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Gaijin

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J

JayDub

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So I was in class today and the subject of the rising popularity of Japanese culture came up. More specifically, the acceptance of Japanese culture in America vs acceptance of other "asian" cultures in America and compare/contrast the acceptance of American culture in Japan. Some good points were brought up, such as why American culture is so popular in Japan, but "American" products (with the exception of Apple) aren't.

Anyway, as the discussion continued, someone raised their hand and said, "Foreigners in Japan are looked at..." at which point they were interrupted by someone, "excuse me, the proper term for "foreigner" is "gaijin."

This is when I rolled my eyes. While everyone was discussing the rise in popularity of "Japanese" culture in America, I was thinking about the sudden rise in popularity of the word "gaijin" from japanophiles and japanese-wannabes all over, especially on the Internet. Did you guys watch Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and think that saying "gaijin" shows you're "cultured"? I go into some random thread and if the subject of Japanese culture comes up, someone is bound to use the word "gaijin" in their post. Its downright annoying to butcher the Japanese language by mixing it with english.

"I can't believe random person-san didn't accept the award. As a gaijin living in Japan, I can't understand it."

.....
 
Should've called him out on it, these kind of guys are so annoying.
 
If I were in that class I would've corrected him back with "No, the correct term for foreigner is foreigner."

People like that drive me nuts. I mean I'm a bit of a weeaboo anyway and even I know how not to be a jackass about it.
 
The hilarious part is that gaijin is a borderline slur - it's definitely not the "correct" term.

It's a contraction of gaikokujin, which is more acceptable. Gaikoku no hito if you want to be really polite. Either way, all of them mean "outside person" or "outside country person", so using them in any context outside Japan is ludicrous, even Japanese people don't do that.
 
PBF071-Weeaboo.gif
 
I watch Japanese wrestling (Puroresu for the marks) and Gaijin is a heavily used term in the industry referring to foreign wrestlers. I've heard it so much that I do end up using it a lot, not that I live in Japan or have any good reason to. I have never seen Tokyo Drift and I am NOT a poseur.
 
LiveFromKyoto said:
The hilarious part is that gaijin is a borderline slur - it's definitely not the "correct" term.

It's a contraction of gaikokujin, which is more acceptable. Gaikoku no hito if you want to be really polite. Either way, all of them mean "outside person" or "outside country person", so using them in any context outside Japan is ludicrous, even Japanese people don't do that.
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Amen. Gaijin, especially as a contraction, is steeped in very negatively connoted etymology. Not to say that "foreigner" isn't--but at least we dropped "barbarian".

I worked with a woman in gender rights in Japan who regularly schooled me on the etymology of various terms and their usage in feudal Japan and how they've carried over to modern Japan. There are a dozen ways to say "wife," and it's as if they're all somehow pejorative. We had an hour long discussion at work to brainstorm what the most politically correct way to say "wife" was, short of creating an all new word.

That said, in practice, I don't think it's reasonable for anyone to take offense at the word, for the same reason--there are few alternatives that are any less offensive. As is the case for many concepts in Japanese.
 
Man, this past winter we were in a Family Mart in downtown Asakusa choosing what sort of delicious dumpling to eat and some old Japanese man walked right behind us and loudly referred to us as "gaijin." First day in Tokyo, too. :(
 
Im ashamed that I had to look up "weeaboo" in urban dictionary, forgive me GAF.

soultron said:
The great thing is that everyone else in the class probably shares the same sentiment: the guy's a douche.
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I fuckin hope so. I hope that everyone on the internetz is tired of this bullshit every time they read a post or comment. I call for a fuckin revolution! This shit needs to stop.
 
Wait, when did the word gaijin get popular?

Wtf?

Damn, I think I've been in Japan too long. What in god's name happened to America while I was gone?
 
You know, as hilarious as all this is, I always find it fascinating how much Japan and the US really have in common. It obviously manifests itself in slightly different ways in each country, but the similarities are staggering. People love Japan because it's totally different and crazy but...the two countries are pretty damn similar.
 
JayDub said:
I fuckin hope so. I hope that everyone on the internetz is tired of this bullshit every time they read a post or comment. I call for a fuckin revolution! This shit needs to stop.
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Yeah, I'd rather just talk in plain English. Even when I'm around an in-group, like other gamers for example, I always try to stay away from exclusive language. It's all about being inclusive, baby!
 
thetrin said:
Wait, when did the word gaijin get popular?

Wtf?

Damn, I think I've been in Japan too long. What in god's name happened to America while I was gone?
Click to expand...
Inuyasha, Naruto and the internet.
 
I don't think people should get overly concerned with people emulating the language of cultures they indulge themselves in, I mean it's a major factor of how our vocabularies develop. However the fact he interrupted someone and attempted to correct them (therefore claiming their vocabulary was somehow incorrect) makes him a total dick.
 
Question: Do people in the US now use gaijin as a pejorative or as a badge of honor?
 
thetrin said:
Question: Do people in the US now use gaijin as a pejorative or as a badge of honor?
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Latter.

It's only honor if one does it in front of people who don't know better, otherwise it's a mark of shame.
 
thetrin said:
Question: Do people in the US now use gaijin as a pejorative or as a badge of honor?
Click to expand...

Neither, most people that know about the word just figure it's the normal word for foreigner or non-Japanese. Which it sort of is, but the social context is lost there.
 
thetrin said:
You know, as hilarious as all this is, I always find it fascinating how much Japan and the US really have in common. It obviously manifests itself in slightly different ways in each country, but the similarities are staggering. People love Japan because it's totally different and crazy but...the two countries are pretty damn similar.
Click to expand...

Are you trying to tell me something or just thinking out loud?
 
bggrthnjsus said:
(pbf weeaboo comic)
Click to expand...

This comic isn't funny anymore because the internet gave the word "weeaboo" a stupid meaning which it never asked for.

I have a feeling if I was in the OP's class I would've burst out laughing instead of rolling my eyes.
 
LiveFromKyoto said:
Neither, most people that know about the word just figure it's the normal word for foreigner or non-Japanese. Which it sort of is, but the social context is lost there.
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That's very true. The origins and usage of the word Gaijin is a good start for any discussion of how foreigners are perceived in Japan.
 
That was a really douche-y thing for him to say. =/ And I think the connotation of the word depends entirely on how it is said. If used purely objectively, I just see it as "foreigner"; with the wrong tone of voice, though, it takes on thoroughly negative implications.

I wouldn't ever boast of being a gaijin, but maybe that's because I've only ever seen two anime series (not counting Pokémon and Digimon). :lol
 
I hope no one thinks being called "gaijin" is something to be proud of. That word implies (among other more unpleasant connotation) that no matter how long you've been in Japan, if you're a foreigner, you'll always be an outsider.

As for the guy who corrected the class, where's that "keikaku" jpg?
 
LiveFromKyoto said:
Wrong country, wrong culture.
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Im pretty sure i heard that term in this movie mentioned a number of times though, and yes I know it is a different country and culture.
 
Threi said:
Im pretty sure i heard that term in this movie mentioned a number of times though, and yes I know it is a different country and culture.
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You're thinking of guai lo, which is a more obvertly racist cantonese term. It literally means 'white ghost', implying that anybody who's not Chinese isn't truly alive.

EDIT: I just got the DVD of Game of Death II. You've inspired me to go watch it now, I have to know what % of this movie actually has Bruce Lee in it.
 
A quick lesson on the English language.


The words:

Harakiri
Geisha
Samurai


Are Japanese words "bastardized" and used in regular English conversation. In fact, English as a language is almost nothing but these kind of words. There is nothing wrong with using native words as long as you use them correctly.

Now, on the topic of the word "Gaijin" if you've never been to Japan, it's probably kind of stupid to use it. If I'm back at home talking to a fellow American who has been to Japan discussing something about the way Japanese people react towards us, then I think the use of "Gaijin" is totally appropriate.

It's all about the usage. "Gaijin" doesn't really just mean foreigner anymore, it's a group of people. It's kind of an "us vs. them" sort of thing.

I wouldn't chastise people for inserting Japanese into their speech if only they are using it in a specialized manner -- perhaps when there is no English word to replace it (Such as with Harakiri Geisha and Samurai).
 
LiveFromKyoto said:
The hilarious part is that gaijin is a borderline slur - it's definitely not the "correct" term.

It's a contraction of gaikokujin, which is more acceptable. Gaikoku no hito if you want to be really polite. Either way, all of them mean "outside person" or "outside country person", so using them in any context outside Japan is ludicrous, even Japanese people don't do that.
Click to expand...

What?

Yeah they do. To most people the word simply means "non-Japanese" and they use it wherever they might be on this planet.
 
Zefah said:
What?

Yeah they do. To most people the word simply means "non-Japanese" and they use it wherever they might be on this planet.
Click to expand...


Yeah, even people who know a good amount of English and what not use the term.

I'm not usually offended by it, but as usual Japanese people are totally oblivious to their own insensitivity.
 
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