Re: Gender Differences in Spoken Japanese
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Originally Posted by
Ichigokarate 
I noticed that when i took Japanese, a female using boku (I) instead of Watashi or atashi, was considered a tom-boy...yet in so many Japanese females songs, they use boku. Although I haven't heard a man use atashi..Atashi is used by females, and watakushi is like another watashi..even though they all mean I, it can be kind of confusing if you listen to Japanese music..It was for me!
"boku" and "kimi" are standard-use in pop songs. One: because both are incredibly easy to fit into meter and rhyme schemes and Two: because they represent a relatively gender neutral identifier.
ie. you hear a lot of "boku-tachi" (we) ... any party including male members is referred to by the male pronoun (karera - they, including 1 male or more, bokutachi - we, including 1 male of more). Thus the general "we" in songs is "bokutachi" (since it's referring to everyone, male and female)
Songs sung in "boku" form are easy for both male and female listeners to identify with and sing in kareoke, since the pronoun is used by both genders without a huge stigma attatched (it bends slightly toward the masculine for girls, and sounds a bit childish/polite for adult males... but the distinction is far less than the other pronouns and people, especially young people, tend to play fast and loose with it's usage).
"Ore" wouldn't work as a neutral identifier, as it's generally too harsh and masculine-sounding. "Watashi" tends to sound femenine. There ARE "ore" songs and "watashi" songs... but they tend to be sung in kareoke exclusively by their respective genders and are written from an obviously male or female perspective.
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Originally Posted by
Shodokan Does calling someone a blue boy still mean he's gay?
No. I'm pretty sure it's obselete. I've never heard it myself and an internet search only turned up a few references to the term from the late 80s/early 90s.
Re: Gender Differences in Spoken Japanese
Japanese isn't derivative in any way from Latin but they share similarities such as a different word for referring to "him, he, her, she" and a bunch of others. However, apparetnly some terms in japanese are completely different for referring to a woman as supposed to a man.
In latin suffixes are only affected.
For example, if someone says "What does he see?" is translated to "Quid Videt?" Quid meaning "what" and and videt, coming from Video, which means "see". "Videt has a suffix of "et" meaning that refers to a male.
Re: Gender Differences in Spoken Japanese
To be perfectly honest, I think "boku" sounds a lot more gay than "watashi". I don't know how to explain why I feel so, but it's... just... well. Yeah. I'll think of something.
Re: Gender Differences in Spoken Japanese
do it more fasterer.
I think that Boku sounds fine and "watashi" is fine too, although i must admit "boku" has a ring to it... but other than that it's fien to me.
Re: Gender Differences in Spoken Japanese
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Originally Posted by
Senbonzakura Kageyoshi do it more fasterer.
I think that Boku sounds fine and "watashi" is fine too, although i must admit "boku" has a ring to it... but other than that it's fien to me.
No offense, but "Fasterer" isn't a word. I think you should tackle English before you tackle the more finer points of Japanese Grammar
Re: Gender Differences in Spoken Japanese
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Originally Posted by
aceman67 more finer
I hope that was intentional... :rolleyes1:
Re: Gender Differences in Spoken Japanese
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Originally Posted by
tsurara I hope that was intentional... :rolleyes1:
Give me a break, its 1:37 in the morning...
Re: Gender Differences in Spoken Japanese
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Originally Posted by
aceman67 No offense, but "Fasterer" isn't a word. I think you should tackle English before you tackle the more finer points of Japanese Grammar
mm yeah, and maybe i was just being funny? Oh no that certainly can't be in can it mr serious? nope, forums aren't for fun... certainly not.
