Job Discussion Forums

[Sherri]

I knew there would be some guilty parties out there, and a genki defender. to boot!

I would be the first to say that English is richer because we have borrowed words from other languages. I guess my rant stems from the fact that these are not terms which would be understood by most native English speakers. My students have a hard enough time separating false friends (like "service" to mean "on the house" for example) from standard English.

Getting into the habit of using these words (genki, gomi, sen--as in train line, eki, etc and Japanese fillers like so-ka, kanna, eto) instead of English words could mean that you bring this into the classroom without even realizing it--and I have seen teachers do it. Genki is one of those Japanese words that can mean anything from your mood, to your energy level to your health. I think it is completely over-used by some native English speakers in Japan and I think they get to the point where they can't come up with the appropriate English expression. Amazingly millions of native English speakers around the world manage without using this word 5 or 6 times a day.

Most of my non-Japanese friends here in Japan, like me have been here for more than 10 years. We joke among ourselves that our English can quickly deteriorate if we don't make an effort to maintain it. We have to keep up with current language trends, slang expressions and cultural references. It takes work when you live outside of your native country. It is all too easy to let your (native) language ability slide.

Again let me say that this is just my own personal rant. If you want to use lots of Japanese words and fillers when you speak English, a big dozo--maybe someday genki will make it in the Oxford English dictionary.

[guest of Japan]

I'm a genki defender. It is such a useful word. I've taught it too some of my friends in the states who work as editors and technical writers and they think it is a great word too.

[naturegirl321]

Yep, I speak much slower and use more simple words

[Wolf]

[Jess_Laoshi]

We spoke mostly English at home in China, but peppered with Chinese expressions. When you're hearing these things all the time, it's a hard habit to break. I still, after 3 months back in the states, can't completely get "nigga" out of my speech. For those of you not in China, the Chinese word for "that" is "nage" or "nayige" and most of the time it comes out sounding like "nigga," a word which has racial connotations in the States ... The Chinese use this word like Americans use "ummm," so you hear it a whole lot in spoken Chinese. Unfortunately, it's not a word you want to be heard saying a lot if you live in the US unless you want to sound like a moron.

I too got really used to minding my English, especially since I had to do so at home as well as work. I was constantly thinking about keeping my language at the right level, and constantly thinking about how to explain any idioms and more complicated vocabulary that I might use. When I got back to the US, it felt really strange to not have to think this way anymore at all.

[nomadder]

Yes to most of the above. After months back in Canada I caught myself using my fingers when asking for something:

I'd like 4 oranges. Hold up 4 fingers.

Glad I'm not the only one.

[shmooj]

Felt such a dork bowing to the guy at the bureau de change in Geneva airport the first time I went home after Japan.

So how does TEFL alter your body language?

[wanderlust1066]

Yes! Invariably it makes the fresh graduate from his 3 or 4-week TESOL course run at some dodgy establishment not recognised by the immigration departments in HK, Singapore, and Taiwan, believe he is a teacher, a linguist, and an anthropologist. Oh, and an IT expert.

[Wolf]

[Snoopy]

dmb wondered about the effect of beer on language. In my vast experience, it does slur your English a bit but does wonders for your fluency in German. See you in the pub tonight, dmb!