Fluent Foreigners Now Accepted In Japan!

[Mike Cash]

The premise has a huge flaw.

Starting off encounters by asking "日本語　わかりますか?" would be discriminatory. At the very least, it is certainly not the way I prefer my encounters to get started. I prefer that people just speak to me under the assumption that I do speak Japanese.

[RockLee]

The premise has a huge flaw.

Starting off encounters by asking "日本語　わかりますか?" would be discriminatory. At the very least, it is certainly not the way I prefer my encounters to get started. I prefer that people just speak to me under the assumption that I do speak Japanese.

He talked about that as if it would be that way Mike...not that it actually is so

[Mike Cash]

He talked about that as if it would be that way Mike...not that it actually is so

Did you not see the word "would" in my reply?

[RockLee]

yeah but u started about the premise...It's with itention he stated that I think...

[jieshi]

The premise has a huge flaw.

Starting off encounters by asking "日本語　わかりますか?" would be discriminatory. At the very least, it is certainly not the way I prefer my encounters to get started. I prefer that people just speak to me under the assumption that I do speak Japanese.

I agree with uncle frank, only problem is that I am nowhere near fluent yet (probably not even basic conversational)

[Mike Cash]

I agree with uncle frank, only problem is that I am nowhere near fluent yet (probably not even basic conversational)

This is the second reply to me which mentioned "Uncle Frank" in a manner which can be read in such a way that it appears you have me confused with Frank.

[mad pierrot]

This is the second reply to me which mentioned "Uncle Frank" in a manner which can be read in such a way that it appears you have me confused with Frank.

Frank, why would anyone confuse you with Mike?

[Mike Cash]

Frank, why would anyone confuse you with Mike?

I always try to be frank, but I have never tried being Frank. Maybe I should look into it.....

[lexico]

I agree with uncle frank, only problem is that I am nowhere near fluent yet (probably not even basic conversational)

Note how Jeishi used the lower case frank. It is synonymous to Uncle as a proper noun; in fact why don't we let all the youngsters call the elders frank as of today as a term of endearment? Wouldn't you agree uncle frank?

[Maciamo]

Starting off encounters by asking "日本語　わかりますか?" would be discriminatory. At the very least, it is certainly not the way I prefer my encounters to get started. I prefer that people just speak to me under the assumption that I do speak Japanese.

That may just be a cultural preference, but I tend to agree with you. Usually in Western countries people (anybody, from a supermarket cashier to a bank manager) assume that any person in their country understands their language, and only ask "can you understand English/French/Italian..." if they see that the person doesn't reply and looks confused.

This is not due to the fact that Western countries are more cosmopolitan, as many Japanese I told this about wanted to believe. I when all around Europe with my wife, and even in shops in rural areas (near my parents' home) where they never see any non-Caucasian, people didn't ask her whether she could understand but just talked as if she was a local. When we went to Europe last month, I intentionally send her alone to the cashier, and observed from a distance, to see whether they would address her differently as the locals. They didn't. Nobody looked at her strangely, made gesture or spoke differently (even more slowly). It would be nice if the Japanes ehad the decency to do the same, and only wonder about one's language abilities if they don't seem to understand.