RE: Top 5 Ridiculous Comments by Japanese about the Outside World (Notes from Under the Tatami Mats–4 … My Adventures in Japan)
After a few years, I got a job as an editor, so I managed to stay out of the educational system for a few years.
But I soon found out that the translation / publishing world in Japan, too, was fraught with weird issues. The writers would want an "EXACT, DIRECT" translation, meaning that the English sounded weird, incomprehensible, and basically wrong.
When I went to university in Michigan, I had a Nigerian acquaintance named Robert. My American roommate seemed unable to acknowledge that Robert was from a specific country in the continent of Africa, and would simply say or ask things about "in Africa."
One day, while sitting at a full table in the dining hall, Robert clarified to my roommate that he was from NIGERIA, not simply AFRICA, and stated that to generalize when speaking about Africa was impolite.
My roommate remained unaware that the various (many various!) people who live throughout Africa were not merely Africans, but Nigerians and Beninese and far beyond. I don't recall if Robert ever spoke to him again ... and I can't blame Robert.
Thanks again sir for yet another great but pathetic story on this subject. We all owe ourselves a duty as humans to learn about the cultures (at least in small bits) of peoples on the other side of the globe. This is why I find your blog posts quite interesting because they always have an ethnographic undertone. I have learnt a lot and still keep learning. I feel privileged to have access to this information firsthand. Thank you.
Thanks again sir for yet another great but pathetic story on this subject. We all owe ourselves a duty as humans to learn about the cultures (at least in small bits) of peoples on the other side of the globe. This is why I find your blog posts quite interesting because they always have an ethnographic undertone. I have learnt a lot and still keep learning. I feel privileged to have access to this information firsthand. Thank you.