General Yuzuru Chat

[TallyT]

6 hours ago, Sammie said:

I love him. 

 

I'm still amazed at how utterly unselfconscious he is with cameras - one or a horde - pretty much right in his face.  I know he's pretty much grown up with it, especially in the last quad, but sometimes I see photos, they're less than an arms-length from his nose and he just.... I guess has learned to barely see them any more....

[Pammi]

5 hours ago, Danibellerika said:

But for Yuzu, I understand if he wants to put English beyond the basics on the back burner. He has bigger fish to fry. 

After Olys, I thought Yuzu said he wanted to focus on some things, one being to improve his English?? Has he now said otherwise? I admire all who learn a second language, especially when the language is so utterly different from ones own.  I loved that Yuzu used to try so hard to be interviewed in English, but my view was always that it was evident it limited his responses, and he is such a clever, articulate person we missed out if he wasn't speaking Japanese - we want to know him as well as we can do, and that can only be done if he speaks his mother tongue.  He has so much to say (yaaay!) and it's usually very interesting, thoughtful, and well informed  - him speaking Japanese has enabled me to feel  like I know him so much better, and confirmed how much I like him as a person too - he gives a lot of himself in interviews (and he did at CiONTU as well, despite being a private person, so I say long may interviews continue in Japanese!! until such time as Yuzu is proficient enough in English to give a fair amount of detail and depth in his answers (like Javi for example). I do think that Yuzu will find this really hard to do though if he continues to avoid social (off ice) interaction with non Japanese speakers in the time he has left in Canada ….. go on Yuzu, get yourself out to the pub with Jason and Zhenya , they seem like a lot of fun!!

[yude]

5 時間前, Danibellerikaさんが言いました:

I met Takeshi Honda in Helsinki and his English is quite good, though I know he lived abroad for a while.  But for Yuzu, I understand if he wants to put English beyond the basics on the back burner. He has bigger fish to fry. 

 

 

 

One of the interesting things in Shirota's book for me was that Shirota got a call from Honda's host family saying Takeshi didn't come back home, and Shirota immediately went to Canada and saw he was enjoying the party at his friends' basement and she got really mad  So I'm pretty sure he learnt his English in various occasions. 

[Rainbow]

8 minutes ago, Pammi said:

 ….. go on Yuzu, get yourself out to the pub with Jason and Zhenya , they seem like a lot of fun!!

But Jason speaks Japanese.  If they hang out together it may be Jason who improves his Japanese a lot.

[Danibellerika]

4 minutes ago, Pammi said:

After Olys, I thought Yuzu said he wanted to focus on some things, one being to improve his English?? Has he now said otherwise? I admire all who learn a second language, especially when the language is so utterly different from ones own.  I loved that Yuzu used to try so hard to be interviewed in English, but my view was always that it was evident it limited his responses, and he is such a clever, articulate person we missed out if he wasn't speaking Japanese - we want to know him as well as we can do, and that can only be done if he speaks his mother tongue.  He has so much to say (yaaay!) and it's usually very interesting, thoughtful, and well informed  - him speaking Japanese has enabled me to feel  like I know him so much better, and confirmed how much I like him as a person too - he gives a lot of himself in interviews (and he did at CiONTU as well, despite being a private person, so I say long may interviews continue in Japanese!! until such time as Yuzu is proficient enough in English to give a fair amount of detail and depth in his answers (like Javi for example). I do think that Yuzu will find this really hard to do though if he continues to avoid social (off ice) interaction with non Japanese speakers in the time he has left in Canada ….. go on Yuzu, get yourself out to the pub with Jason and Zhenya , they seem like a lot of fun!!

He does want to improve, but I took it to mean after he r-words and can have proper time to focus on it.  You'll probably find no better opportunity than in North America to learn it (as well as other English speaking nations) but I think when he's done he's returning to Japan so will work on it there.  It can be done, even if it's a longer process.  

 

Just now, yude said:

 

One of the interesting things in Shirota's book for me was that Shirota got a call from Honda's host family saying Takeshi didn't come back home, and Shirota immediately went to Canada and saw he was enjoying the party at his friends' basement and she got really mad  So I'm pretty sure he learnt his English in various occasions. 

Whatever works  !!  A fun environment never hurts to make things stick. 

[Sombreuil]

I would rather have Yuzuru’s actual thoughts via an accurate interpreter than whatever he can get across in a language he isn’t proficient or comfortable in.

[Pammi]

1 minute ago, Rainbow said:

If they hang out together it may be Jason who improves his Japanese a lot.

True, and Zhenya is interested in all things Japanese too.....so that's not gonna work too well 

[Neenah]

Unless we get someone to secretly record him talking to Brian or anyone in English (which would be very creepy and please no one really do it), then we can't assess his actual language skills. Public speaking is the worst example to use in this case especially for someone who is already not confidant with his English. Unless he rehearsed his answers (which is not always possible since he can't anticipate all questions), he will be put on the spot and the brain tends to short circuit in that situation, at least that what happens with me all the time . I can converse easily in English in many topics but if I am under pressure to answer something and know there are consequences based on my answers,  I find myself struggling a lot and my language proficiency regresses badly.

[Danibellerika]

9 minutes ago, Neenah said:

Unless we get someone to secretly record him talking to Brian or anyone in English (which would be very creepy and please no one really do it), then we can't assess his actual language skills. Public speaking is the worst example to use in this case especially for someone who is already not confidant with his English. Unless he rehearsed his answers (which is not always possible since he can't anticipate all questions), he will be put on the spot and the brain tends to short circuit in that situation, at least that what happens with me all the time . I can converse easily in English in many topics but if I am under pressure to answer something and know there are consequences based on my answers,  I find myself struggling a lot and my language proficiency regresses badly.

 

True.  Though Gogolev really admires Yuzu but says he doesn't really get to speak with him much because of the language barrier. 

[Sombreuil]

Plus the 10 year age gap.

[liv]

Didnt Honda also say he learned by watching movies? Apart from skating, in the winter you want to be indoors when living in Barrie (unless you do outdoor winter activities) so I imagine he watched quite a few movies.  And going to parties... yup, you will definitely learn more at parties than in a school room, 

 

 

[Danibellerika]

12 minutes ago, Sombreuil said:

Plus the 10 year age gap.

 

Yuzu is very good with young kids though between visiting schools, holding skating classes for the youngsters, grabbing a shot or two with younger skaters visiting TCC, etc.  

[Sombreuil]

Just now, Danibellerika said:

 

Yuzu is very good with young kids though between visiting schools, holding skating classes for the youngsters, grabbing a shot or two with younger skaters visiting TCC, etc.  

Mmm - that’s social chit chat with young people who speak Japanese/ skating instruction again in Japanese.

[Danibellerika]

1 minute ago, Sombreuil said:

Mmm - that’s social chit chat with young people who speak Japanese/ skating instruction again in Japanese.

 

Hence why I think it's more language barrier than the age gap. 

[Sombreuil]

And culture gap - those Japanese children/ young adults will react in a way he is familiar with from his own adolescence - SG with his Russian background and Canadian upbringing will be quite different- a difference that it might be wise to handle cautiously.