Monday, July 8, 2019

Japanese People Talk to Each Other in English

It happened some years ago. I had a chance to meet my classmates from Teachers College Tokyo campus.

After the occasion, an old classmate and I took the same train because we were going home in the same direction. We talked to each other in English in the spirit of the happy occasion. We were Japanese but were both fluent in English and perhaps more comfortable talking to each other in the language.

A man had been listening to our conversation and looked at us - being upset. He said, "Why are you talking to each other in English. I think you are Japanese. And I don't like two Japanese persons talking in English. When you laugh, it looks like you guys are laughing at something about Japan."

Well, it was some years ago. Today, I had a chance to talk about bilingual Japanese people talking to each other in English. It was a public discussion on the Internet.

A reply from a Japanese man reminded me of the train incident. He said, "You study English in junior high and high school days. Teachers give us poor grades, planting an inferior complex to those who are not interested in English. When you see two Japanese persons talking to each other in English, I want to kick them on the back and say, 'Why are you talking to each other in English? Stop speaking English. I can't stand it.'"

I am not sure if I should be offended or being analytical. One thing for sure is that some Japanese people hold inferior complex serious enough to blame some other Japanese for thier success.

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