Why is there so much bad English in Japan?

[coolgaijin]

For a country that was occupied by the American military for 7 years and frequently does business with American, British, Austrailian and European countries why is the level of English here so horrible? I met a few guys that taught at the English schools here and they seemed like they had no business speaking, let alone teaching, the English language.

[NorthByNorthwest]

For a country that was occupied by the American military for 7 years and frequently does business with American, British, Austrailian and European countries why is the level of English here so horrible? I met a few guys that taught at the English schools here and they seemed like they had no business speaking, let alone teaching, the English language.

Because all the good ones stayed at home?

Maybe you should stick with the Scots.

[rainbowtokyo]

Why? Because many English entertainer-teachers are totally incompetent and don't give a damn! With a few decent exceptions, I've never met a more self-entitled group of losers.

[YokohamaTommy]

Because all the good ones stayed at home?

Maybe you should stick with the Scots.

Interestingly enough, Scottish English is supposed to be the most easy to listen to.

[Since1990]

Interestingly enough, Scottish English is supposed to be the most easy to listen to.

Where did you get that one from?

[Since1990]

For a country that was occupied by the American military for 7 years and frequently does business with American, British, Austrailian and European countries why is the level of English here so horrible? I met a few guys that taught at the English schools here and they seemed like they had no business speaking, let alone teaching, the English language.

Well, if you tell us where you're from and where they're from, it might shed some more light.

[Effected After]

Where did you get that one from?

I've read about this myself. American call centers were doing surveys to find out what bothered people the most, and one thing they came across was the Indian accent. So they did further surveys to figure out who they should use, and found that Scottish accents were the one people liked the most.

[Since1990]

I've read about this myself. American call centers were doing surveys to find out what bothered people the most, and one thing they came across was the Indian accent. So they did further surveys to figure out who they should use, and found that Scottish accents were the one people liked the most.

But we're NOT all Americans, though, are we? Americanized Scottish accents, perhaps?

[hennagaijin]

For a country that was occupied by the American military for 7 years and frequently does business with American, British, Austrailian and European countries why is the level of English here so horrible? I met a few guys that taught at the English schools here and they seemed like they had no business speaking, let alone teaching, the English language.

Japanese people study English the way I study sumo.

Watch a bit.. listen to a bit.. do an occasional written quiz .. maybe an hour or so a week total..

Means I know a little about sumo..

I can't actually do sumo, though.

"hello, how are you?"
"I am fine thank you, and you?"
"I am great, thank you. How was your day?"
"............" (tilt of head.. blank expression)

Studied English this year.. might try tennis next year...

[YokohamaTommy]

But we're NOT all Americans, though, are we? Americanized Scottish accents, perhaps?

Ever seen this commercial?
Best...EVER..(Even if you are not a R. Carlyle Fan, I can't take my ears off the screen!)

[kurogane]

I've read about this myself. American call centers were doing surveys to find out what bothered people the most, and one thing they came across was the Indian accent. So they did further surveys to figure out who they should use, and found that Scottish accents were the one people liked the most.

To be fair, that sounds as much like a rather tribal exclusivity or affectation more than anything due to the particular aesthetics of Scottish.

Also, I have a sneaky feeling call centre hires are from the Edinburgh area, the Borders, and maybe the west coast. Think Braveheart more than Braigh McGillicuddy.

An unwitting caller getting a Clyde or Highland accent might be forgiven for thinking they had just called rural Norway.

Still, a clear Scottish accent is a thing of beauty.

[oxymoron]

My Scots grandfather had a wonderful toast, which he would unfailingly recite, just prior to his first sip of a fresh glass of "whuskey".
" Here's to it.
And if you get to it
and don't do it,
may you ne'er get to it,
to do it again."

Try that in a broad Scottish accent, when you're p!ssed. A great indicator of just how p!ssed you really are.

[Since1990]

Ever seen this commercial?
Best...EVER..(Even if you are not a R. Carlyle Fan, I can't take my ears off the screen!)

I'm sorry, I must have too much English blood in me to appreciate that. Never did like bag pipes, either It's funny, 'cause I am actually a half Scottish by decent..

[wernst]

the level is low because even if we teach them English 90% of the people have NO place to use English anyway. After class is over they go home or to the izakaya and they talk Japanese. ON the television everything is spoken/dubbed in Japanese too, its awful.

[well_bicyclically]

Why? Because many English entertainer-teachers are totally incompetent and don't give a damn! With a few decent exceptions, I've never met a more self-entitled group of losers.

If you were Japanese, would you want to speak to someone like RainbowBright?

[Andun]

Why? Because many English entertainer-teachers are totally incompetent and don't give a damn! With a few decent exceptions, I've never met a more self-entitled group of losers.

Don't be so hard on yourself.
Most only learn English in school, not at 英会話.
In any case, the main reason why people are poor at English here is that they are not enthusiastic about learning it unlike their Asian cousins in Korea and China. English studies in those countries are intensive and the students actually want to learn, so they do. Japanese for the most part, wish English would just go away. They are always looking for a shortcut to suddenly become good at English. They will never get anywhere with that attitude.

[YokohamaTommy]

I'm sorry, I must have too much English blood in me to appreciate that. Never did like bag pipes, either It's funny, 'cause I am actually a half Scottish by decent..

Heh..I love that it was subtitled.

[KansaiBen]

English studies in those countries are intensive and the students actually want to learn, so they do. Japanese for the most part, wish English would just go away. They are always looking for a shortcut to suddenly become good at English. They will never get anywhere with that attitude.

Top Chinese and Korean universities require that students show communicative competence if they want to get into the university, so if students want to get in they have to study. There is no such requirement to get into Todai or Kyodai as the entrance test is simply a test of rote memorisation. Many Chinese parents also want their kids to study in America while less and less kids in Japan these days want to study abroad.

There is no real incentive for kids to master spoken or aural English as universities don't ask for communicative ability- its really only lip service and the JET program is a good example of that.

[YokohamaTommy]

There is no real incentive for kids to master spoken or aural English as universities don't ask for communicative ability- its really only lip service and the JET program is a good example of that.

Your'e just a big ol' glass of sparking sunshine, aren't you, Spanky?

[KansaiBen]

Your'e just a big ol' glass of sparking sunshine, aren't you, Spanky?

Something like over 50,000 JETs have come here over the last 25 years, billions spent on the program and Japanese kids STILL cant speak English. If they could then I would probably be out of a job, realistically speaking.

Must be something wrong with the picture here.

[twelvedown]

It's because many schools take the bucket approach to learning English.
Here is a great big bucket of English. Drink it all in an hour. Then next week you can have another bucket.
It's idiocy.

Imagine if they taught every kid 1 sentence a week in English.. 40 or so sentences a year....
THEN they would speak the language.

L

[KansaiBen]

It's because many schools take the bucket approach to learning English.
Here is a great big bucket of English. Drink it all in an hour. Then next week you can have another bucket.
It's idiocy.

L

And most kids get a swipe at the bucket at most about 20-weeks of the year, its not even every week in most cases with big gaps during vacations.

[twelvedown]

It is very easy to teach English.
Slowly and steadily.
Repetition. Not rote learning, just bring up the language they have been taught again and again (In an interesting way) until it has well and truly sunk in. I keep a book so I know what each class has learned and I sometimes look back at what we did 6 months ago and throw that in.

If it were up to me I would abolish either abolish the JET program or train them well and make them be totally in charge of the classroom.
And start English lessons from kindergarten.

The Japanese need to learn English. Everyone knows that and obviously the system as it stands is fuked.

The best teaching advice I ever got was "If something's not working stop doing it."

[kurogane]

I met a few guys that taught at the English schools here and they seemed like they had no business speaking, let alone teaching, the English language.

Does anybody else find this chacracterisation a bit hard on the Irish and Antipodeans?????

They don't really mean to speak like that.....................they just do.

The best teaching advice I ever got was "If something's not working stop doing it."

Michiko asked me to mention to you that she didn't mean that to sound as harsh as it did at the time.

Funny thing is, all she ever says to me is:

Don't Stop!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't Stop!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't Stop!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Since1990]

Something like over 50,000 JETs have come here over the last 25 years, billions spent on the program and Japanese kids STILL cant speak English. If they could then I would probably be out of a job, realistically speaking.

Must be something wrong with the picture here.

No, them there kids are 25 years older now. Fruentry speaking adults they are.

[tomtucker]

They delude themselves into believing that the English language must exist on some plane in interdependancy with Japanese (while at the same time illogically believing that the Japanese language is unique, difficult and impossible to grasp for anyone other than themselves). That is why Japanese-english sounds the way it does and why it doesn't go away.

They don't realize that speaking foreign languages is about conveying concepts and ideas, not about inputting words and structure that reflect the original words or structure (which may have already been at that stage inappropriate for conveying the desired message).

It is not math or science. However, the majority probably wishes it were.

[Ken44]

For a country that was occupied by the American military for 7 years and frequently does business with American, British, Austrailian and European countries why is the level of English here so horrible?

Why?

Because old K44 can only be at one school at a time to work his mojo.

[HarryHurry]

Interestingly enough, Scottish English is supposed to be the most easy to listen to.

I like a nice Scottish accent, but for pure elegance I have to go with this...

[HarryHurry]

Ever seen this commercial?
Best...EVER..(Even if you are not a R. Carlyle Fan, I can't take my ears off the screen!)

What a great commercial!

[Andun]

I like a nice Scottish accent

[HarryHurry]

Always loved this one, as well. The thick Scots accent also gave the song a bit more of what's gid ferr yer, jimmie....