Whats cool and whats not in Japan?

[Jessica91]

I live in England and there are some things that we say (slang wise), stuff thats cool to like and somethings that are not (Chavs, Busted and so on). Y'know, stuff within a culture that people just don't tell you about in travel guides and stuff. Just wondering, but what cool to say/do in Japan and whats not? Thanks!

[SSJup81]

As a gaijin, it's probably just safe to stick with formal/polite speech. I wouldn't try going around using slang, personally in fear of doing just what you're saying...offending them.

[Jessica91]

oh no, I won't be going to japan any time soon and I wouldn't use the slang or try and be "cool" I was just wondering that all!

[godwine]

I could be wrong, so do wait for MMM or Nagoyankee's reply, but according to my uncle (local Japanese), a lot of reponses used in J-Drama and animate are consider slang and bad/impolite form:

I understand - Proper form would be "Wakarimashita", short slang form "Wakada"

Amazing - Proper form "Sugoi", short slang form - suge

Things like that, I don't know the full list as I don't know them for the most part, and if I do use them my uncle get upset at me, so I pretty much just sticked to whats in the book.

Again, I could be wrong, given that uncle is one of those extremely old fashioned Japanese that won't even let my girlfriend sleep in the same room with me when we visited Japan

[Jessica91]

oh so thats what japanese slang is like. Now I also know two more japanese words, amazing and I understand! But apart from shortening their phrases and words, do the japanese have other things they say? Here for example, some people put "like" in their sentences (as in "I was like, wow!") and words such as "cool" and "dude" and stuff like that... do the Japanese have that? Now I'm really curious!

[allie2590]

I only know okama, but don't use it because it's an offensive slang for homosexuals. It's also outdated in Japan from what I've heard.

[godwine]

Originally Posted by allie2590

I only know okama, but don't use it because it's an offensive slang for homosexuals. It's also outdated in Japan from what I've heard.

That is correct, but Okama also mean other things, so as long as you are not addressing someone as Okama, thats fine.

Though Okama is something that was used in comedy a lot in reference to the homosexual crowd

[MMM]

Originally Posted by godwine

Again, I could be wrong, given that uncle is one of those extremely old fashioned Japanese that won't even let my girlfriend sleep in the same room with me when we visited Japan

Nothing "extremely old-fashioned" about that. I wouldn't let my nephew sleep with his girlfriend in my house.

Originally Posted by Jessica91

oh so thats what japanese slang is like. Now I also know two more japanese words, amazing and I understand! But apart from shortening their phrases and words, do the japanese have other things they say? Here for example, some people put "like" in their sentences (as in "I was like, wow!") and words such as "cool" and "dude" and stuff like that... do the Japanese have that? Now I'm really curious!

You are applying English values to a completely different language. There is no "like" or "dude" in Japanese. Without speaking Japanese it is difficult to understand.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by allie2590

I only know okama, but don't use it because it's an offensive slang for homosexuals. It's also outdated in Japan from what I've heard.

Originally Posted by godwine

That is correct, but Okama also mean other things, so as long as you are not addressing someone as Okama, thats fine.

Though Okama is something that was used in comedy a lot in reference to the homosexual crowd

I don't think it is that outdated or offensive. They use it on TV all the time.

[TalnSG]

Originally Posted by MMM

Nothing "extremely old-fashioned" about that. I wouldn't let my nephew sleep with his girlfriend in my house.

I think in this case "old fashioned" is that mind set we got sometime over the age of 30.

You are applying English values to a completely different language. There is no "like" or "dude" in Japanese. Without speaking Japanese it is difficult to understand.

There is really no use of "like" or "dude" such as this in English either. This particular Slang makes a bad impression on many adults in English and you certainly would make a bad impression in Japanese if there is an equivalent.