This system of age was one of the best things I learned during my year in Korea. Basically their language is so age based on who is older and younger that they have everyone turn the same age on one day a year. So your 1 month older cousin couldn't talk down to you. I remember being asked my American age and Korean age so many times. Sad to me that they are doing this.
Interesting, I never knew this existed.
Age over merit in cultures always annoys me.
Interesting. I did know that the kids are born at age 1. According to my daughter who has been teaching young kids in Korea.
Also reading the article the New Year they refer to isn't Jan 1st. It's the Lunar New Year.
j_tso said:Age over merit in cultures always annoys me.
There's weird things in their language for instance if you answer the phone from a number you don't know it's "Yobosayo" (excuse my Americanized version) which means "Hello I don't know your age."
j_tso said:Age over merit in cultures always annoys me.
I was curious and fascinated by all of the different Japanese honorifics used depending on your age and social standing with respect to the person you were addressing.
Then I learned about this and decided to nope right out.
It seems like a very formal way to accidentally (or accidentally on purpose) insult somebody.
And oddly enough, both Japan and Korea are experiencing a population crash that is largely due to this elder worship fetish.
In reply to NOHOME :
I think they're just being practical. It's crowded and expensive in the cities over there, and people are living longer so they don't need much replacing.
If my apartment was a broom closet I wouldn't want to add more people to it.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
I'd still like to visit Japan but after watching Shogo's videos no way would I ever want to work there.
j_tso said:
I'd still like to visit Japan but after watching Shogo's videos no way would I ever want to work there.
A week is enough to bring out your inner claustrophobic for sure.
Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) said:j_tso said:I'd still like to visit Japan but after watching Shogo's videos no way would I ever want to work there.
A week is enough to bring out your inner claustrophobic for sure.
I would absolutely love to go but DW has nixed the idea unless we spend all the time in rural areas. Looking at video of the cities freaks her out.
j_tso said:Age over merit in cultures always annoys me.
Having seen that work live in the engineering world is well beyond annoying. Glad I worked is a different environment.
Duke said:Paul_VR6 (Forum Supporter) said:j_tso said:I'd still like to visit Japan but after watching Shogo's videos no way would I ever want to work there.
A week is enough to bring out your inner claustrophobic for sure.
I would absolutely love to go but DW has nixed the idea unless we spend all the time in rural areas. Looking at video of the cities freaks her out.
I think my fiance would feel the same. I've always wanted to visit, but I don't think she'd like the insanity that is Tokyo for instance.
I was in Tokyo for a week over a decade ago, even before the Translate app it was easy to get around because there's plenty of English signage. Those disappear when you leave the big cities.
I just avoided the trains during rush hour.
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