Speaking Japanese makes you think differently

by **Taro Toporific** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 9:52 pm

Language influences the way you think
ananova.com / Sept 12
Speakers of different languages not only describe the world differently but think about it differently too, according to a new study....
Dr Sotaro Kita of the University of Bristol's Department of Experimental Psychology, showed the cartoon to a group of native English, Japanese and Turkish speakers and then watched their gestures as they described the action they had seen.... For example, when describing a scene where Sylvester swings on a rope, the English speakers used gestures showing an arc trajectory and the Japanese and Turkish speakers tended to use straight gestures showing the motion but not the arc.
Dr Kita suggests this is because Japanese and Turkish have no verb that corresponds to the English intransitive verb 'to swing'....

by **Col.Kilgore** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 10:09 pm

yawn.....usual japanese attempt to show how feckin' 'unique' their language is....,yawn

by **cstaylor** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 10:14 pm

by **American Oyaji** » Mon Sep 15, 2003 10:42 pm

I think this is actually true. Despite what Col. Fullbore :lol:

says.

When I am thinking in Japanese, my responses to the outside world are different. My parents can tell when I have been interaction in Japanese for a while. They tell me I change. I FEEL I change when speaking Japanese as opposed to English.

Sometimes, it's even easier for me to convey a FEELING in Japanese as opposed to English.

In my opinion, English is a very technical and precise language. Japanese isnt. Its vague at times and deals a lot more with the FEELING, than the fact.

by **CAkOS** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 2:41 am

what if I speak several languages? am I mentally disturbed?

by **jim katta** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 2:47 am

Its vague at times and deals a lot more with the FEELING, than the fact.

I totally agree. I'm from a family of very precise english speakers, so cracking this fundamental dynamic that you mentioned was the key to opening japanese to my mind. on the other hand, learning all the kanji is proving to be a mix of precise & vague that is definitely challenging.

by **japslapper** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 6:45 am

CAkOS wrote:what if I speak several languages? am I mentally disturbed?

If your an FG you are mentally disturbed :lol:

. Once get get pulled in by Nipon its a slippery slope in to the abyss of weirdness.

Dunno about you guys but I am definately a cunninlinguist :twisted:

by **Col.Kilgore** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 5:50 pm

Reading, writing, speaking and listening to Japanese too much will destroy your rational and logical thought processes. The more japanese you study the less you will be able to converse in your own tongue to the same degree of fluency you once enjoyed. So there.... :lol:

by **American Oyaji** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 10:16 pm

Not so Kilgore.

I am actually able to think on my feet better now.

Before, if someone jammed me up in an argument, I'd stumble and lose the argument.

Now....I can defuse, inflame, obfusciate (sp), confuse anyone I debate with now.

by **Andocrates** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 11:01 pm

Kilgore how much Japanese do you know? Learning japanese has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever attemped. It's too bad you got so soured on Japan because while we bitch and moan most of us are enjoying Japan at the same time. You might only focus on the bitching and moaning.

Japan is country anyone can leave at anytime. If people keep on staying and bitching at the same time then:

A: they are retarded
B: they actually like Japan, but bitching about it helps us deal with the problems.

by **Big Booger** » Tue Sep 16, 2003 11:09 pm

I like speaking J-lingo.. I hate writing, reading, or listening to it

LMAO

I need to actually start studying Japanese quite a bit more than I am. I think I will start this week.

by **Andocrates** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 3:16 am

by **devicenull** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 1:05 pm

i definitely feel different when speaking japanese. love it

by **Big Booger** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 1:10 pm

study 2 hours a day and farking eat natto.. ewwww

by **American Oyaji** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 1:45 pm

by **Big Booger** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:12 pm

atama ga ii

smart.. I guess would be the translation.

by **Andocrates** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:55 pm

Good job, you get a nice tall glass of warm Soy Milk now. Itadekimasu!

by **kamome** » Wed Sep 17, 2003 4:11 pm

by **Snapped** » Sun Sep 21, 2003 9:37 pm

This isn't really anything new. It sounds like the Sapir/Whorf theory being tested out.

by **Andocrates** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 3:08 am

kamome, thank you I will study that. shi, I never got shi or kute locked down, so I will add it to a flash card. Some of those kanji look scary!

by **devicenull** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 3:29 am

by **devicenull** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 3:33 am

by **kamome** » Mon Sep 22, 2003 12:45 pm

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Speaking Japanese makes you think differently

Speaking Japanese makes you think differently

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