Original message ([an error occurred while processing this directive] Views )[an error occurred while processing this directive]
| Sensenic 707th Post
 
Red Carpet Regular Member
  
    
    
|  "If you wanna learn Japanese... (weird post)"
, posted Wed 23 Jul 15:34:
Just go to Switzerland.
When we were in Zermatt (a mountain village), Glacier Express (a relatively famous train) and Jungfraujoch (a mountain with a freakin' high train station within it) we found a lot (a LOT) of Japanese tourists (there was a group in the GE that filled 2 entire coaches), and Japanese seemed to be the fourth/fifth official language. Specially in Zermatt: Switzerland has three official languages: German, French and Italian; but in that village every bar/restaurant/whatsoever was in German, Italian, English and Japanese, while French was nowhere to be seen.
Just wanted to say it really surprised me.
One question (to call it some way) for the Japanese speaking people here: In the Jungfraujoch train, I heard the announcer adressing to the costumers as "minna sama". I know believe that "sama" is used to address to people in a (¿very?) formal way, but I always thought it was used only for, errr... you know, bosses and all kind of badasses (to say it badly, couldn't find a better phrase), not for just "normal people" in general, even if you're supposed to talk to them in a formal way. It surprised me, since until now I had only heard "minna" or "minna san". I guess I was wrong, wasn't I? What does it mean/when is it used exactly?
Rincewind: Hello! Anyone out there?!
Not only he is a communist. He's a Nazi too! XD
-From the French movie Le train de la vie (The train of life)-
[this message was edited by Sensenic on Wed 23 Jul 15:37] |
| Replies:
|
| Abe no Seimei
71th Post
Occasional Customer
|  "Re(1):If you wanna learn Japanese... (weird p"
, posted Wed 23 Jul 17:06
quote:
Just go to Switzerland.
When we were in Zermatt (a mountain village), Glacier Express (a relatively famous train) and Jungfraujoch (a mountain with a freakin' high train station within it) we found a lot (a LOT) of Japanese tourists (there was a group in the GE that filled 2 entire coaches), and Japanese seemed to be the fourth/fifth official language. Specially in Zermatt: Switzerland has three official languages: German, French and Italian; but in that village every bar/restaurant/whatsoever was in German, Italian, English and Japanese, while French was nowhere to be seen.
Just wanted to say it really surprised me.
One question (to call it some way) for the Japanese speaking people here: In the Jungfraujoch train, I heard the announcer adressing to the costumers as "minna sama". I know believe that "sama" is used to address to people in a (¿very?) formal way, but I always thought it was used only for, errr... you know, bosses and all kind of badasses (to say it badly, couldn't find a better phrase), not for just "normal people" in general, even if you're supposed to talk to them in a formal way. It surprised me, since until now I had only heard "minna" or "minna san". I guess I was wrong, wasn't I? What does it mean/when is it used exactly?
well that's indeed surprising. I wouldn't have imagined there was so many Japanese tourist in Switzerland...Weird...
I'm going to Barcelona o Friday, and I wonder if their is also Japanese tourist there.
Regarding sama, in the simpliest way, it stands for a more polite form of san.
Thus, announcers, tourist guide, salesmen and shopkeepers usally use it when talking to customers since the customer is supposedly in a higher position. There's nothing weird here at all. Sama is just a formal way to call somebody you theorically have to show respect to. However, it's just conventional and has no inner respectfull meaning at all. For example, when you write a letter to somebody, you'll always put sama right to his name even if it's your best friend.
It's widly believed that japanese people are ubber polite or whatever but in fact they just mechanicaly use some polite form in convetionnal/appropiate situations. I forgot almost all my spanish since I started to learn japanese years ago, but I think that sama thing is not that farly remote from the way you use Usted and Ustedes. Or maybe not. Sorry if this comparison is just plain nonsense.
このカラスは式神にこそ有りけれ。
|
| Sensenic 707th Post
Red Carpet Regular Member
| "Re(2):If you wanna learn Japanese... (weird p" , posted Thu 24 Jul 05:02
quote:
well that's indeed surprising. I wouldn't have imagined there was so many Japanese tourist in Switzerland...Weird...
I'm going to Barcelona o Friday, and I wonder if their is also Japanese tourist there.
On Friday? you mean tomorrow? ooh... Pity I won't be there for a pair or two ( ) weeks. I live in Barcelona (more or less).
As for Jap tourists, go to any work from Gaudí (Sagrada Família, Pedrera/Casa Milà and Parc Güell are the most famous), it'll be VERY rare if you don't find at least a Japanese group or two. Don't know why, seems they admire Gaudí's work a lot.
quote:
Regarding sama, in the simpliest way, it stands for a more polite form of san.
Thus, announcers, tourist guide, salesmen and shopkeepers usally use it when talking to customers since the customer is supposedly in a higher position. There's nothing weird here at all. Sama is just a formal way to call somebody you theorically have to show respect to. However, it's just conventional and has no inner respectfull meaning at all. For example, when you write a letter to somebody, you'll always put sama right to his name even if it's your best friend.
It's widly believed that japanese people are ubber polite or whatever but in fact they just mechanicaly use some polite form in convetionnal/appropiate situations. I forgot almost all my spanish since I started to learn japanese years ago, but I think that sama thing is not that farly remote from the way you use Usted and Ustedes. Or maybe not. Sorry if this comparison is just plain nonsense.
Thanks for the explanations, minna sama 
As for how you explain it Abe, I'd say "Usted" o "Ustedes" would be a good equivalent in Spanish, although I think "sama" is even more polite.
Rincewind: Hello! Anyone out there?!
Not only he is a communist. He's a Nazi too! XD
-From the French movie Le train de la vie (The train of life)-
|
|
|
"Re(3):If you wanna learn Japanese... (weird p" 