Me, My, and Eaton

Quick update of logistics: busy week. Did a company tour of Panasonic, presented a point/counterpoint speech on Japanese eating habits, took test number three, finished a 3000 character draft of the final project. Two weeks left of class. Now have a JR Rail Pass but not yet an itinerary of where I'm going.

But the main topic... So... yeah. Identity n' stuff.

As something trivial I didn't expect to still have trouble with- how do I refer to myself in Japanese? One of the first things anyone ever learns is 私の名前は＿＿＿＿です。Watashi no namae ha ____ desu. My name is _____. Of course, contrary to any introductory text, nobody will ever say "watashi". It's just kind of implied in the introduction.

Prior to this summer, I hadn't actually used "watashi" in probably four years, instead relying on the more masculine 僕（"boku"), because I am obviously so manly and masculine. （笑）Watashi felt too polite, too neutral. I never dared to say Watakushi, the more formal equivalent of Watashi. From my outsider perspective, the politer, humbler form of "I" previously came with the flavor of "I... (am a little bitch)". Boku was simple and jaunty and I liked it.

I had an 俺 ("ore") phase at the start of the summer. I had originally learned this as another masculine form of "I", but with a rougher, more assertive edge to it. Too impolite for most situations, so better just stick to Boku. In Tokyo, though, apparently no young men really use boku anymore, and ore has lost the impolite nuance, though my own experience in Hokkaido it was the opposite.

The first day of class when we did formal self-introductions, I got scolded for using boku. Sensei said that boys use it up until about high school and then outgrow it. So for the most part I've adopted Watashi in class, if not the full on formal watakushi, although years of experience make it hard to completely eliminate boku from my self-reference. Despite what Sensei said, I've seen Boku used by adults on television dramas, talk shows, even a congressional meeting. I think my host mom (???) even used it a couple times last summer. I still bust out Ore on occasion, though, mostly just when having guy talk.

I just find it strange that after years of Japanese, I still only barely understand the nuance of what seems should be an elementary concept. And I'm not even touching the "wareware", "washi", "waga", "oira", or any other forms of simply saying "I".

Fun fact- the cute girly form of Watashi is Atashi. The flaming drag queen version of "I" takes it one step further to Atasui. A friend tried to convince me this was popular among young guys and I should use it all the time. I saw through his connivery. :p

I used to think Keigo was demeaning to the speaker, because one has to change all the verbs and vocab regarding oneself to be humble in the presence of the superior other. But as I'm gradually figuring out how to use it more smoothly on the fly, I've begun to enjoy it purely for the academic excitement of advancing a new skill. I can focus on the way it shows respect for the other rather than thinking it belittles me. So now if I bring out a Watakushi in talking to a sensei, I give myself a little mental high five.

And then there's also the question of names. I'm the only in class to still go by last name- Eriotto doesn't really cut it for me, so I always introduce myself as Eetohn. In English, I'm really not a addressed-by-last name kind of guy; even when I was rowing crew and the coach called out most of the team by their last name, I was still Elliot. So now if I get called Elliot-kun in Japanese, or called Eaton in English by the other students, I get confused.

My best friend and barmaster Chanho hadn't realized this at first, because I had been going to his bar for several weeks and always making the introduction as Eetohn. His reaction at discovering the truth, in flawless English: "Oh, Eaton's your last name? I thought that was a fucking weird name."

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

Not a very good photo, but this is Chano Kim. I now call him my Japanese "お父ん", the Osaka dialect for dad.

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

Gabe and I put together a little アメリカの独立記念日パーティ for the Fourth of July, introducing our Japanese roommates to the "traditional American snackfood" s'mores. We didn't have a campfire, so we improvised.

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

Oh no! What are they teaching in that kind of school?!

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

The "Business Park" at Kyouhashi station, where we went to visit the Panasonic central headquarters' showroom and talk about the possibilities of foreigners working for major Japanese corporations.

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

My class took a study tour to Nara on Wednesday after presenting our speeches. I somehow stuttered my way through. But Nara was a great way to unwind from that- here's 東大寺(Toudaiji temple),

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

Toudaiji is home of the famous Mega Buddha. (I translate that lightly). Scale doesn't really come across here, but he's 15 meters tall while sitting. I can factually crawl through his nose--there's actually a pillar near the base with a tunnel the shape and size of his nostril, which is supposedly lucky if you can fit through?

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

Also famous in Nara, the deer. They're pretty chill about hanging out with humans, especially the ones who buy 鹿煎餅--specially made deer crackers!

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

Getting mauled by deer is the cutest wild animal attack ever.

From Summer 2010 OSAKA

I know this is warning me about serious risk, but it's just too adorable. I especially like the graphic for headbutting.