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Not (Show me your) Willy

8. March 2010

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Photo originally uploaded by hockadilly. In English speaking countries the command given to dogs when requiring them to perform this pose is "beg!" In Japan the same pose is required of dogs with the command "O-chinchin" which is a homonym of "willy." Etymologists claim that "ochinchin" is from "chinza" which means "seat(ed)". It seems to me that [...]

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Show me your Willy!

4. March 2010

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Show me your Willy!Originally uploaded by hockadilly. In English speaking countries the command given to dogs when requiring them to perform this pose is “beg!” In Japan the same pose is required of dogs with the command “O-Chinchin” which translates to, “(show me your) Pecker (Dick! Wang, Wonker, Willy)!” A typical conversation between anglophone dog owners regarding this [...]

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Show me your Dick!

4. March 2010

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Show me your Dick!Originally uploaded by “hockadilly. In English speaking countries the command given to dogs when requiring them to perform this pose is “beg!” In Japan the same pose is required of dogs with the command “O-Chinchin” which translates to, “(show me your) Pecker (Dick! Wang, Wonker, Willy)!” A typical conversation between anglophone dog owners regarding this [...]

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Finger Pointing and the Specular Self of the Japanese

4. March 2010

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The Japanese have a specular self, that is to say that their self consciousness centeres on the awareness or imagination of themselves, reflecting (quite litterally) upon themselves, rather than in talking to themselves. For this reason, when a Japanese person, like Suzuki Ichiro, wants to reinforce conscious decisions and actions he does so by pointing his [...]

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Love in Translation: Foreign Wife, Japanese Husband - Part 7 (2nd of Two Parts)

1. March 2010

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Here’s the continuation of our interview with Patricia… Had you ever envisioned that you might marry a person from another culture? No, because getting married had never been a dream for me. But here I am, a married woman and a mother! I love how life takes you in directions you would never think of for yourself! When [...]

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Love in Translation: Foreign Wife, Japanese Husband - Part 7

6. February 2010

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Patricia has lived in Japan for the past ten years. Originally from France, she brings a lot of interesting insights about cross-cultural marriage and the philosophy one needs to practice in adjusting to living in a foreign culture.What brought you to Japan? I first came to Japan in 1998. I stayed for three months working for [...]

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Love in Translation: Foreign Wife, Japanese Ex-Husband - Part 6 (Conclusion)

16. January 2010

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Part Two: Did you and your former husband have any communication problems that had nothing to do with language? Plenty. Many of the problems had to do with our expectations about the relationship. At the beginning there were the typical (as seen in your other interviews) issues relating to kikubari (気配り, which I think in your other [...]

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Henshin Transformation Through The Ages

14. January 2010

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Henshin Transformation Through The AgesOriginally uploaded by timtak When Japanese superheroe transform they do not hide their true identity. They have a human identity but it is often no secret. If there is a secret, then their transformation serves to dispel secrecy, demonstrate a continuity, and reveal their true identity. The transformation of Japanese superheroes often involves [...]

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Henshin Transformation Properties and Precidents

14. January 2010

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When Japanese superheroes transform they often do hide their human identity. They have a human identity but it is often not secret. The transformation of Japanese superheroes often involves a sort of ritual. Heroes strike a specific pose, say a specific and individual trasnsformatory phrase, and or manipulate a symbol such as brandish a special card, [...]

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The Ontology and Epistemology of Superhero Transformations

14. January 2010

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Superheros transform. Superheros have a tendency to transform, in some sense, the world over. The transformation of Japanese superheroes has, in a matter of degreee at least, differences from that of those in the West. Ontological or Epistemological transformation. Western superheroes are more likely to transform by virtue of what is know about [...]

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