Cross-Cultural Humor:
English
Speakers’ Gaffes in Japanese
Compiled
by J. Nelson Jennings
Published
in Global Missiology, www.globalmissiology.org. October 2018
From personal
acquaintances and experience:
-
Ordering
“circumcision” (katsurei) in a restaurant instead of the intended
breaded deep-fried pork and egg on rice (katsudon).
-
Pregnant
(ninshin) woman in hospital: “I’m a carrot” (ninjin).
-
Next-door
neighbor (in Nagoya) politely inquires, “Is your wife at home (miemasu ka)?”
Answer:
“Yes, she can see (miemasu kedo), but why do you ask?”
-
Confusing chopsticks (hashi) and bridges (hashi).
-
Misunderstanding
polite refusals (ii desu) as enthusiastic acceptances (ii desu).
-
Calling babies and children “scary” (kowai) instead
of “cute” (kawaii).
-
Calling people carrots (ninjin) instead of “human
beings” (ningen).
-
Preacher
commends “sexual” (seiteki) experience, not “spiritual” (reiteki)
experience.
-
Saying, “My stomach is a watermelon” (onaka suika)
instead of “I’m hungry” (onaka suita).
-
Actually discussing “earthquakes” (jishin) while
assuming the topic was “confidence” (jishin).
-
When making a cold-call visit, misunderstanding “Go home!”
(Kaere) as “Come on in!” (Haire).
-
Asking a woman to marry you (Oyome ni narimasu ka)
while intending to ask her to read something (Oyomi ni narimasu ka).
-
https://www.therisingwasabi.com/new-evidence-suggests-commodore-perry-used-gaijin-smash/
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Asking, “How are the eggs?” (Tamago-tachi wa dou desu ka)
instead of the intended “How are your grandchildren?” (Omago-tachi wa dou
desu ka).