For me, personally, I feel that learning Japanese has changed my identity a great deal. Keep in mind that I learnt Japanese while living here, so it was not only the language, but also the body language and customs that affected me.
I feel, and this is always confirmed when I go home, that I've become much quieter as a person. I'm more prone to leaving longer gaps in conversation as I let everyone involved think about what's being said. I'm also far less likely to have heated debates (much to my debate-loving husband's despair), as I just find that direct confrontation is disagreeable to me now. My parents have found this quite disturbing because I used to be a pretty angry teenager (weren't we all?). In essence, now if I don't have something nice to say, I generally don't say anything.
I know that this one is going to get me a ton of thumbs down, but in Japan I've learnt a lot about hierarchy and knowing one's place. As an ALT I am on the bottom of the ladder in my office's hierarchy. At first I thought that this was great because I wasn't responsible for anything, but after a while, I noticed that my supervisor would get chewed out whenever I messed something up. This taught me that I am still responsible for my actions, and that I should always do my best so that my supervisor and fellow workers can be proud of me. I've learnt a lot about gratitude and giving thanks while here in Japan. Saying %26quot;oskaresamadeshita%26quot; to your work-mates and having it said to you almost daily is very re-affirming. How often do we tell each other %26quot;Thank you for all your hard work%26quot; in Western countries?
As for Japanese assistance, my fellow workers have always gone out of their way to help me. At first it was just other English teachers who could understand what I needed, but eventually the Japanese language teachers and other staff all pitched in. They've learnt over time that I'm a visual learner and I don't remember stuff that they've tld me the first time. Now they always write things down for me so I can remember. Also, in my first few years they were very tolerant of my terrible Japanese. Lately however, they have begun to be very fussy of how I use Japanese. My co-worker and best friend explained that they understand that I have the basics, so now they are trying to teach me how and when to use proper politeness levels and other situational phrases.
I hope that helps?As a native English speaker, how did learning Japanese effect your identity? would you like to ask?
Learning the langauge did change my identity slightly. The native did help and seldom watch me struggle.As a native English speaker, how did learning Japanese effect your identity? would you like to ask?
Learning Japanese and living like a Japanese has not just changed my life, it molded my life! I have one identity and the foreign/Japanese parts are all rolled up together!As a native English speaker, how did learning Japanese effect your identity? would you like to ask?
See those negative ratings? ^
Japanophiles.
Your identity doesn't change too much - other people will percieve you as either a loser or just someone who knows a foreign language.As a native English speaker, how did learning Japanese effect your identity? would you like to ask?
This is Hilarius.
Americans/Australians meeting someone with bilingual abilities: Is he like someone from Mars? Is he schizophrenic? Will he kill all of us while we sleep?As a native English speaker, how did learning Japanese effect your identity? would you like to ask?
It doesn't really change your identity.
Now, I'm chinese but my first language (sort of) was English.
Native speakers do help me alot. :)
