From: tanaka@til.til.com (Yokichi Tanaka)
Subject: Re: Not a Myth at All
Organization: Togai InfraLogic, Inc.
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 02:22:37 GMT

In article <33964@twics.co.jp>, dcroz@twics.co.jp writes:

    [obviously stuff's been deleted]

|>      Part of the reason is that it is an article of faith in the religion of
|> Japanism that filthy nig. . .err, I mean, that g**j*n can't learn to speak
|> Japanese.  When faced with a Japanese-speaking g**j*n, reactions may include
|> shock, disbelief, revulsion, and anger, but always include cognitive dissonance
|> produced by reality's refusal to conform to their beliefs.  The *very common*
|> refusal to converse in Japanese is an attempt to restore order in the universe
|> through denial, and an attempt to reassert superiority:  "I'm smart enough to
|> learn your language but you're not smart enough to learn mine, so we'll have to
|> converse in English:  Can. . .hepping. . .you. . .somesing?"

    [more stuff deleted]

|>      And all this is just by way of denying that you can speak Japanese at all,
|> much less that your Japanese could be <gasp> better than his English.

    [more stuff deleted]

Are you a psychologist?  Are you a mind reader?  There may be some 
Japanese who think like the above, but I would say *very* few.  You don't
seem to grasp the fact that Japanese culture has a totally different
personality than that of the US or other countries.  The Japanese
themselves call it "haji no bunka" (roughly, "culture of shame").
Also, from the time Japanese are kids they hear the phrase "okyaku
sama wa kamisama desu".  This feeling permeates throughout society.
Add to that ... I think *more* of Japanese have an inferiority complex
against the Americans than a superiority thing.  I mean ... I remember
many of my friends complaining "why do we (Japanese) have to all
learn English".  "Why can't they learn Japanese?"  "Well, I guess
America is much more important to the world than Japan."

So, here are some underlying factors ...
  1.  Japanese, in general, do not expect foreigners to learn their
      language.
  2.  It is engrained in their minds to accomodate the customer
      as much as possible.
  3.  People that work in Kiosks or fast food places are low-skill
      labor.  They are adept at performing their routine duties, but
      are totally inept when it comes to an unexpected situation.
  4.  They are probably taught what to do if a foreigner who might
      understand English approaches.  They are probably not taught
      what to do if that person spoke Japanese.
  5.  Japanese, in general, tend to "tomadou" ("be at a loss") when
      confronted with an extraordinary situation.  Maybe the "learn-
      by-rote" education system is to blame ... maybe it's their 
      emphasis on "dantai-katsudou" ("group activities").

So looking at your situation, it is _possible_ that these low-skilled
laborers all have this "holier than thou" mindset ... but it's not
likely.  They have other things to worry about.  Such as life.

Another possibility is that they have never encountered a foreigner
who ordered in Japanese.  They were told what to say ("Can I help you"),
but that was about it.  People that are quick on their feet could handle
those situations, but those people usually don't work at those jobs
very long.  They either move up or move on.  So a foreigner orders in
Japanese, they don't know what to do.  "Does he really know what he's
ordering?"  "Is he really saying what I think he's saying?"

Also, consider this.  This might not apply to Kiosk situations, but
in a restaurant, they may try talking back in English so that you
will be forced to point to an item on the menu.  That way there is no
screw-up.  They get in trouble for screwing up your order, so it's in
their best interest to be absolutely sure what you want.

|>      And this is the rule, not the exception.  The Japanese *do not want* ketou
|> speaking Japanese.  They are comforted by the master race dogma that holds us
|> too stupid to learn it, and they like having a language barrier to hide behind.

Finally, you got something right.  Many people like hiding behind barriers
period.  They're called introverted, shy, whatever, ... normal.  Have you
ever tried communicating with an elevator girl?  They don't like that.
Their job is to greet people with that "robot" voice all day ... not to
converse with customers.  Many seem to enjoy the barrier that voice offers
them.  Otherwise, it could be a pretty draining day, emotionally.  Remember,
many people like barriers.  Many people like being able to lock their
doors.

I'm not saying all Japanese are shy and awkward, and that none have
a superiority thing.  However, I would think you'd find more of the
former than the latter in Kiosks, restaurants, etc.

Some of the most arrogant Japanese I've met are those that have
spent 2 or 3 years abroad and go back thinking they have the other
side all figured out.
 
|>      But when faced with this, you don't have to take it lying down.  Look at
|> the offender in puzzlement and say, as if to yourself,
|>  
|>      "Nanigo shabetteiru, koitsu?"
|>  
|>           Then, to the offender,
|>  
|>      "Nihonjin ja nai kai?"
|>  
|>           The bigot will probably be very offended at this and affirm his
|>           master race status in no uncertain terms.  Then follow up, again as
|>           though talking to yourself, with,
|>  
|>      "Kawaisou, neh?  Jibun no bokokugo ga hanasenai.  Chie no okureta 
|>      yatsu ka naaa?"
|>
|>      "Tsugi Nihon wa sensou wo okosu toki, senjou de mata aou na?"

Sounds like you're trying to fire the first shot.

      - an admitted LA-phile

-- 
Yoke Tanaka             Togai InfraLogic, Inc.             "fuzzy"
714-975-8522            5 Vanderbilt
tanaka@til.com          Irvine, California, USA

"Where are you gonna be?  On the moon?"
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan