hi teacher, i'm a tourist guide, i'm from Panama, a small country in cental america. I speak a bit of japanese but I dont know Yamagata-ben (omoshaibe). Just a bit of Osaka-ben (omoroi)
wow I'm from yamagata and surprised he is very good at japanese and yamagataben! I wanna meet him! He looks very serious... good for him to stay in Yamagata, I think yamagata suits him cos there is nothing there but country people and nature. And I liked yamagata country girls. lol
i wish i could understand what they were saying >>
if you get the time could you put subtitles on? Lol, but its kinda funny, everyone in the video has that skin tone and black hair, and your just standing there with white skin and stawberry hair XD
4:12 oh wow I noticed the artist of the dictionary cover changed the eyes! If you look up "ancient japanese painting" on google you'll see they always had the geishas with small monolid eyes. This must be a newer artwork printed on the book. but that is irrelevant to the video, just something i noticed lol
wow how great that you were featured on TV! I am jealous, and you being able to speak Japanese with a dialect is so impressive! I hope we will see more of you on Japanese TV in the future!
Actually, I was not. Unfortunately I left Yamagata in 2004. Altthough I've been back and forth between Japan and America a few times since then, I havent been to Yamagata since 2006. Are you in Aterazawa? A few of the teachers I used to work with at Aterazawa SHS were actively involved with the Buddhist temples in Asahi and Oe.
We were visitors from Australia, attending an International Buddhist Conference, hosted by the BanShoji Temple of Chitose Mountain. Sorry for mistaking you as him, he was a Canadian and was very helpful. Yamagata was such a nice place, I have been looking for videos about Yamagata, and that's how I got to you. Do you know where I could buy an introduction DVD about Yamagata with some nice sceneries of the city and the countryside? Nice talking to you though.
might be able to grab one though the international center they have set u there at the main train station. think they have a website through which u should be able to contact them.
@shungyiu Have you found videos about Yamagata? If not, I will try to find it for you. I was a volunteer staff for the International Buddhist Conference in last October in Yamagaata. The head of Banshouji is a friend of mine. I am living at Tsuruoka cityng in Yamagata Pref.
@shungyiu Hello , Have you been able to find DVD on Yamagata? If not, I will try to find it for you. I was also attending as a volunteer staff at the Interntional Buddhist Conference in Yamagata city last October. The head of Banshoji Temple is a friend of mine. I am living in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Pref.
I want to try to learn the Hakata dialect of Japanese. Hakata is a city to the southwest of Fukuoka in the northern part of Kyushu. Hakata is known for a prolific use of the sound '-to.' A good show to watch for Hakata is 'Ghost Hound'.
great video, and excellent job on the language skills. I'm a novice in Japanese personally, so it's really inspiring to see someone else this far along, and so well integrated
Nice suit, sharp tie, excellent Japanese skills and all ruined because he puts on white socks. Come on bro you're a young man only old men wear white socks and black shoes.
Why is he always stopping while speaking, is it supposed to be like that?! Sorry, I am not trying to be rude but it doesn't sound to me japanese at all ...
I am not japanese, that's why I would just like to know if his pronounciation is good or not....
his pronunciation isn't perfect. But he is very good japanese speaker. actually, I've never seen any foreigners speak perfect Japanese. each one of them has different accent influenced by their own language. so we would be shocked if any of 'em speak perfectly. that's how difficult japanese is. and the reason why he stops so much is because he is trying to speak japanese correctly.
i can understand your questions but we overlook about foreigner's Japanese. so there's not a big deal.
Yamagata is very close to Akita, where i spent lots of my time in Japan. The local dialects in Japan are VERY hard to pick up at the start, but i also enjoyed learning some odd words here and there. Certainly not a good place for beginners of Japanese though haha.
In Japan, even for Japanese people they show subtitles in order to emphasize the meaning of whatever people are commenting on. I'm Japanese American, and it is so nice to see a foreigner who is living in Japan who loves Japan and wants to learn, because it is so common to see everyone who are expats here where they don't learn or try to learn. I hope he will learn some other dialect, like Kansai ben, after he masters yamagata ben
Qcumber, I agree with you. There are without a doubt a lot of waster 'English Teachers' residing in Japan because they can get away with the Japanese good nature when it comes to them (though please note, that I am 100% of the fact that there is racial discrimination prevalent for everyone at one point), they let them get away with murder, that murder being the slaughter of poor parents or students who pay for these lessons. But thank god there are people like this guy who embrace the culture
Yeah, I agree 100% with you man. Even though I want to go live in Japan and teach english, I must say that all outsiders there are seen as retards and that they didn't interview this guy because they thought it was interesting, but because they were surprised he could spit out a few japanese words, because for them, only the japanese can speak japanese...
No his Japanese is brilliant. (I mean, compared to Japanese people's English level in average. He speaks Japanese far better than the Japanese speaks English and that's one of the reasons why they interviewed.
Another reason is they found it intersting that he chose to stay in Yamagata, which isvery rural area where very few foreigners live, instead of living in Tokyo.
ALT work in all kinds of areas from urban to rural. So living in Yamagata isn't strange but completely normal.
An ALT speaking Japanese well isn't newsworthy either. Plenty of people fervently study Japanese before and after arriving.
It's shown as it goes against the stereotype of foreigners having trouble with Japanese. Also it's a feel good story of a foreigner adapting to Japanese culture. Like how a foreigner gets praise at using chopsticks but a bit more advanced. Bit patronising.
I really hope that one day i can have the honor of living in Japan...I'm taking Chinese in school but i really wish i could learn Japanese (its not an option sadly...) I often stay in my Chinese class at lunch and work on homework and such...she thinks i should be a teacher in Japan...to teacher English, but im not sure id be very good at it, i get stage fright...i would probably want to teach young children... thank you for post this! Gives me hope!!
My second cousin was on an exchange program to some high school just outside Osaka... She said: "One more *HOOOOOO!?* or *HEEEEEEE!?* and I'll go on a killing spree..."
Constant amazement seemed like a national hobby. haha
You have no idea.... Dialects in japan are not really the same as accents between states. Even though Japan is roughly the size of California, it can be very different from one part to another.
i am waiting until i reach a high level skill such as yours! its interesting seeing when you've passed a certain stage of comprehending a foreign language. recently i've been having trouble watching subtitled japanese media because i understand too much of what is being said and the english just throws me off!
it's really refreshing to me to see footage of a foreigner in Japan who seems to be able to do their job well, get along as best they can in Japanese society, speak the language decently, and always strive to improve. You've set an example others can really look up to. Thank you.
Pretty ironic considering that you favorited numerous videos of a White girls speaking Japanese and told them they were beautiful and to contact you if they ever visited Japan. And you accuse someone else of having a racial fetish? Quit projecting your insecurities on others. lol
I have a question. Doesn't it seem really tough to make friends in Japan because Japanese are so incredibly reserved? Even in the States Japanese students come to learn English,but end up just making friends with other ryugakusei.
Also does 呼捨て bother you? If you're a gaijin they'll call you Michael-san,but if it's a Japanese person they'll say Tanaka-san,et c.
ive seen some peoples comments about japanese and studying and stuff like that but theres no point really.ive lived here for a while already and people still want to come up to me and talk english. no matter how long u live in japan ull just be treated like a foreiner ALWAYS. good luck with ur benkyo
Study Japanese in class setting for 2 years, but I feel I do better with self study. Am I better off just finding Japanese friends in my area and build up my fluency as much as possible? (since I live in San Francisco) There are a lot of Japanese people here. My other question is Did you have to get a degree here before you were able to teach English abroad? Also you sound very smooth in your words. Are you literate as well? meaning how is your kanji recognition and such?
I found the class very effective for giving me a solid base, but after that it was mostly self-study. Everything I could do in English I wanted to do in Japanese; basically I wanted to live a normal life and not worry about the language. Whether it be sports, music, politics, philosophy, etc.; if I could find someone willing to be patient and teach me the jargon I was willing to listen. Also, I kept a dictionary with me at all times and wrote flashcards for every word I found interesting.
I am fairly certain I am not; however, I don't understand how sexuality has has anything to do with teaching or learning a language. I know many good and bad teachers of English/speakers of Japanese of all sexual orientations. I will say that those who had a Japanese gf/bf tended to learn Japanese quicker and had a broader vocabulary as they experienced many things in Japanese not taught in a class or book.
I have no idea what they just said, but now I really want to go to Japan and study. Well at least for my senior year. How different is their educational system from ours?
A lot different. (I'm assuming by 'ours' you mean American?) There are many similarities, but the ages of the student differ through the grades and middle and high school last for a different amount of years. It is hard at first but you will get used to it :)
As far as curricula are concerned (and this is a sweeping exaggeration) Japanese tend to teach more order than content. The Japanese teachers are entrusted with the authority of raising the children while they are at school; so there is an emphasis on conformity. This can be a big problem for the students I saw as artistic, curious, imaginative and intuitive as they are sometimes bullied by the other students (and some teachers) for not "falling in line."
The pressure to be part of the group is amazing and I had some students (who were considered outcasts) going bald from the stress. Another big difference is that in Japan, students take HS entrance exams to determine which HS they will go to; the downside being, a large portion of a person's future is decided at the age of 15. If you don't go to a high level HS, odds are you won't go to college. So if you are a neurological late bloomer, the odds are against you.
But in terms of how different the 2 curricula are, it depends on what age students you are teaching and what level school you are at (even within those there are a myriad of similarities and differences between Japan and America).
It's been an ongoing process for the past 8 or 9 years. I think when this video was shot I had 5 years under my belt. 3 in undergrad and 2+ years living in Japan. After living in Yamagata, I came back to the states, worked for JAL for a year, went back to Japan for 6 months (this time Osaka), came back to the states again in 2006 and have been working for Fuji TV since.
Constant exposure to the target language i feel can be nothing less than beneficial. I do feel though that at times the L1 should be used, this is when you're doing direct L1 to L2 translation or explaining tricky grammar points for example.
You're a professional and I'm sure you have been teaching a lot longer than I have, and I respect that, but one of the main skills I've noticed that Japanese natives lack in English is speaking and also listening. Whether it's common practice or not (that's to CyborgNinja) I feel that English teachers should refrain from conforming to the common way of teaching English in Japan and instead focus on giving students what they need...
Although I agree wholeheartedly with you, the current Japanese education system wouldn't allow for it. I'm sure a teacher that went against the curriculum and focused more intensely on speaking/listening would get fired.
I really enjoyed this video. It inspires me to further my Japanese study and one day teach out there. One thing I would do though is ensure students are exposed to as much English as possible inside the classroom and refrain from teaching in the L1. I would focus on using the target language more....
I wish, ah... see most Japanese that I have come across have a general dislike of Americans, (and some exclusivity comes in tow). It's a shame really that we can't bridge that gap. We try to learn the language & the culture, but end up getting figuratively smacked for doing so. A handshake of peace cannot happen unless both parties agree to extend their hands. Segregation is never the answer, as it exists in Hawaii shamefully. Yet somehow US celebrities are royalty in Japan... WTF?!
While I agree with the "exclusivity" comment, I do not agree that most Japanese "have a general dislike of Americans." Now maybe this is location specific, as I have always felt that those in rural Japan are warmer and more embracing than those in urban areas; however, I think the same can be said about rural/urban America. Now there might be a higher degree of ignorance (as a whole) in rural areas, I found that individually people are warmer.
That said, rural Japanese don't come into contact with as many foreigners as say a Tokyo native would, so they tend to be a little more shy and reserved at first, but if you can spark up a conversation, the shyness dissipates and it is relatively easy to form a friendship.
I hope I get the chance soon. But I had just discovered the whole white & black van fiasco, and it's pretty much brought my lofty image of Japanese people back down to earth. Maybe that's for the best, but I always thought that in general they have a great deal of consideration. Idk, there are problems everywhere, but I think many Americans who long for the Japanese experience have a very jaded Utopian vision as I did.
He is a great ambassader between Japan and America. We need more like him all around the world to unite people, promote different cultures and languages between people.
Best of luck to him and hope he has good time in Japan :)
I disagree with those who criticize teaching English in the student's native language. That style is not as common outside of Japan. "its not really a good idea to teach English in their native language...it does not encourage open conversation." If anything, you're creating a rift between student and teacher. If the student can speak well enough to communicate their ideas, then ok, otherwise, no.
I agree with you 100% If the student doesn't know what the teacher is teaching than no one is gaining anything from the experience. Total immersion is one thing (i.e. moving to the target country and having to make it on you own), but 3 hours of immersion a week in a class setting is not going to make anyone a native speaker/listener.
Loved your post! I was an ALT way back in 1996-1999, and I still dream of it fondly and regularly. My town was in Kagoshima, and I so loved the time there. Like every culture on this planet, there are some elements to lament but far more to celebrate. My colleagues used to love to teach me Kagoshima-ben, too! Some readers interpreted the text under your dialogue as some kind of diss, but living there we know that it's common on Japanese TV for even native speakers. Beautiful Japanese skills!!
It does make one wonder though if diplomacy is even worth the effort. I always though I wanted to do that someday but I begin to wonder if it is just a waste of time. Likely what would solve the problem is not allowing any foreigners into the country as all. Boycotting all imports and just letting Japan disappear into the abyss. They would likely be just fine with this and frankly it would likely be better. At least then they couldn't accuse foreigners for their own domestic problems.
Why even bother teaching English in Japan. No Japanese will ever use it and they hate Foreigners anyways. Anyone who has lived in Japan for any length of time knows this all to well. I am not saying all Japanese are xenophobic but it is likely the politically correct thing to do. One may ask the question is change possible? It's possible but not without some changes of our own. Like withdrawing all our Military Forces from Japan.
What I've noticed is that the people who are in japan complaining the don't fit in are wonting something for nothing. White people in general don't understand what being a minority really is. If half of the complainers did even about half as much effort as this guy is then I'm sure the complainers residing in japan would have a more rewarding life there. Period! If you were to come back to the usa and complain to a black man about "Fitting in" he would probably say "it's about time". I'm white.
thank you x million for saying this, I've wanted to say something similar on so many blogs/videos but couldn't express it properly. I am also white, and being white is the easiest shit in the world, even where it's the minority. I couldn't even contemplate trying to live in a foreign country without doing my best to learn the language, and I sure as hell wouldn't start ranting/whining that everyone viewed me as a foreigner. anyway, great comment :)
do not misunderstand guys. There are several types of people that they have also several thoughts about culture,race, relgion etc... Some are racists while some are friendly. We all people are not able to be a god. Hate each other and love each other.
However, we should not forget to respect each other.
Amerika-jin in japan is just as bad as nihon-jin in walt disney world. Don't fool yourselves, it's easier for nihon-jin to travel in america than amerika-jin in japan.
hi teacher, i'm a tourist guide, i'm from Panama, a small country in cental america. I speak a bit of japanese but I dont know Yamagata-ben (omoshaibe). Just a bit of Osaka-ben (omoroi)
greetings and congratulations! God bless Japan
My email watashi_3086@hotmail.com thanks!
chancleta 9 months ago
ぜひ、ダニエル・カール氏との山形弁談義をしてもらいたいです。
Zavilk 10 months ago
what does the べ at the end mean? I've never seen this before, part of the dialect?
writofmandamus 10 months ago
@writofmandamus standard : だよ or だね. Yamagata dialect : だべ . Kansai dialect : やで or やな
sijotakane 8 months ago
方言使うと一気に親しみ深くなるね。
2008emitan 11 months ago
新潟でも、お腹がいっぱい の事を「はらくっちぇ」と言います。
山形弁と上越弁は似ている言葉も多いらしいですね。
yamadago 1 year ago
wow I'm from yamagata and surprised he is very good at japanese and yamagataben! I wanna meet him! He looks very serious... good for him to stay in Yamagata, I think yamagata suits him cos there is nothing there but country people and nature. And I liked yamagata country girls. lol
tmo0617 1 year ago
@tmo0617
チゲー、こいつの日本語はぼろぼろだ。こいつが勉強しないといけねぇんだよ。
vandriver101 11 months ago
方言に愛情を持ってくれるのはうれしいですね♪
福岡出身ですが･･･
k48able 1 year ago
He has the dictionary my professor wrote!! すごい！
Exiria 1 year ago
「山形弁を聞いたら、心があたたた、あたたたかくなる。。。べ」笑
Does anybody else find this video hilarious? Like, that this should even be featured on a show? But there are so many good lines!
ぎりぎりセーフだベ！
KolaSound 1 year ago
モンテのユニホーム
aiwotome 1 year ago
i wish i could understand what they were saying >>
if you get the time could you put subtitles on? Lol, but its kinda funny, everyone in the video has that skin tone and black hair, and your just standing there with white skin and stawberry hair XD
Tatsumiko 1 year ago
4:12 oh wow I noticed the artist of the dictionary cover changed the eyes! If you look up "ancient japanese painting" on google you'll see they always had the geishas with small monolid eyes. This must be a newer artwork printed on the book. but that is irrelevant to the video, just something i noticed lol
DaFawky 1 year ago
I know this is racist but does YBC stand for yellow basic cable
Alextillom 1 year ago
私も外国で働きたいのだー！！
zomahon777 1 year ago
Anita is hot girl!!
joyouslife4all 1 year ago
内容とはあまり関係ないけど女生徒がみんなかわいいね
hndaik 1 year ago
内容とはあまり関係ないけど女生徒がみんなかわいいね
hndaik 1 year ago
Haha I have the same book lol 4:10
GrandTeutonica 1 year ago
すげぇ、、
山形弁使える何って...
speechless^^...w
sizuko520 2 years ago
Wow, man, one day I would like to speak like you. You really rule!!
doctorsolo 2 years ago
Lol why did the play a music piece form Kiki's Delivery Service? xD
lavenderblossom 2 years ago 5
wow how great that you were featured on TV! I am jealous, and you being able to speak Japanese with a dialect is so impressive! I hope we will see more of you on Japanese TV in the future!
snaken123 2 years ago
Hello bjlink,
Mind if I ask:
Were you the gentleman who helped us (Buddhists) in the post office last month?
Regards
shungyiu 2 years ago
Actually, I was not. Unfortunately I left Yamagata in 2004. Altthough I've been back and forth between Japan and America a few times since then, I havent been to Yamagata since 2006. Are you in Aterazawa? A few of the teachers I used to work with at Aterazawa SHS were actively involved with the Buddhist temples in Asahi and Oe.
bjlink 2 years ago
We were visitors from Australia, attending an International Buddhist Conference, hosted by the BanShoji Temple of Chitose Mountain. Sorry for mistaking you as him, he was a Canadian and was very helpful. Yamagata was such a nice place, I have been looking for videos about Yamagata, and that's how I got to you. Do you know where I could buy an introduction DVD about Yamagata with some nice sceneries of the city and the countryside? Nice talking to you though.
shungyiu 2 years ago
might be able to grab one though the international center they have set u there at the main train station. think they have a website through which u should be able to contact them.
bjlink 2 years ago
@bjlink
is it true that foreigners are stared at in rural areas in japan?
Mikeybetts 1 year ago
@shungyiu Have you found videos about Yamagata? If not, I will try to find it for you. I was a volunteer staff for the International Buddhist Conference in last October in Yamagaata. The head of Banshouji is a friend of mine. I am living at Tsuruoka cityng in Yamagata Pref.
soyokazesakura1 1 year ago
@shungyiu Hello , Have you been able to find DVD on Yamagata? If not, I will try to find it for you. I was also attending as a volunteer staff at the Interntional Buddhist Conference in Yamagata city last October. The head of Banshoji Temple is a friend of mine. I am living in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Pref.
soyokazesakura1 1 year ago
30年ぐらい前はダニエル・カールも
でも山形弁はこっちの方が本物だｗｗｗ
handafutou2007 2 years ago
I want to try to learn the Hakata dialect of Japanese. Hakata is a city to the southwest of Fukuoka in the northern part of Kyushu. Hakata is known for a prolific use of the sound '-to.' A good show to watch for Hakata is 'Ghost Hound'.
japanimefan02 2 years ago
He speaks dialect of japan.
seishinhokengaku 2 years ago
がんばってね ブライアン！！！
TheMikisDog 2 years ago 3
HOLY FUCK DUDE!! You're friggin hot!! Are you married?
EricV89 2 years ago
"nihongo" means Japanese.
There are a lot of dialects in japan.Yamagataben
is one of them.
parcmanther 2 years ago 2
What does "nihongo" mean ?
angela1894 2 years ago
japanese
kokorokara 2 years ago
"nihongo" means Japanese.
parcmanther 2 years ago
great video, and excellent job on the language skills. I'm a novice in Japanese personally, so it's really inspiring to see someone else this far along, and so well integrated
kmuffett 2 years ago
Nice suit, sharp tie, excellent Japanese skills and all ruined because he puts on white socks. Come on bro you're a young man only old men wear white socks and black shoes.
nycboyforlife 2 years ago
at 3:48, it's clearly the Japanese guy with the white socks and not me, the american.
bjlink 2 years ago 3
what is this about white socks? why do older men only wear them?
75egcg 2 years ago
@bjlink @bjlink I guess that haters gonna hate. As a fellow japanophile I am proud of people like you who give us gaijins a better rep over there!
mansanraps 6 months ago
You're not supposed to do that? *glance glance*
shounenbat510 2 years ago
lol He's wearing black socks. Come on bro, only old men have impaired vision.
KPACHNbIBLOOD 2 years ago
business men are suppose to wear blacks socks to work, church, wedding, etc. anytime they wear a suit. at least in america they do.
EboniYoYo 2 years ago
Ghibli music alert !! lol
Maerd716 2 years ago
i wanna speak japanese to T.T
i can only say: nidesh(no), nande(why?), hi(yes)
EasterBunnySucks 2 years ago
the girls look like from a live-action anime adaptation
Sivels 2 years ago
アナウンサーの左の人、佐藤優に似てる・・・。
punctuality2008 2 years ago
女子アナの原稿読みのアクセントが標準語じゃないね。「読み書き重視」の「重視」のアクセントがおかしい。「読み書き十四」に聞こえる。
amisim 2 years ago
面白そうよ～！＾＾ あたしも山形弁が話したいん～・・・
mitil16 2 years ago 3
3:48
WHITE SOCKS AND BLACK SHOES !!??!!??!!
.... OMG HE CAN'T DO THAT !!
. . . i would never walk out of my house looking like that . . THERE'S A FASHION CODE PPL
GonzoTheGreat3000 2 years ago
LOL :D
azuesse 2 years ago
He's American what do you expect? They wear fucking tshirts under their shirts :S
Triiarii 2 years ago
@Triiarii well that is true, but only because it's so cold out today. :S
koreytd 2 years ago
lol, he needs japanese subtitles!!!
wpurc5 2 years ago
I have a question...
Why is he always stopping while speaking, is it supposed to be like that?! Sorry, I am not trying to be rude but it doesn't sound to me japanese at all ...
I am not japanese, that's why I would just like to know if his pronounciation is good or not....
chocaju 2 years ago
his pronunciation isn't perfect. But he is very good japanese speaker. actually, I've never seen any foreigners speak perfect Japanese. each one of them has different accent influenced by their own language. so we would be shocked if any of 'em speak perfectly. that's how difficult japanese is. and the reason why he stops so much is because he is trying to speak japanese correctly.
i can understand your questions but we overlook about foreigner's Japanese. so there's not a big deal.
wildwildwest01 2 years ago
ぎりぎりセーフだべ(笑) funny teacher！
wave0730 2 years ago 15
Would a speaker of standard Japanese have trouble understanding the dialect?
murphycline 2 years ago
Yamagata is very close to Akita, where i spent lots of my time in Japan. The local dialects in Japan are VERY hard to pick up at the start, but i also enjoyed learning some odd words here and there. Certainly not a good place for beginners of Japanese though haha.
AkitaTom 2 years ago 4
lol, i love watching white people speaking japanese, or anything asian language for that matter
gmfbgmfb 2 years ago
In Japan, even for Japanese people they show subtitles in order to emphasize the meaning of whatever people are commenting on. I'm Japanese American, and it is so nice to see a foreigner who is living in Japan who loves Japan and wants to learn, because it is so common to see everyone who are expats here where they don't learn or try to learn. I hope he will learn some other dialect, like Kansai ben, after he masters yamagata ben
jessiemk222 2 years ago 11
too bad there wasn't english subtitles...
stealthis 2 years ago
they have subtitles for you. Does that mean you have a thick accent to them? Sounds pretty good to me, lol.
theDrewid 2 years ago
@theDrewid It's actually pretty common for there to be subtitles on japanese tv.
stargateheaven23 1 year ago
I'd love to finish learning the language. I'd love to visit the country. I do not think I'd enjoy living there.
I guess I'm too Western, but I'd rather have my 5 bedroom 2 bath house than a 6 tatami mat apartment in a rural town.
Not that I'm knocking the lifestyle, I just think I'd feel claustrophobic if I tried to cram my library in there with me.
TheOneZenith 2 years ago
His Japanese is very easy to understand. I have huge problem understanding the news reporters, but he speaks clearly and uses simple words/grammar.
somerandomdude999 2 years ago 4
He's clean and wears a tie, not like so many of those self-proclaimed English teachers one finds all over the world.
Qcumber 2 years ago
Qcumber, I agree with you. There are without a doubt a lot of waster 'English Teachers' residing in Japan because they can get away with the Japanese good nature when it comes to them (though please note, that I am 100% of the fact that there is racial discrimination prevalent for everyone at one point), they let them get away with murder, that murder being the slaughter of poor parents or students who pay for these lessons. But thank god there are people like this guy who embrace the culture
DuckHeadlolz 2 years ago
and seem to be assimilating nicely, not giving any of the few old-skool Japanese who use any excuse to smite foreigners in there country.
DuckHeadlolz 2 years ago
I just want to be able to put basic Japanese sentences together. )-: I SO idolize you now dude!
JackaCrack1 2 years ago
my friend of tokyo says that she can hardly can understand when hers aunt from yamagata calls home...anyway i think it's not that difficult...^^
danieru1979 2 years ago
i wonder if its hard to get accepted to a school there.
i want to teach kids English when i finish my studies.
XxXRainbowGashesxXx 2 years ago
The younger generation tends to like western culture so if your teachings kids English I'm sure you'll do just fine.
Chicken10843 2 years ago
lolol at the 心が あたたかくなった bit, i do the same thing, but probably a bit worse :)
It's one of those words where, once i've started saying it i forget how many times i've said た so sometimes it'll be あたかくなった or あたたたかくなった
Brilliant video, i want to teach English over there, hopefully they'll follow me around with a camera!
And Yamagata ben sounds so cool!
bilalsheikh 2 years ago
I want to do this when I graduate.
pannikin 3 years ago
ah sweet mate. good to see another gaijin learning the language!
DuckHeadlolz 3 years ago
How come they subtitled him? O_o
fadecy 3 years ago
His accent is uber
JapRapNipHop 3 years ago 3
It's pity that the guy from US got accepted by small local comunity in Japan and it became a Tv show's topic though.
It's more like hadycapped retarted kid acommlishing a normal thing....
kirkwood1991 3 years ago
If it is like a hard crapped retarded kid accomplishing a normal thing why don't you do it?
Chicken10843 2 years ago
Yeah, I agree 100% with you man. Even though I want to go live in Japan and teach english, I must say that all outsiders there are seen as retards and that they didn't interview this guy because they thought it was interesting, but because they were surprised he could spit out a few japanese words, because for them, only the japanese can speak japanese...
wowshinobi 2 years ago
I think it's cuz he was speaking that particular dialect which is more unusual.
But yeah it seems alittle demeaning.
rkharty 2 years ago
No his Japanese is brilliant. (I mean, compared to Japanese people's English level in average. He speaks Japanese far better than the Japanese speaks English and that's one of the reasons why they interviewed.
Another reason is they found it intersting that he chose to stay in Yamagata, which isvery rural area where very few foreigners live, instead of living in Tokyo.
unkoshitaine 2 years ago 5
It would make sense for a native English teacher to chose an out-of-the-way place; less competition.
murphycline 2 years ago
ALT work in all kinds of areas from urban to rural. So living in Yamagata isn't strange but completely normal.
An ALT speaking Japanese well isn't newsworthy either. Plenty of people fervently study Japanese before and after arriving.
It's shown as it goes against the stereotype of foreigners having trouble with Japanese. Also it's a feel good story of a foreigner adapting to Japanese culture. Like how a foreigner gets praise at using chopsticks but a bit more advanced. Bit patronising.
PrintScrn12 2 years ago
日本語上手！
shiori0255 3 years ago 4
なるほど。
devilllsh 3 years ago
"omoshaibe" = "omoshiroi ne"??!?! O_O
gorogawa 3 years ago 2
3:16 How did the tea tasted? Looked good.
MackleJack 3 years ago
I really hope that one day i can have the honor of living in Japan...I'm taking Chinese in school but i really wish i could learn Japanese (its not an option sadly...) I often stay in my Chinese class at lunch and work on homework and such...she thinks i should be a teacher in Japan...to teacher English, but im not sure id be very good at it, i get stage fright...i would probably want to teach young children... thank you for post this! Gives me hope!!
InuAva 3 years ago
Wow, you're amazing. Four years of Japanese at college and I'm lucky if I understand even a little bit of a TV show.
What's your secret???
poshko41 3 years ago
My second cousin was on an exchange program to some high school just outside Osaka... She said: "One more *HOOOOOO!?* or *HEEEEEEE!?* and I'll go on a killing spree..."
Constant amazement seemed like a national hobby. haha
TAKENnameARGH 3 years ago 2
the dialect is so different that they need subtitles 0_o? WTF?! I know what a new yorker is saying and im from texas. it cant be that different
iloveallecchianime 3 years ago
You have no idea.... Dialects in japan are not really the same as accents between states. Even though Japan is roughly the size of California, it can be very different from one part to another.
Shiftfallout 3 years ago
Yeah, we're all rednecks, we who live in Los Angeles and New York City.
I mean, wtf.
hachisan 3 years ago
Sir, you are now officially my hero.
You have encouraged me to continue with Japanese study. Thank you.
hachisan 3 years ago 5
It's a bit funny that a very american speaks
Yamagata rural dialect...though it is a very
beautiful and wealthy province.
Please enjoy life there!
nuda0205 3 years ago 5
ええ！日本語が上手だの！
i am waiting until i reach a high level skill such as yours! its interesting seeing when you've passed a certain stage of comprehending a foreign language. recently i've been having trouble watching subtitled japanese media because i understand too much of what is being said and the english just throws me off!
seamonkeywater 3 years ago 3
What's the cheap accent.
Speak Nipponese.
Komorowski 3 years ago
he reminds me of great teacher onizaki
theguitarhero3 3 years ago
wasnt it onizuka?
JamesCrow22 3 years ago 8
ガンバッテ！
TheHusky9 3 years ago
i'm not from Yamagata, though, i'm from tohoku.
so i felt warm to hear you speak in the dialect! :)
SingingJG 3 years ago
it's really refreshing to me to see footage of a foreigner in Japan who seems to be able to do their job well, get along as best they can in Japanese society, speak the language decently, and always strive to improve. You've set an example others can really look up to. Thank you.
sourringo 3 years ago 20
It's rather sad that a foreigner who speaks fluent japanese and got adapted to society is shown like some kind of miracle.
It should be the other way round: that nobody should be surprised about japanese speaking foreigners and see it at something normal.
YamazakiSuperDM 3 years ago 8
its really charming and warming to see another foreigner blending in, it just proves that after im done with hiragana i can actually finish kanji!
TheHusky9 3 years ago
holy shit, this guy is me in two years. he is my idol.
sullaxin808 3 years ago 4
モンディオ山形ｗ
seiryuutai 3 years ago 2
Okay, yamagata ben is weird.
LifeisaGlitch 3 years ago
That guys English is weird! Maybe he has been in Japan too long?
LifeisaGlitch 3 years ago 3
i think hes pronouncing it clearly for the kids.
jquilkin 3 years ago 16
I love the Japanese culture and stuff, but it's such a hard language to learn. Whatever, might move to an English sector of Tokyo B)
djhoody18 3 years ago
no its not really if u give time and dedication then u wont think its its hard ive been studyinbg for 4 years
GTpanik 3 years ago 2
lol so the arew rasist!!
stephyellow 3 years ago
: He just look for japanese women.
He has to overcome this prejudice, but he cannot.
aoimozart 3 years ago
Pretty ironic considering that you favorited numerous videos of a White girls speaking Japanese and told them they were beautiful and to contact you if they ever visited Japan. And you accuse someone else of having a racial fetish? Quit projecting your insecurities on others. lol
delirium1326 3 years ago 4
Wow,thats cool,i was on TV for a minute when i was in japan summer of 2007.
animemsgundam 3 years ago
I have a question. Doesn't it seem really tough to make friends in Japan because Japanese are so incredibly reserved? Even in the States Japanese students come to learn English,but end up just making friends with other ryugakusei.
Also does 呼捨て bother you? If you're a gaijin they'll call you Michael-san,but if it's a Japanese person they'll say Tanaka-san,et c.
Muslim4Lyfe64 3 years ago
ive seen some peoples comments about japanese and studying and stuff like that but theres no point really.ive lived here for a while already and people still want to come up to me and talk english. no matter how long u live in japan ull just be treated like a foreiner ALWAYS. good luck with ur benkyo
mojicat 3 years ago 3
Study Japanese in class setting for 2 years, but I feel I do better with self study. Am I better off just finding Japanese friends in my area and build up my fluency as much as possible? (since I live in San Francisco) There are a lot of Japanese people here. My other question is Did you have to get a degree here before you were able to teach English abroad? Also you sound very smooth in your words. Are you literate as well? meaning how is your kanji recognition and such?
shegax03 3 years ago
I found the class very effective for giving me a solid base, but after that it was mostly self-study. Everything I could do in English I wanted to do in Japanese; basically I wanted to live a normal life and not worry about the language. Whether it be sports, music, politics, philosophy, etc.; if I could find someone willing to be patient and teach me the jargon I was willing to listen. Also, I kept a dictionary with me at all times and wrote flashcards for every word I found interesting.
bjlink 3 years ago
Thank you for sharing this video. Its a welcoming sight to see non-Japanese blends into the Japanese society so nicely.
All the best for you and your career.
seminolePP 3 years ago 9
Yamagata is about 3-4 hours north/north-west of Tokyo (by bullet train).
bjlink 3 years ago
I am fairly certain I am not; however, I don't understand how sexuality has has anything to do with teaching or learning a language. I know many good and bad teachers of English/speakers of Japanese of all sexual orientations. I will say that those who had a Japanese gf/bf tended to learn Japanese quicker and had a broader vocabulary as they experienced many things in Japanese not taught in a class or book.
bjlink 3 years ago
sugoiii its my dream to live there either to become a japanese singer or english teacher :D
shelliahc 3 years ago
That's hot.
Rubas90 3 years ago
I have no idea what they just said, but now I really want to go to Japan and study. Well at least for my senior year. How different is their educational system from ours?
Marienixza 3 years ago
A lot different. (I'm assuming by 'ours' you mean American?) There are many similarities, but the ages of the student differ through the grades and middle and high school last for a different amount of years. It is hard at first but you will get used to it :)
gabbynewneo 3 years ago
As far as curricula are concerned (and this is a sweeping exaggeration) Japanese tend to teach more order than content. The Japanese teachers are entrusted with the authority of raising the children while they are at school; so there is an emphasis on conformity. This can be a big problem for the students I saw as artistic, curious, imaginative and intuitive as they are sometimes bullied by the other students (and some teachers) for not "falling in line."
bjlink 3 years ago
The pressure to be part of the group is amazing and I had some students (who were considered outcasts) going bald from the stress. Another big difference is that in Japan, students take HS entrance exams to determine which HS they will go to; the downside being, a large portion of a person's future is decided at the age of 15. If you don't go to a high level HS, odds are you won't go to college. So if you are a neurological late bloomer, the odds are against you.
bjlink 3 years ago
But in terms of how different the 2 curricula are, it depends on what age students you are teaching and what level school you are at (even within those there are a myriad of similarities and differences between Japan and America).
bjlink 3 years ago
You need to meet my grandma. I don't even understand most of part when she talks.
mt37222 3 years ago
You obviously studied longer than a year. You speak really well, how long did it take?
bigbuggie5 3 years ago
It's been an ongoing process for the past 8 or 9 years. I think when this video was shot I had 5 years under my belt. 3 in undergrad and 2+ years living in Japan. After living in Yamagata, I came back to the states, worked for JAL for a year, went back to Japan for 6 months (this time Osaka), came back to the states again in 2006 and have been working for Fuji TV since.
bjlink 3 years ago
Constant exposure to the target language i feel can be nothing less than beneficial. I do feel though that at times the L1 should be used, this is when you're doing direct L1 to L2 translation or explaining tricky grammar points for example.
ちなみに、あなたの日本語すごいうまい！
あなたの陣間でありがとうございます！
ABCarter123 3 years ago
Part 2
You're a professional and I'm sure you have been teaching a lot longer than I have, and I respect that, but one of the main skills I've noticed that Japanese natives lack in English is speaking and also listening. Whether it's common practice or not (that's to CyborgNinja) I feel that English teachers should refrain from conforming to the common way of teaching English in Japan and instead focus on giving students what they need...
ABCarter123 3 years ago
Although I agree wholeheartedly with you, the current Japanese education system wouldn't allow for it. I'm sure a teacher that went against the curriculum and focused more intensely on speaking/listening would get fired.
Hippo724 3 years ago
Part 1-
I really enjoyed this video. It inspires me to further my Japanese study and one day teach out there. One thing I would do though is ensure students are exposed to as much English as possible inside the classroom and refrain from teaching in the L1. I would focus on using the target language more....
ABCarter123 3 years ago
I wish, ah... see most Japanese that I have come across have a general dislike of Americans, (and some exclusivity comes in tow). It's a shame really that we can't bridge that gap. We try to learn the language & the culture, but end up getting figuratively smacked for doing so. A handshake of peace cannot happen unless both parties agree to extend their hands. Segregation is never the answer, as it exists in Hawaii shamefully. Yet somehow US celebrities are royalty in Japan... WTF?!
AlucardsQuest 3 years ago 3
While I agree with the "exclusivity" comment, I do not agree that most Japanese "have a general dislike of Americans." Now maybe this is location specific, as I have always felt that those in rural Japan are warmer and more embracing than those in urban areas; however, I think the same can be said about rural/urban America. Now there might be a higher degree of ignorance (as a whole) in rural areas, I found that individually people are warmer.
bjlink 3 years ago
That said, rural Japanese don't come into contact with as many foreigners as say a Tokyo native would, so they tend to be a little more shy and reserved at first, but if you can spark up a conversation, the shyness dissipates and it is relatively easy to form a friendship.
bjlink 3 years ago
I hope I get the chance soon. But I had just discovered the whole white & black van fiasco, and it's pretty much brought my lofty image of Japanese people back down to earth. Maybe that's for the best, but I always thought that in general they have a great deal of consideration. Idk, there are problems everywhere, but I think many Americans who long for the Japanese experience have a very jaded Utopian vision as I did.
AlucardsQuest 3 years ago
I am so ashamed of your bigotted and narrow minded attitude as a fellow Japanese.
Get out and travel around the world before you make any assumption on anyone from any part of the world. I pity you, I really do.
kentishken 3 years ago
He is a great ambassader between Japan and America. We need more like him all around the world to unite people, promote different cultures and languages between people.
Best of luck to him and hope he has good time in Japan :)
kentishken 3 years ago 4
I disagree with those who criticize teaching English in the student's native language. That style is not as common outside of Japan. "its not really a good idea to teach English in their native language...it does not encourage open conversation." If anything, you're creating a rift between student and teacher. If the student can speak well enough to communicate their ideas, then ok, otherwise, no.
CyborgNinja7 3 years ago
I agree with you 100% If the student doesn't know what the teacher is teaching than no one is gaining anything from the experience. Total immersion is one thing (i.e. moving to the target country and having to make it on you own), but 3 hours of immersion a week in a class setting is not going to make anyone a native speaker/listener.
bjlink 3 years ago
i bet he gets tons of japanese chicks
Christmas800 3 years ago 3
freaking idiots gave him japanese subtitles, even though he was speaking japanese perfectly clearly. god I hate japanese xenophobia
wirelessoptical 3 years ago
Notice how they subtitled the Japanese people too.
Japanese TV subtitles all interviews.
ShinsengumiTaicho1 3 years ago 16
Japanese TV subtitles nearly everything, really. It's helpful.
CircusofPython 3 years ago 3
It's part of human nature, or rather beast nature.
timetraveler3797 3 years ago
God I hate people who don't know shit but still wanna tell everyone their unqualified opinion.
YamazakiSuperDM 3 years ago 8
Loved your post! I was an ALT way back in 1996-1999, and I still dream of it fondly and regularly. My town was in Kagoshima, and I so loved the time there. Like every culture on this planet, there are some elements to lament but far more to celebrate. My colleagues used to love to teach me Kagoshima-ben, too! Some readers interpreted the text under your dialogue as some kind of diss, but living there we know that it's common on Japanese TV for even native speakers. Beautiful Japanese skills!!
WhosYourDetti 3 years ago 3
what's Kagoshima-ben?
camlyoko 3 years ago
Its the dialect spoken in Kagoshima. Like ~bo
bigbuggie5 3 years ago
It does make one wonder though if diplomacy is even worth the effort. I always though I wanted to do that someday but I begin to wonder if it is just a waste of time. Likely what would solve the problem is not allowing any foreigners into the country as all. Boycotting all imports and just letting Japan disappear into the abyss. They would likely be just fine with this and frankly it would likely be better. At least then they couldn't accuse foreigners for their own domestic problems.
BlazinNSoul 3 years ago
Part 1
Why even bother teaching English in Japan. No Japanese will ever use it and they hate Foreigners anyways. Anyone who has lived in Japan for any length of time knows this all to well. I am not saying all Japanese are xenophobic but it is likely the politically correct thing to do. One may ask the question is change possible? It's possible but not without some changes of our own. Like withdrawing all our Military Forces from Japan.
BlazinNSoul 3 years ago
mansion apartment!
spellbunny 3 years ago
In Japan, absolutely!! LOL! Well, mind you, this is not Tokyo, you know :)
kentishken 3 years ago
awesome! youre a teacher in japan? =]
Snishtine 3 years ago
Oh, the JET program! *sigh* I applied for it this year but couldn't even get an interview.
megarockman 3 years ago
What I've noticed is that the people who are in japan complaining the don't fit in are wonting something for nothing. White people in general don't understand what being a minority really is. If half of the complainers did even about half as much effort as this guy is then I'm sure the complainers residing in japan would have a more rewarding life there. Period! If you were to come back to the usa and complain to a black man about "Fitting in" he would probably say "it's about time". I'm white.
shegax03 3 years ago
thank you x million for saying this, I've wanted to say something similar on so many blogs/videos but couldn't express it properly. I am also white, and being white is the easiest shit in the world, even where it's the minority. I couldn't even contemplate trying to live in a foreign country without doing my best to learn the language, and I sure as hell wouldn't start ranting/whining that everyone viewed me as a foreigner. anyway, great comment :)
kmuffett 2 years ago 2
do not misunderstand guys. There are several types of people that they have also several thoughts about culture,race, relgion etc... Some are racists while some are friendly. We all people are not able to be a god. Hate each other and love each other.
However, we should not forget to respect each other.
aisurukokoro 3 years ago 2
Oh, right, and Japan is superior, huh?
Amerika-jin in japan is just as bad as nihon-jin in walt disney world. Don't fool yourselves, it's easier for nihon-jin to travel in america than amerika-jin in japan.
morelikejewtubelol 3 years ago
代々、東京に住む人間に言わせれば、
hw1001お前こそ東京の品位を下げる芋野郎。
hw1001 は、曲芸団がお似合い。皆で餌を与えて芸をさせよう。
DinosaurJp 4 years ago 7
so yu omae mo chiho shusshinsha daro!
kuni he kaere inaka mono!
Schutzstaffel33 3 years ago
It's great to see this man speaking both the standard Japanese and the dialect of the prefecture he lives in.
masaegu 4 years ago 4
いい話すぎて泣いた。
josshu89 4 years ago 3
nice
jajaklar82 4 years ago 3
かっこいい～☆
tarou3917 4 years ago 3