English in Japan?

robynchic

robynchic

New Member
Original Poster
How well do the Japanese CMs speak English? My brother may be doing an internship in Japan for a year, and my parents and I would come visit him, making a point to go to Tokyo Disney Land and Seas.

I mean, it's not a huge deal to me if they don't speak much English- both my brother and I are fluent in Japanese. But what if I wanted to run off somewhere, and my parents were left alone?
 
Tim G

Tim G

Well-Known Member
robynchic said:
How well do the Japanese CMs speak English? My brother may be doing an internship in Japan for a year, and my parents and I would come visit him, making a point to go to Tokyo Disney Land and Seas.

I mean, it's not a huge deal to me if they don't speak much English- both my brother and I are fluent in Japanese. But what if I wanted to run off somewhere, and my parents were left alone?
Click to expand...
Moshi, moshi...

Disney claims some of them do... And indeed... some of them speak english... sorta...

Sayonara...
 
robynchic

robynchic

New Member
Original Poster
So could my parents (who speak barely any) get by without my brother or me, or would they have to do the "smile and nod" while my brother or I go, "Konichiwa. Watashi to kazoku wa yot'su desu. Reservation wa shichi ka jugo hun desu" (Hi, my family and I are four people. We have a reservation for 7:15)
 
robynchic

robynchic

New Member
Original Poster
Connor002 said:
Ahhh... this is off topic, but where and why did you learn Japenese?
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My brother was a guinea pig for a foreign language immersion program back in 1989-90. I started a year later (when I started first grade). It was in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. I learned it for 9 years, from first grade to ninth grade. Haven't you ever heard that statistic that children can learn foreign languages easiest before age 7? I started learning when I was 5.
For further clarification: half of my entire class day was taught in Japanese. I learned math, science, and health in Japanese.

And why? Because my parents wanted me to. When I developed my own stubborn attitude when I was about 14, I told my parents (not asked, TOLD) "I don't want to take Japanese anymore. I'm taking American Sign Language instead". So the next time I go work in WDW for a long period of time, I'm getting two language pins (not that I need them).
 
monorailmike

monorailmike

Member
While I have never visited Japan myself, I have some co-workers that have. None of them speak any Japanese. Yet there were plenty of natives who spoke enough english to help them get around. I would hazzard a guess that the same would be true for your parents at Tokyo Disney.

I am very jealous of your fortunate situation to have learned Japanese. I am a fan of the culture and would like to learn. Currently I am an ex-pat in Mexico and am in the process of learning Spanish. It cetainly is a touch harder than when I was younger and in high school learning German.
 
Tim G

Tim G

Well-Known Member
I just speak just a little, little bit...
I'm busy enough with their habits, and common traditions... these are more important than the language, as my boss always said... :)
 
Connor002

Connor002

Active Member
Thats cool, I wish I could speak another language (I'm learning French, but I'd rather have somthing different). Considering Japan's status in the world, Japenese sounds like it would be good to know.
 
robynchic

robynchic

New Member
Original Poster
Connor002 said:
Thats cool, I wish I could speak another language (I'm learning French, but I'd rather have somthing different). Considering Japan's status in the world, Japenese sounds like it would be good to know.
Click to expand...

The only recent benefit I've found from it (aside from the occasional Japanese person I meet at work) is to challenge my friends to blindfold me while watching "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" and translate, not quite directly to the subtitles, but correctly nonetheless.
 

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