Question about Japanese movies

[WickyWoo]

Understanding a language and speaking a language are 2 very different things.

I speak Japanese...after a fashion. I speak survival Japanese at best, and I use those skills on a regular basis to interact with Japanese people


I understand, even if mostly subconciously a large amount of Japanese. It's very much the same as the bi-lingual kids whose parents speak to them in one language and they answer in another.

Speaking a language is far different than hearing and understanding it

To get to your point, other countries, like those in Scandanavia, rely heavily upon British and American tourists. Japan is a Nation which is not vastly dependant upon tourism as they are leaders in many industries, thusly relations with english speaking tourists is not as great a necessity.

I think you'll find that there are a large number of English speaking tourists and businesspeople in Japan at any one time. Australian and New Zealander tourists. British tourists are all over the place. The hotel I stayed in on New Year's Eve, I didn't see a single Japanese guest. This is a MAJOR hotel on Japan's most important holiday

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

I think you'll find that there are a large number of English speaking tourists and businesspeople in Japan at any one time. Australian and New Zealander tourists. British tourists are all over the place. The hotel I stayed in on New Year's Eve, I didn't see a single Japanese guest. This is a MAJOR hotel on Japan's most important holiday

My point is that Japan is not dependant upon foreign tourism, therefore they do not need to emphasize the instruction of a foreign language. Granted I'm sure they do more that the United States does in that regard.

My greater point was that it is ridiculous to expect a society to be fluent at a language that is not their own just because they watch some movies in that language. I have watched movies in a dozen different languages and I am only capable of speaking fluidly in English.