Help Please - Japanese essay

[SakanaMidori]

Hey, I wrote this essay in my english class about American affects on Japan, and I think a lot of it might be inaccurate or whatever, so if anyone can help me out, correct my mistakes or whatever they feel obligated to do, that would be BOMB!!!

Thank you so much!!!!!!^^


American Japanese
America is a nation filled with all sorts of different cultures compiled together. However, while this is true, it would be completely inaccurate to say that America has not, in turn, affected other nations. Japan, for example, has been influenced greatly in terms of holidays, mannerisms, and even language. These changes have served Japan in giving it a western flair, allowing it to function well in a predominantly western United Nations.

Many popularly celebrated holidays in Japan are not even Japanese at all. Christmas and Valentine’s Day, for example, are two holidays from American or western decent. The children celebrate these holidays in much the same way American children do, but it’s also very different. The Japanese keep their tradition by altering their western counterparts, Christmas there is more like Valentine’s Day, and on Valentine’s Day, women purchase chocolate for all the men in their life, romantic or not. Halloween, too, is celebrated in Japan. The customs of Japanese Halloween are more similar to American ones. The main difference is the low number of jack-o-lanterns seen on the islands(this is probably due to the small number of pumpkins grown in Japan). All of these holidays promote friendship, compassion and gift-giving to Japanese and American children every year.

The Japanese manner system is a very complex one, as they Japanese are all about respect. Traditionally, people would bow to show respect, this includes as a thank you, or when meeting a stranger for the first time. In recent years, however, as Japanese people are often shaking hands in place of bowing in the same instances as a “gaijin” (foreigner) would. For business purposes, many Japanese have submitted their traditional customs in order to gain favoritism from overseas clients. In almost ancient times, the Japanese literally could not say a sentence without stating their social class. This can also be seen in other countries, such as Vietnam, or even western ones like France, several hundred years ago. Since, WWII, though, the Japanese language has simplified and genders of a person no longer are apparent through speech, nor are there many honorifics in speech, though these are still readily found when referring to an employer, a higher ranking business man or an elder. The country has been more accepting of all types of people, and women are being able to thrive in a once exclusive patriarchal society.

The Japanese language is said to have been among the hardest languages to learn, among German and English. The Japanese alphabet, kana, has two different forms: hiragana and katakana; most comprehendably compared to English printing and cursive. After America opened up Japan by Commador Perry in the 1800s, katakana, which was originally invented by college students struggling to take quick enough notes, was used for writing Japanese versions of foreign words. While English and most other non-japanese words cannot be accurately written in Japan’s syllabary writing system, the Japanese modified these words to simplify it. In recent years, even traditional Japanese words are losing their ancient origins and are being written in katakana as modified English. Words such as “Kyuuto” are being used for “cute” and “miruku” for milk, instead of the traditional words “kawaii” and “nyuujuu”, respectively. Many older generation Japanese are actually getting upset over this, as it is losing the traditional sense of Japanese pride. However, the youth warmly embrace these changes as they lesson the alienism many people feel toward Japan and the supposedly dramatically different culture.

While it is true that America and Japan are definitely worlds apart, the similarities and influences do not end here. Baseball, hip-hop, diet, media, politics and economy are all very similar in the two as well. There is no doubt that in creating a modern, functional Japanese society, some changes must occur, like any other country. Fortunately, influence from the United States and the world over have combined Japan’s greatness with their own and helped to create one of the most powerful and successful countries in the world.






Sorry if it's super boring, but this is the only essay I've ever enjoyed writing!!

And hopefully this fits under the right category. Lol.

Thanks again!!!!!!!

[MMM]

Since, WWII, though, the Japanese language has simplified and genders of a person no longer are apparent through speech, nor are there many honorifics in speech, though these are still readily found when referring to an employer, a higher ranking business man or an elder. The country has been more accepting of all types of people, and women are being able to thrive in a once exclusive patriarchal society.

The Japanese language is said to have been among the hardest languages to learn, among German and English. The Japanese alphabet, kana, has two different forms: hiragana and katakana; most comprehendably compared to English printing and cursive. After America opened up Japan by Commador Perry in the 1800s, katakana, which was originally invented by college students struggling to take quick enough notes, was used for writing Japanese versions of foreign words. While English and most other non-japanese words cannot be accurately written in Japan’s syllabary writing system, the Japanese modified these words to simplify it. In recent years, even traditional Japanese words are losing their ancient origins and are being written in katakana as modified English. Words such as “Kyuuto” are being used for “cute” and “miruku” for milk, instead of the traditional words “kawaii” and “nyuujuu”, respectively.

1) Honorifics are still very much a part of speech, even by school children, so I think it's hard to agree with this statement. Gender is still identified in certain forms of speech.

2) Milk is "gyuunyuu" in Japanese, and both gyuunyuu and kawaii are still very much used in Japanese and are far from "lost".

[SakanaMidori]

Lol, thank you so much!!!!!!!!!


I first one, I just guessed on, I'd read something similar and went from there...

Gyuunuu!!! Sorry! I used a translator because I couldn't remember...so much for internet translators....pheh!

And I thought so about kawaii and gyuunuu, but some website said that none of the youth was using it anymore(it was written by an angry older women lol).

If no one minds, I'd LOOOOOVE some advice on what I could write in the stead

ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MMM]

There is no room for guessing in a research paper. Write and be able to show the source of the information you know or move on.

One of the most popular kogal magazines is called .... "KAWAII". It has been more adopted by Western otaku than lost in Japan.

To be honest, I hear 500 "kawaii" for every 1 time I hear "kyuutto".

[Nyororin]

I also hate to shoot things down, but there is a lot - in addition to the things MMM pointed out - that I don`t believe is accurate.
The prominent Christmas celebration is eating cake and fried chicken. Putting up a tree is very slowly growing in popularity - but for a random sampling, out of the 30 children in my son`s class... Only 4 are going to put up a tree this year, and only 5 plan to exchange presents.
Christmas Eve on the other hand is a day to, basically, spend a romantic evening with your boyfriend/girlfriend.

You`re right about Valentine`s day, but I would throw in a mention of the Japanese made White day, as it`s to balance Valentine`s and never would have existed without it.

Halloween is something I have never seen or heard about being celebrated outside of a) An English school or b) Some sort of cultural event. Normal people simply do not celebrate it. In fact, most people have no clue what Halloween even is. The day passed with absolutely nothing outside of the 2 locations I mentioned above. There is no trick-or-treating, etc. To say that it is celebrated is an extreme stretch. There aren`t any pumpkins out and about because people simply don`t celebrate it.

Handshaking instead of bowing? Maybe if it`s a foreign client who sticks their hand out. Try as I may, I cannot imagine two Japanese greeting each other with anything other than a bow.

To back what MMM said about honorifics and gender - even my 4 year old son, with a developmental disorder, speech acquisition disorder etc knows to change his speech depending on whether he is speaking to me or a teacher. Gender is pretty obvious in most of the speech of his classmates. Honorifics an gender specific speech are very much alive in Japan.

Katakana was a simplified form developed by monks to ease the phonetic reading of Buddhist texts in the 8th century. Nothing to do with college students scribbling notes.

More support for MMM - "kyuuto" is used maybe 1% of the time, if that. It is in no way anywhere close to replacing anything, and is most often used in conjunction with kawaii rather than in it`s place (kyuuto de kawaii). Miruku most commonly refers to powdered milk and baby formula, not to regular milk. Gyuunyuu is literally "cow milk", so when miruku is used it is referring to something else. "Cocoa miruku" for chocolate milk, etc.

[SakanaMidori]

Don't think anything of shooting me down!!

Honestly, I knew this essay was effed up from the start and I needed all the help I can get, thank you soooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


But what's disgusting is that I researched this stuff....MOST(definately not all) of the things up there were found from an internet source. Shows you how reliable the internet is....

Anyhoo, thanks a billion!!!!!!!