Opinions on "Japanese" terms in class.

[bbk2132]

my dojo uses japanese terms, and i use as much japanese with the kids i teach. They have a lot of fun learning japanese words, and I think it does help to connect the arts to it's roots.

Another thing is when I go to seminars with instructors from other countries, i may not know what they are saying but i know what techniques they want us to do. The japanese helps to unify the style a bit almost.

[white owl]

We use japanese words for somethings like for counting and some techniques. I find nothing wrong it and I like learning it too.

and also it is mantory for belt test , you have no so many word for different grades of belts.

[tori]

Just seems we all agree to disagree. Those who were not taught the terminology in the native language will argue for not learning and teaching it. Those who have been taught the proper native term for their movements will argue for learning it. Let me ask all of you this, what do you call your kata? I would much rather call my kata by their given names than their english interpretations. It just seems better to say Kanku Dai as opposed to Sky viewing or flowing lagoon kata. Also, if I wanted to go online to look up any one of my shotokan kata, they will be listed under their given japanese names.

[Killer Miller]

I kind of like the sounds of Flowing Lagoon Tori. Reminds me of when I first start to learn Kanku Dai. lol

- Killer -

[white owl]

I like your point tori, I call my katas by their given name. but sometimes I slip on the pinan kata's and call them pinan 5, instead of pinan godan.

[bushido_man96]

Let me ask all of you this, what do you call your kata? I would much rather call my kata by their given names than their english interpretations. It just seems better to say Kanku Dai as opposed to Sky viewing or flowing lagoon kata. Also, if I wanted to go online to look up any one of my shotokan kata, they will be listed under their given japanese names.

This makes sense, as the kata names tend to be proper names, and so are referred to more often by these Japanes names.

[NightOwl]

For some things though (like a basic roundhouse kick), I don't know if it really matters how you refer to it in class. If you do a lot of international tournaments and seminars however, it might be good to learn the name for it I think

[BillKephart]

We use both and I like it.

[Underlink]

Just seems we all agree to disagree. Those who were not taught the terminology in the native language will argue for not learning and teaching it. Those who have been taught the proper native term for their movements will argue for learning it. Let me ask all of you this, what do you call your kata? I would much rather call my kata by their given names than their english interpretations. It just seems better to say Kanku Dai as opposed to Sky viewing or flowing lagoon kata. Also, if I wanted to go online to look up any one of my shotokan kata, they will be listed under their given japanese names.

I like your point tori, assumable japanese karate at some point was only known in japan by japnese people, this was then taught to english people, who mpost likly would have been taught it using the japanese.

at what point did some englishman decide that they were going to dismiss the native language of the art and not teach the was his/hers sensei taught.

by the sound of it most karate dojos use terminology and a few dont id say the mojaority do it how it was meant to be done and some didnt like it so didnt do it. does not sound right to me

[Blade96]

Absolutely!

I'm famous for it - hehe, I love to use japanese terminology so much I even forget the english - ("whats a uchi uke? oh ya - inside/outside block")

Sometimes when sensei isnt there and the BB's would even be wrestling with the words Like couple of weeks ago one of my shodans was tryig to remember the word for 'turn' and none of them remembered and I gave it to them 'mawatte'

and then the BB's would look at each other and shake their heads 'this yellow belt knows more than us - what the -'

its funny lol

btw I love watching Kanku Dai 'The view of the sky' I love watching when my Sandan friend is doing it. He taught me about that one.

Bassai Dai 'extract from a fortress' is gorgeous as well. Though my brown belt friend doesn't like that she has to learn it, lol.