2002年11月01日 金曜日
Origami Boulder
by Jane Pinckard
Humor
Pretty funny parody site: Origami Boulder.
I am torn about the faux "engrish" on the site - on the one hand it made me laugh, but it's borderline offensive. However, I love the concept!
Posted by Jane Pinckard at 2002年11月01日 12:49
Comments
Touche. I guess if we can laugh at Admiral Perry's gaijin nihongo, we can laugh at this too. But I have to confess the language on this site rubbed me the wrong way. It seems written by somebody that knows little about Japanese culture, and it has this "generic Asian" poor English stereotype. It also reminded me of the confusion that some Americans have between Japan and China. I can't speak for other Asians, but it is hard for me to imagine a Japanese person calling someone a "dumb dumb."
Not surprising at all!
Think it's better in U.S.A.
A recent survey reveals that 42% of Americans (they have not yet found a name of their own as they think that America is limited to their borders) do not know where Canada is.
Arrogant and laughable USAiacs.
I am a citizen of the United States (God forbid I say "American"), and that is one thing that burns me about Canadians. I am very much anti-USA, but that doesn't mean that I support any and all arguments against the actions of the USA's citizens and government, just because it's an argument against it. Let's take a look at the acronym, "U.S.A." To the best of my understanding, it means, "United States [of] America." Nowhere in the official name of Canada, "Canada," does it mention "America." That being so, I see no reason for Canadian citizens (and especially their border patrol/customs personnel) to take offense at United States citizens calling themselves "American" citizens.
i am fat
Origami Boulder is not a parody site.
About the torn "Engrish" -- I can see how some people could think that the author has little knowledge of Japanese culture or of the challenges of Asians in the West, but read closer and the joke is on them. I believe the author must be very familiar with multiple cultures -- enough to poke fun at many of them from a number of different angles.
It is also a personal lesson in the prejudices we have as readers. I tell non-native speakers of any language that because the goal of language is communication, if the communication succeeds, then the language doesn't need correcting. Origami Boulder is a wonderful example of very clear and understandable communication written in non-standard English. What about it needs correcting? Put another way, what about it could be improved by making the English more standard. Note that I don't consider it "poor English" that, if rewritten, would become "better English" -- that would imply that my language standards are somehow superior.
As for the language being borderline offensive, read the letters from Wendy H N and responses in the "letters from dumb dumbs" section at http://www.origamiboulder.com/questions.htm
The point made there is if you read the Origami Boulder site without prejudice, then you won't be offended by it. The offensiveness exists in our society -- the fact that some people recognize that offensiveness when they read Origami Boulder is like saying that people only recognize their ugliness when they look in the mirror. It is not the fault of the mirror.
As it is, the non-standard English forces readers to examine prejudices hidden within themselves -- just like the haiku are hidden inside wadded up paper. What could be more poetic than that?
Broken English on OB site intelligent pidgeon. Artist very carefull. Leave out words for maximum comedic punch. He Genius.
It reminds me of Khan, the neighbor in King of the Hill.
It may just be a humor that some people don't get. It is about playing with language for fun. It has nothing to do with racial prejudice, at least not for the advanced reader.
People are usually offended because they think of how they would feel if they were the object of what is being made fun of. The fact of this matter is that the OB site is not making fun of Japanese people or Origami, or saying that people are naive. So the people that do get offended ARE 'dumb dumbs' because they don't get the depth of the humor.
Broken English on OB site intelligent pidgeon. Artist very carefull. Leave out words for maximum comedic punch. He Genius.
It reminds me of Khan, the neighbor in King of the Hill.
It may just be a humor that some people don't get. It is about playing with language for fun. It has nothing to do with racial prejudice, at least not for the advanced reader.
People are usually offended because they think of how they would feel if they were the object of what is being made fun of. The fact of this matter is that the OB site is not making fun of Japanese people or Origami, or saying that people are naive. So the people that do get offended ARE 'dumb dumbs' because they don't get the depth of the humor.
I think artist probably nerdy 13-year-old Japanese girl laughing ass off on way to bank! HA!
Broken English on OB site intelligent pidgeon. Artist very carefull. Leave out words for maximum comedic punch. He Genius.
It reminds me of Khan, the neighbor in King of the Hill.
It may just be a humor that some people don't get. It is about playing with language for fun. It has nothing to do with racial prejudice, at least not for the advanced reader.
People are usually offended because they think of how they would feel if they were the object of what is being made fun of. The fact of this matter is that the OB site is not making fun of Japanese people or Origami, or saying that people are naive. So the people that do get offended ARE 'dumb dumbs' because they don't get the depth of the humor.
I think artist probably nerdy 13-year-old Japanese girl laughing ass off on way to bank! HA!
Broken English on OB site intelligent pidgeon. Artist very carefull. Leave out words for maximum comedic punch. He Genius.
It reminds me of Khan, the neighbor in King of the Hill.
It may just be a humor that some people don't get. It is about playing with language for fun. It has nothing to do with racial prejudice, at least not for the advanced reader.
People are usually offended because they think of how they would feel if they were the object of what is being made fun of. The fact of this matter is that the OB site is not making fun of Japanese people or Origami, or saying that people are naive. So the people that do get offended are 'dumb dumbs' because they don't get the depth of the humor.
I think artist probably nerdy 13-year-old Japanese girl laughing ass off on way to bank! HA!
don't eat yellow snow
don't eat yellow snow
don't eat yellow snow
OB site very funny. I am US man. Not Korean, not Japanese, or Chinese. Maybe I Tibetan? You decide. I not know differences in race because I baka gaijin. I not goodly speak my country language. Yeah, you laugh, you think you funny, eh? You dumb dumb. I not buy OB though. It too expensive. I no money for spend online. You not make fun of me. You think he dumb? Think for minute. If he Japanese, and he dumb because of broken English, you think how stupid person look in Japan wearing shirt saying "Sperm, One litre." You think he stupid for not knowing English good? Why not gaijin wear shirt with randomized word funny? You lose prejudice. He may be faking bad English. I not know. But nonetheless, you no right to make fun of people not knowing English well. English hard language to learn. You think learning Japanese hard? I have been learning English 13 year now, and this is best I do. Most gaijin who commited only need 4 year to learn Japanese. And you say Japanese is harder. You think? Try learn Chinese. I love to see you try! It take much longer. Took me 5 year learn Mandarin Chinese.
Baka Gaijin
We are Origami club from Ukraine.We are looking for a penpals.Write please.All the best.Yuriy.
damn!!! i already ate yellow snow