Yes, I am majoring in Japanese.

[Blitzkommando]

No, I am not interested in majoring in Chinese.

Normally I would let something like that slide. A person simply making an offhand remark, a suggestion perhaps, as to my chosen path of study. Normally.

However, it seems that every time I mention my choice of degree, whether to other persons my age or to people many years my senior, the first response which is usually not even preceeded by a pause is, "Why aren't you taking Chinese? Chinese is a better language to take because [insert pithy remark here]." When I say this is a common response, I can recall only three people out of dozens who didn't come up with that response, two are my close friends who already knew of my interest in the language, and the third was... a barber this week of whom I have occasionally spoken to over the years but certainly not enough for us to have developed any sort of relationship aside from small conversation.

Actually, speaking with her was so completely refreshing compared to prior experiences. In fact, I prepared myself for the inevitable only to find that she was surprised, as well as seemingly impressed, by my choice. I think this might largely be due to her grandson also taking Japanese as a part of his international business degree but regardless of reason it was a breath of fresh air from the norm.

I suppose what is most irritating is that, when I have more time to discuss, I typically note that my major shall be Japanese but that I am also considering a minor in Russian. The Russian is typically ignored and like a broken record the conversation tends to veer wildly off course towards why I'm taking Japanese and not Chinese. It's not even a situation where I've ever been asked about any other language, it has always been Chinese. Hell, I would be pleased if someone asked if I was also interested in other languages, like Chinese as an example but people never portray it that way. It's always asked as an either-or statement, as if one can only possibly learn two languages total and that, already having English as default, that if I learn Japanese I can never possibly learn Chinese or any other language.

What is most annoying about this is that I find myself interested in languages as a whole, primarily East Asian and European, but languages as a whole nonetheless. I frankly don't understand that mentality that I'm somehow ruining myself by learning a language which I have years of interest, and already a year of study, invested. It's as if the idea of someone being not simply bilingual, but fluent or even conversationally competent in more than two languages is somehow an impossible task. Perhaps this is due to the rather homogenous linguistic heritage of the large majority of this country, where being able to speak Spanish or French with any sort of capacity and retaining that ability is considered something of a marvel and that Europeans who speak three languages fluently are considered nigh insane for the perceived dedication to which such capability is presumed to have required.

Is it truly that hard to comprehend someone simply having such an interest in languages and linguistics (and I dare say even an amateur interest in etymology in my case) that one could continue to learn languages as learning any other skill? While I carry not the interest to learn to program it is the same concept is it not? There are hundreds of languages for programming and is it not uncommon for good programmers, professional or amateur, to be able to read and write in multiple languages? Why is it that people have little trouble accepting that someone can program, and read programs, in multiple diverse computing languages and yet the concept of a person learning multiple human languages is some sort of unfathomable construct to the logic of these same people?

I suppose my irritation is over something rather minor and insignificant but it simply perplexes me that this attitude is simply so prevalent, so rampant. I would postulate then that my issue has less to do with the individuals and more to do with a more abstract concept which seems to dominate American culture. I would be interested to hear of other language majors from other countries, especially countries where being bilingual (or multilingual even) is more common and if similar experiences arose.

In any event, I look forward to my transfer this autumn where I can finally fully pursue my language dreams. Perhaps there I might unlock the answers to my questions here. Until then, I just hope nobody else asks me about Chinese.

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

Immaculate rant. Ended well with closure where there is nothing more to continue with other than own reflections on the read.

I can't add any anecdotes as not being a major of languages or from another country. Also have done plenty of times around here, repeated the spiel about Chinese/Spanish are the possible/practical ones to go toward with certain reasons, (instead of Japanese) to which I remember even RicoRoyal - quote reply "Yes, this right here. FACT"

But since then, I really won't push it in anyone's face if they want to learn some kanji for manga, some anime, maybe on up to business-travel-etc. whatever they'd like.

But I contantly use my very modicum, if not completely terrible Spanish, in practice all the time. The hard working fast food co-worker dudes, as a short order cook, instilled that in me with their kindness and me wronging one man terribly so I feel at least I owe him and their people that I will try to be peaceful and continue to mediate some stuff in Spanish, while expanding my vocabulary - if only at my slow pace - to help better whatever can be bettered with that.

California could be a safer haven than Arizona for one example. Unless Arnold/Meg Whitman secret handshake lateral hand the "football" (not paneled white/black octogon foot ball) off. & Democrats haven't been saints either, so no need to continue a topic that isn't mine about any of this - from this post on.

[Ketchup345]

People complaining about learning multiple (still in use) languages? Wow, I haven't heard that. Of any languages I'd say "why?!", Japanese would not be anywhere near that list as quickly I can think of uses in the electronical and automotive businesses (and others I am sure).

[Kion]

I would recomend taking Chinese. Living in Japan I cannot express how useless this langauge is. Japanese is pretty much Korean grammer with ripped off Chinese characters and katakana English sprinkled on top. Academics are dominated by the west at this moment, so all of my teachers teach imported subjects. Medicine, film, chemistry, physics, economics and pretty everything else are so horribly bastardized that you can barely make out the under lying latin roots. Seven years studying japanese and all i do is sit in class reading wikipedia. My reaction to passing the Japanese language proficeincy test level 1 was, "god I can't believe iwasted my life learning this shit".

By my experience aside, linguistically speaking Japanese is literally half Chinese and half English. The only time hiragana is ever used is for particles. Katakana is completely worthless and I would be much happier if it didn't exist (everyother country has enough sense that if they're using English they should use the freaking alphabet). Kanji is also completely worthless being needlessly over complicated with too many readings, and occasionally being inconistant with the original chinese meaning of the character. If you're going to invest the time to learn a langauge then anything other than Japanese would be worth it.

[navci]

I am not sure why it is surprising that people would say "oh, why don't you take Chinese instead?" Sure it is useful. But it doesn't surprise me that people would have more interest in Japanese over Chinese. And it isn't even because of the whole Japan-craze but more of the ya know, if you learn Japanese you can easily get media that will help you keep that language alive.

It's like me learning German, people often ask me why don't you learn French? It is much more useful where you live. Well. Maybe. But in the end I am putting in the effort to learn it so I might as well learn whatever I please. If you like whatever language so much and it is so useful you can go ahead and learn it yourself.

[Blitzkommando]

People complaining about learning multiple (still in use) languages? Wow, I haven't heard that. Of any languages I'd say "why?!", Japanese would not be anywhere near that list as quickly I can think of uses in the electronical and automotive businesses (and others I am sure).

I know. I didn't expect it either. I mean, I suppose I could understand if I had mentioned I was learning say, Luxembourgish or some other extremely-niche language, but instead it is a knee-jerk reaction. Again, only to Japanese though. Hell, I've mentioned about brushing up on my Spanish and that doesn't even earn a blink. The moment Japanese is mentioned it's like I'm some sort of mentally deficient child that needs to be told what I am doing is bad and that I should feel bad doing it.

As for complaints about the various alphabets of Japanese, that's part of the allure for me. Linguistically, I find it fascinating that Japanese has such unusual traits as having three native forms of writing. They are redundant in that regard, but on the other hand it tells you the origin of the word immediately, a trait that I can think of no other languages having. As for using Latin characters to represent loan words, I can see both sides. Russian is rather notorious now for borrowing words from English after the fall of the Soviet Union. Pick up Barron's 501 Russian Verbs and look in the back for the addendum list of 100 additional verbs and notice that more than half are English verbs which have been Russified. Japanese is hardly the only language to modify words to meet their own linguistic rules. In a way, that's better than English with our hodgepodge of grammar rules and lexicon which ranges from Latin to Czech with no changes made. I could go on a tirade on how English is so horribly confusing with massive variances even on just pronunciation of letters due to that history but that would lead me to further digress.

Point being, every language today is becoming less of what it was and more homogenized into some strange conglomeration. It's simply not possible to perform linguistic eugenics, and never has been possible, but in today's world it is quite firm in that point.

Navci, that is more or less my reasoning for pursuing Japanese over other languages at this juncture. It is fully my intention to learn as many languages as possible in the long run, and based on my career choice that will be a fairly easy goal to attain. Chinese is simply lower on the list than other languages on my list of languages I would like to learn. It's there, but I've never had this feeling that I really must pursue it due to some overwhelming interest like I have with Japanese and Russian.

If I were to list languages I want to pursue in an order it would go as follows: Japanese, Russian, Norwegian, German, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and after that point it would all be bonus. I have my reasonings for learning them in that order and while Norwegian for instance is hardly a pressing language to learn, it is a language I would love to know simply because of my mother's ancestry, German would be the language of my father's side.

I guess part of my irritation simply lies in the fact I love to learn. History, language, science, culture, I love it all. Because of how language majors work, and how history and culture of that language's country (or countries) is also required it's quite a win in my book. I've always wanted to learn more about Japanese history and this is a gateway to doing so to where it would add credit to my degree rather than simply tacking on yet more general education credits, of which I already have a great many. Again, I feel I should reiterate, I don't have a problem with people making suggestions what I take issue is how people don't simply make suggestions after hearing my reasoning as to why I am pursuing the path I am and instead blurt out opinions about a situation to which they aren't even familiar. If nigh every conversation I have about university immediately turns to, "You should be doing [insert degree here]" instead of the degree I am currently invested in that is a bit insulting. The fact it only occurs when Japanese is what I mention, where Korean or Russian or any number of other languages would get a simple, "Oh, that's cool" response it is also rather puzzling. I've heard less vitriol in regards to other students talking about majoring in English than I've personally had for taking Japanese and that is what throws me.

In any event, my allure to Japanese comes from how quickly it is evolving and morphing to fit into today's world. Russian, Chinese, and to an extent German, are the only other languages that I've found to have made such dramatic changes in the last century or so. To digress a bit, I found a Russian dictionary in my high school's library shortly before I graduated four years ago that was printed right during the Stalin-era Russian language reforms that completely, and rather dramatically, changed the language. I really wish I had that dictionary as I know that, unless it was dusted since then, it has sat upon the shelf simply collecting dust. Chinese is similar in respect of how the Cultural Revolution completely revamped the language in mainland China and that aspect is also intriguing but simply not the same as how quickly Japanese is being remolded due largely to computers and technology, another key area of interest of mine.

[navci]

Comes down to this: no need to justify. Your money, your time.
You can tell them to go jump in a lake in language of your choice and they can go durrr and not understand it. End of story.

[Blitzkommando]

Completely correct. I'm just more or less venting here rather than create unnecessary conflicts in person. I simply smile and continue on my way.

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

Saying it in Japanese might sound like you're majoring in co.JP cooking, with its Baka-tati whatever.

Best say it in Russian.

Zangief that ass with the green pimp hand. Since, although Japanese can sound harsh when spoken by the right gruffy voice dude, its mostly mellow, but no doubt one they are not familiar with will really scare them.

Also do it three times as loud as normal decibel speak, like the crazies around downtown SF, that I forgot they do that. Crazy kid sticking his face into Sonic's chili dog then screaming out something - surely about he's hungry or that looks like crap. Either or. Loud teeny bopper kid. Taking a sniff right in someone else's food.

If I wasn't huddled over on a wall with 20 lbs gear, WTF stupid 3 man crew - you didn't need to bring the fucking 12 lb laptop bag you bum, "Bag man over here" shits dangerous, I would have did more than smile but "laugh" and try to be "out loud" as much as that guy. Or await some jaywalker mishap walking out the jewelry store right into the street dudes think they own the world. Sorry, with these grumpy tangent and bad jokes that don't apply anywhere. Yuppie watch 2010.

[KodiaX987]

It's like me learning German, people often ask me why don't you learn French?

Because I scared you off the language. :)

[Mike]

The money is in Chinese anyways. But whatever. If you do what you want then that's good enough I suppose. You should pick up Chinese as well. That would work even better.

[Outrider]

I'm actually curious as to why you decided to major in one specific language when you said your ultimate goal is to learn as many as possible. Have you also been taking general linguistics courses as well?

Regardless, more power to you for learning Japanese/Russian/etc. I love the sound and structure of so many languages, but the farthest I've gotten was a few years of Spanish in high school that I haven't used much in years.

[HAYABUSA-FMW-]

Regardless, more power to you for learning Japanese/Russian/etc. I love the sound and structure of so many languages, but the farthest I've gotten was a few years of Spanish in high school that I haven't used much in years.
Well you probably at least throw out the "no comprende" a lot then? ;)

[Blitzkommando]

I'm actually curious as to why you decided to major in one specific language when you said your ultimate goal is to learn as many as possible. Have you also been taking general linguistics courses as well?

Regardless, more power to you for learning Japanese/Russian/etc. I love the sound and structure of so many languages, but the farthest I've gotten was a few years of Spanish in high school that I haven't used much in years.

Full ride scholarship basically. Japanese is one of about 20 languages the military will give a full scholarship for a major, others including Chinese and Russian. The university I'm transferring from had a very small languages department so there weren't really any options there and I was busy clearing my general education requirements so I haven't taken any linguistics courses yet.

[Outrider]

Full ride scholarship basically. Japanese is one of about 20 languages the military will give a full scholarship for a major, others including Chinese and Russian. The university I'm transferring from had a very small languages department so there weren't really any options there and I was busy clearing my general education requirements so I haven't taken any linguistics courses yet.

I gotcha. Makes sense to me.

Well, just ignore the people who give you a hard time and best of luck with school and beyond!

[navci]

Because I scared you off the language. :)

It is probably true. To me you speaking French sounds like you speaking French with an accent. I don't even understand why this is the case.