. As I observed through the works of others, I could guess where each is from since they have drawn their home country in the center. This unique feature relates back to our educational background. At school we are taught with certain set of standard such as your home country being in the middle of map. Having diversity of people in our class, it is hard to say which standard we should base on. From this result I can state that what each think as the “common,” or the “standard” is a standard just for you and not for the others.

During our second trial of drawing, I also saw an interesting result. I saw many maps getting more details and shapes which looked like scribbles started to look more like a map. We were capable of drawing a better map on the second trial since, we got ideas from others; this situation is often seen in the scenes of education. We face new ideas through reading other’s work and the work will not mean anything unless we cannot place in any values to it. We should take in the knowledge given the writer and blend it with our own experience so that we can use it as our own idea.

After we have drawn the map we discovered that we have some mistakes in our works produced. Albert Einstein has also stated that “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” *2  I believe what Einstein says fit in any situation we face upon and how we should be thinking. Mistake is not a failure but a step to success, no result will be produced without trying. Since we have tried in drawing a map we were able to learn what we were missing and through these mistakes, we were able to increase our knowledge.

Through the activity of the map making, we were able to see many interesting features and differences in how each other think. The more we tried, the more it got better and probably it will get better as we kept trying. We can state that the differences in the maps are due to different experiences we have had and the differences are not mistakes but, a feature of uniqueness. 

Nachika

*1 Quote from Albert Einstein, #9,

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2010/03/10-amazing-lessons-albert-einstein.html

*2 Quote from Albert Einstein, #5,

http://www.dumblittleman.com/2010/03/10-amazing-lessons-albert-einstein.html