Wednesday, April 06, 2005
The Essence of Being Japanese
While I'm being sick and overly busy, I suggest you go read Mark Liberman's post on Language Log about the widespread attitude in Japan that Japanese is an impenetrably difficult language that only the Japanese can truly understand:
"The Japanese are Japanese because they speak Japanese"
Further Asian-based amusement can be found in the news of the past month or so:
Japanese breast-enhancing gum. Note that I can totally imagine the "B2Up!" commercial in my head.
Controversy sweeps the sumo world! Pants will be the downfall of us all, apparently.
Japan's virgin housewives turn to sex volunteers. Um, yeah.
And finally, only tangentially related, Alberto Fujimori has, from Japan, launched his comeback political campaign in Peru, with... his very own soft-drink company. Fuji-Cola: quenching the thirst of popular discontent.
Enjoy.
While I'm being sick and overly busy, I suggest you go read Mark Liberman's post on Language Log about the widespread attitude in Japan that Japanese is an impenetrably difficult language that only the Japanese can truly understand:
"The Japanese are Japanese because they speak Japanese"
Further Asian-based amusement can be found in the news of the past month or so:
Japanese breast-enhancing gum. Note that I can totally imagine the "B2Up!" commercial in my head.
Controversy sweeps the sumo world! Pants will be the downfall of us all, apparently.
Japan's virgin housewives turn to sex volunteers. Um, yeah.
And finally, only tangentially related, Alberto Fujimori has, from Japan, launched his comeback political campaign in Peru, with... his very own soft-drink company. Fuji-Cola: quenching the thirst of popular discontent.
Enjoy.
