日本語は難しいですよ。何年間も日本語を勉強しているのに、まだ「私、僕、俺」とは、どれを使ったらいいかよく分かりません。先生に聞いたら、「私」を使った方がいいと言うのですが、友達の会話を聞いたり、テレビ番組を見ると、男性達は全然「私」を使っていなさそうです。どうしたらいいのでしょうか。「私」を使えば、なんか保守的すぎるかんじがするけど、「僕」だったらおじさんぽくないのですか？「俺」はちょっと乱暴な言葉ではないですか。聞くとヤクザを思い浮かべます。あなたはどう思いますか。
I've been studying Japanese on-and-off for a few years, and for the life of me, I still struggle with how to address myself. That's right, I still haven't ever come up with a good way to say "I". There's a number of reasons for this, but I'll enumerate just a few here...
There are at least four ways (that I know of) to say "I" in Japanese -- and that number probably goes up if you include local dialects.
a) The first is watashi(私). Watashi is what you learn in your good ol' shokyuusho (初級書) or "first steps in Japanese" textbook. Most instructors will drive home repeatedly that this is the form non-native Japanese speakers should use when speaking and referring to themselves. This makes watashi instantly unappealing, since nobody wants to be pegged as a newbie.
b) In the early stages of your studies, you might also come across another version of "I" known as watakushi (also 私). Instructors know they have nothing to fear in your attempts to use this one, because it is so exceedingly formal that it would be humiliating to use, unless you're speaking to someone in a highfalutin position, such as the prime-minister. (e.g. try using an Elizabethan English word like "methinks" the next time you order a sandwich to achieve the same effect.)
c) Problem is, the first time you hear two men having a conversation -- you will immediately encounter the term boku (僕). Boku is a more-masculine form of "I", that is immediately appealing (primarily because it is not 私). I used this quite happily for months until my Japanese wife R pointed out that I sounded stilted and old-fashioned. Though more masculine, apparently only balding guys with bow-ties use 僕. So 僕 is out...
d) Which brings us to the most forbidden of all common "I" references: ore (俺). According to all of my instructors, this is never to be used, primarily because it is so masculine. So, needless to say, all males seem to use this one exclusively. Everywhere you look...er, listen, you'll hear this one. Unfortunately, I am a complete milquetoast when it comes to employing macho diction in good company, and as a consequence, generally weenie-out with boku.
So what's a guy to do? Well, the only workable solution I've found is avoidance. Japanese tends not to use personal pro-nouns. I don't have to say "I'm going to the bank". I just say "bank going (to)" and everyone understands. So It's relatively easy to escape in a natural sounding way, compared to English -- unless of course you're Yoda.
Wait... methinks Yoda would probably use watakushi... argh....
Any of you J-students have suggestions?
I've been studying Japanese on-and-off for a few years, and for the life of me, I still struggle with how to address myself. That's right, I still haven't ever come up with a good way to say "I". There's a number of reasons for this, but I'll enumerate just a few here...
There are at least four ways (that I know of) to say "I" in Japanese -- and that number probably goes up if you include local dialects.
a) The first is watashi(私). Watashi is what you learn in your good ol' shokyuusho (初級書) or "first steps in Japanese" textbook. Most instructors will drive home repeatedly that this is the form non-native Japanese speakers should use when speaking and referring to themselves. This makes watashi instantly unappealing, since nobody wants to be pegged as a newbie.
b) In the early stages of your studies, you might also come across another version of "I" known as watakushi (also 私). Instructors know they have nothing to fear in your attempts to use this one, because it is so exceedingly formal that it would be humiliating to use, unless you're speaking to someone in a highfalutin position, such as the prime-minister. (e.g. try using an Elizabethan English word like "methinks" the next time you order a sandwich to achieve the same effect.)
c) Problem is, the first time you hear two men having a conversation -- you will immediately encounter the term boku (僕). Boku is a more-masculine form of "I", that is immediately appealing (primarily because it is not 私). I used this quite happily for months until my Japanese wife R pointed out that I sounded stilted and old-fashioned. Though more masculine, apparently only balding guys with bow-ties use 僕. So 僕 is out...
d) Which brings us to the most forbidden of all common "I" references: ore (俺). According to all of my instructors, this is never to be used, primarily because it is so masculine. So, needless to say, all males seem to use this one exclusively. Everywhere you look...er, listen, you'll hear this one. Unfortunately, I am a complete milquetoast when it comes to employing macho diction in good company, and as a consequence, generally weenie-out with boku.
So what's a guy to do? Well, the only workable solution I've found is avoidance. Japanese tends not to use personal pro-nouns. I don't have to say "I'm going to the bank". I just say "bank going (to)" and everyone understands. So It's relatively easy to escape in a natural sounding way, compared to English -- unless of course you're Yoda.
Wait... methinks Yoda would probably use watakushi... argh....
Any of you J-students have suggestions?
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by butazabuta
| 2005-04-25 01:41
| Rant! (文句）
