Japanese vs english in training

[cross]

I know my Korean for my TKD, and use it in class, but if I were to talk to you, or work out with you, I would use English, and not expect you to understand my Korean terminology.

Of course, in a one off situation its helpful to use english. But if i decided to dedicate myself to a korean style i would expect to use the korean terminology and using it would most likely make the techniques easier to talk about. I think thats what most of the other posters are getting at.

[bushido_man96]

I know my Korean for my TKD, and use it in class, but if I were to talk to you, or work out with you, I would use English, and not expect you to understand my Korean terminology.

Of course, in a one off situation its helpful to use english. But if i decided to dedicate myself to a korean style i would expect to use the korean terminology and using it would most likely make the techniques easier to talk about. I think thats what most of the other posters are getting at.

I agree with you here. However, I don't think tradition is lost just because a teacher wants to teach in English. Yeah, we want to use the Japanese/Korean titles of forms and such, but the English language commonly adopts words like this into use, so to me, it is not a big deal.

[Rateh]

I know my Korean for my TKD, and use it in class, but if I were to talk to you, or work out with you, I would use English, and not expect you to understand my Korean terminology.

Of course, in a one off situation its helpful to use english. But if i decided to dedicate myself to a korean style i would expect to use the korean terminology and using it would most likely make the techniques easier to talk about. I think thats what most of the other posters are getting at.

I agree with you here. However, I don't think tradition is lost just because a teacher wants to teach in English. Yeah, we want to use the Japanese/Korean titles of forms and such, but the English language commonly adopts words like this into use, so to me, it is not a big deal.

I agree. The english langauge is always adding words. If you looked "karate" is probably in the english dictionary. In my school we use mostly english, though for lining up we sometimes use korean. And for kata as well as a few basic terms, we use japanese (dojo, gi, obi, uke, etc). Our style isnt exclusivly japanese or korean, hence the mixture. I do like it that most people on the forums use english words for techniques. I find it confusing if they use japanese or korean, and while I do enjoy learning more of each language, I dont know the names of every technique in both. -.-

[bushido_man96]

I know my Korean for my TKD, and use it in class, but if I were to talk to you, or work out with you, I would use English, and not expect you to understand my Korean terminology.

Of course, in a one off situation its helpful to use english. But if i decided to dedicate myself to a korean style i would expect to use the korean terminology and using it would most likely make the techniques easier to talk about. I think thats what most of the other posters are getting at.

I agree with you here. However, I don't think tradition is lost just because a teacher wants to teach in English. Yeah, we want to use the Japanese/Korean titles of forms and such, but the English language commonly adopts words like this into use, so to me, it is not a big deal.

I agree. The english langauge is always adding words. If you looked "karate" is probably in the english dictionary. In my school we use mostly english, though for lining up we sometimes use korean. And for kata as well as a few basic terms, we use japanese (dojo, gi, obi, uke, etc). Our style isnt exclusivly japanese or korean, hence the mixture. I do like it that most people on the forums use english words for techniques. I find it confusing if they use japanese or korean, and while I do enjoy learning more of each language, I dont know the names of every technique in both. -.-

The way you describe it is the way I used to do it our ATA school. The school I am in now uses more Korean terminology. However, common words like dojang, and chareot, kyung-ne, and there Japanese counterparts, will always be standards in the martial arts communities.

[CheekyMusician]

For me, if i wanted to converse with people to help futher my own training it would be with people who are highly trained in my style. So japanese language would be appropriate. If however, i thought i would be able to progess or learn about the style i do by conversing with practicioners of a korean style, i would take the time to learn the korean terminology.

You are getting closer to what I am saying. Also, Killer Miller, I understand about karate guys communicating to each other. I know my Korean for my TKD, and use it in class, but if I were to talk to you, or work out with you, I would use English, and not expect you to understand my Korean terminology.

When I post, I usually talk about techniques in English, therefore no one has to wonder what it is I am talking about.

I can see what you're saying, but I don't see why it would cause an issue. Just because you learn the Japanese or Korean for a technique doesn't mean that somehow you hoover out your own native language for the technique out your head.

Obviously, if I was to train with a TKD practitioner, I wouldn't say to him, 'lets work on Mae Geri.' I'd ask him to work on a 'front kick', but that still doesn't remove the advantages of knowing the Japanese or Korean terminology for use within your own system.

And furthermore, if I (as a Shotokan girl) was to practice with a foreign TKD guy, say from Russia and he didn't know any English and I didn't know any Russian, it would probably be more likely that we'd be able to communicate better through Japanese or Korean as one of us would probably have at least a basic familiarity with the other's style terminology than we would of each other's native languages.

[alsey]

i'm very much in favour of as much japanese language as possible. one of the main reasons i practice martial arts is because i'm interested in the tradition and the history, and language is a vital part of this. also the english translations of japanese terms are often incomplete or incorrect. e.g. 'age uke' does not mean upward block.

ultimately i don't think it matters. names are just names, and martial art is a lot more than semantics. personally i just like to have as much traditional elements in the art as possible.

[Daimyo]

I also believe having Japanese instructions adds context and tradition to Karate. I find the biggest benefit, however, from learning Japanese terminology is when attending seminars (or even grading) from Japanese guest instructors. I rarely can understand their call-outs in broken-English - but when I hear "Jodan Mawashi-Geri"....OSU!!

[strangepair03]

We use mostly Japanese/Okinawan in the dojo. I think if you study a system from another country, you should atleast learn the names of the techniques, salutations and be able to count in the native tounge.

But that's just me

[legkicker]

it makes it easier from going from one legit Karate school to another knowing the terminology in Japanese. I could go to a school in another country and not have a problem understanding because they will be teaching in Japanese karate teriminology.

The schools I have trained at have done English for beginners but if they're some Americanized watered down style they have done English.

I even teach Muay Thai in Thai when I'm teaching to more intermediate students. So this isn't just a Karate thing.

[Sohan]

For what it's worth, I teach Hispanic children that speak little English, so I have to teach them the techniques in Spanish and Japanese, THEN I have to teach the rest of the kids with English as well. So we have at least 3 languages floating around. Makes for an interesting class!

With respect,

Sohan