Why don't Okinawan people say 'excuse-me'?

[thistle]

Something that continues to puzzle me. Perhaps GT can tell me the
answer.

If I was in the mainland and say, I was in a situation like in the supermarket when someone cannot get by me then they would of course say 'sumimasen' or some such apologetic word (yes, gaijin or not!).
but here in Okinawa they just look at you and struggle by without saying anything.

Is it just the way they were brought up?

[I Am Luna]

Short answer yes with an if, long answer no with a but.

How long have you been in Okinawa? A week?

[Tanimaga]

I hear it all the time.

[thistle]

Short answer yes with an if, long answer no with a but.

How long have you been in Okinawa? A week?


15 or 16 years.

How long have you been here?

My own friends are mainly from mainland or can't understand what i mean.
Perhaps they have just never noticed. So it is not every body, but it is the majority.

[kombu_kid]

Maybe they've become "calloused" like New Yorkers.....from living around the bases.

[I Am Luna]

Been here about a week and heard it more times then you'll ever hear it!

Fake edit:
You don't know how long you've been here?

[uriel]

I had some bitch do that to my daughter because she (my kid) didn't know if she wanted to go left or right. mind you, it was in the middle of a jusco, right outside of the food court, so the aisle was about 10 feet wide, literally. my daughter was walking towards me, and this middle aged bitch walks up behind her, and tries to go around her, and as she does, my kid goes in the same direction. so instead of walking around her, or just waiting, she pushes her out of the way with a hand on the head. she almost fell, and the bitch kept walking! my daughter is 3. there is NO reason for someone to do that. in almost 5 years in mainland i've never seen someone do that to someone else's kid. and this was about 10 feet in front of me. i was just too dumbfounded to even say anything even though part of my mind was screaming at me to pimp slap that bitch. who in their right mind would think that an adult pushing a 3 y/o out of the way by their head is the right thing to do? lazy asses.

[gtlm2000]

because Okinawan is crazy :D I say "sumimasen".....wait I'm mainlander? :(

[P_chan]

Bah, when you're from the city you expect people to be rude.

[Richard Burns]

I've never encountered this problem here. However I will kind of stand there and wait for them to go around. I don't talk to strangers.

[OtisPMerriweather]

MY wife was like that when we first got married. She would just wait for a minute for me to move and then she would try to scoot by if I didn't move fast enough. I would see her out of the corner of my eye and stand in the way just to fk with her sometimes. :D

I haven't noticed it in a while, but our house is a lot bigger now. Maybe she just takes an alternate route. :D

[jimbob17755]

Maybe they've become "calloused" like New Yorkers.....from living around the bases.
Yeah,you're right! Those New Yorkers are calloused,hard,inconsiderate,ill mannered,discourteous,selfish,lazy,drunk,good-for-nothings,blowhard know-it-alls!

[Sex Wax]

Something that continues to puzzle me. Perhaps GT can tell me the
answer.

If I was in the mainland and say, I was in a situation like in the supermarket when someone cannot get by me then they would of course say 'sumimasen' or some such apologetic word (yes, gaijin or not!).
but here in Okinawa they just look at you and struggle by without saying anything.

Is it just the way they were brought up?

Darlin', You are Scottish. 'nuff said.

[thistle]

Darlin', You are Scottish. 'nuff said.

Scottish are friendly, have manners and are polite.(usually, unless you get on their bad side)

Okinawans are plain rude and impolite at times.

'nuff said

(I am just trying to work out why..

[P_chan]

I've seen rude and impolite people everywhere I go.

Ever stop to think that maybe you were lolly gagging and in the way? It can be frustrating when I would stop at kanehide on my way home from a long day at work and some obasan is blocking an entire isle and not paying attention. I need to get my bento home asap!:D:D:D

[gtlm2000]

thistle, I think only few Okinawan people don't say "sumimasen". I see most Okinawan people say it.

[DoctorP]

I've seen it thistle, but usually it's the obachans that are rude, not the younger people IMO.

[gtlm2000]

I've seen it thistle, but usually it's the obachans that are rude, not the younger people IMO.

DocP, you should slap obasan's ass when they don't say "suimasen" :D

[Mehi River]

It is a fundamental obaachan right all over Japan

[thistle]

Nope it is not only the obachaan's.
I had it happen to me at Kanehide again last night. The aisle's there are not big enough for 2 people to pass, and this young guy just looked at me, waiting for me to get out of the way.

[gtlm2000]

Nope it is not only the obachaan's.
I had it happen to me at Kanehide again last night. The aisle's there are not big enough for 2 people to pass, and this young guy just looked at me, waiting for me to get out of the way.

I think They were thinking you don't know Japanese so they don't say anything.

[Richard Burns]

and this young guy just looked at me, waiting for me to get out of the way.


What's wrong with that? I do the same thing. I'd rather wait til I can pass than have to say excuse me if I have a choice.

[gtlm2000]

some Japanese people don't know English word "excuse-me".
even they studyed it in the school, they forget it.

[thistle]

What's wrong with that? I do the same thing. I'd rather wait til I can pass than have to say excuse me if I have a choice.

I have a busy life, I don't have all day to stand and wait for people to decide what juice they are buying.

[thistle]

I think They were thinking you don't know Japanese so they don't say anything.


well, that is probably true. I still think they should say something, I think even if a foreigner does not understand 'sumimasen', they will at least assume they are trying to say 'excuse-me'.

[gtlm2000]

well, that is probably true. I still think they should say something, I think even if a foreigner does not understand 'sumimasen', they will at least assume they are trying to say 'excuse-me'.

If I don't know English, I would do same.

[DJ Tak]

If this is continually happening to you, I will go out on a limb and say you are the problem, not anyone else.

[Richard Burns]

I have a busy life, I don't have all day to stand and wait for people to decide what juice they are buying.

http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/funny-dog-pictures-dog-asks-you-what-you-are-talking-about.jpg



What are you talking about? How am I wasting your time if I'm waiting til you pass. I'd be giving u time to do what u are doing and I'm holding myself up.

[gtlm2000]

Thistle, you shoudn't think this very deeply :)

[dk]

Maybe Thistle is just going deaf! :D

[thistle]

http://ihasahotdog.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/funny-dog-pictures-dog-asks-you-what-you-are-talking-about.jpg



What are you talking about? How am I wasting your time if I'm waiting til you pass. I'd be giving u time to do what u are doing and I'm holding myself up.


I said it is a waste of my time to stand and wait for people to decide on waht they want. Do you read english?

[thistle]

ok, never mind.

Obviously I am the only person this bothers.

No need to make snide comments, dk.

[dk]

It wasn't a snide comment. Maybe you are just not hearing them.

[Richard Burns]

Thistle,
If you don't want to wait that's fine. Others choosing to wait for you doesn't waste your time so again your post is moot at best an makes no sense at worse.

[dk]

I have a busy life, I don't have all day to stand and wait for people to decide what juice they are buying.

I hate shopping. I make the wife do it. So I can't really relate. The only place I go shopping at is the PX. :thumbup:

[Richard Burns]

It wasn't a snide comment. Maybe you are just not hearing them.
Speaking the truth is snide arond here. Don't worry dk.

[dk]

I'm a sarcastic, snide, smug mother****er. So I can understand the misunderstanding. :D

[proudtobnotpc]

I'm a sarcastic, snide, smug mother****er. So I can understand the misunderstanding. :D

YOU GO YOU BIG IT THUG:first: who by the way can not fix his own gear:D

[dk]

YOU GO YOU BIG IT THUG:first: who by the way can not fix his own gear:D

I can fix my own gear. I just REFUSE to work with hardware. I haven't found a single thing in IT that I couldn't do if I put my mind to it.

You, on the other hand, can probably barely operate a web browser. :D

[proudtobnotpc]

I can fix my own gear. I just REFUSE to work with hardware. I haven't found a single thing in IT that I couldn't do if I put my mind to it.

You, on the other hand, can probably barely operate a web browser. :D
hey wait a minute this was supposed to be about you:crying: and by the way what is a web browser? ahh never mind I know a guy that can answer it for me -------RB, RB, RB :scratchchin:

[thistle]

Thistle,
If you don't want to wait that's fine. Others choosing to wait for you doesn't waste your time so again your post is moot at best an makes no sense at worse.


You are still not taking the time to read properly. I said I don't like to waste my time towait on people to choose something. I prefer to say excuse me and pass them by.

If other people choose to not say excuse me to get past and just stand and wait until i have chosen my product, then yes, that is entirely up to them.

What I dont like is people pushing by and saying nothing.

ok, am outta here.

Having to explain what I wrote more than twice is tiring.

[Richard Burns]

Well if you explained yourself clear enough you wouldn't have to explain would you?

Whatever. Be gone.

[gtlm2000]

thistle, if you are sexy woman, I would say someting for ya :D

[proudtobnotpc]

You are still not taking the time to read properly. I said I don't like to waste my time towait on people to choose something. I prefer to say excuse me and pass them by.

If other people choose to not say excuse me to get past and just stand and wait until i have chosen my product, then yes, that is entirely up to them.

What I dont like is people pushing by and saying nothing.

ok, am outta here.

Having to explain what I wrote more than twice is tiring.

I would just call you an arrogant person who thinks everything belongs to them...:scratchchin: why can't you just relax and go with the flow:grin1:

[Richard Burns]

Wait. Hold the phone. You groan my post where I said I prefer to wait until people move but then you post it's fine. So which one is it?

[proudtobnotpc]

Wait. Hold the phone. You groan my post where I said I prefer to wait until people move but then you post it's fine. So which one is it?
see the above post:cursing:

[thistle]

thistle, if you are sexy woman, I would say someting for ya :D


I am a sexy woman, but at 11pm at Kanehide I probably look a mess in old shorts and no make up.:grin1:

[gtlm2000]

I am a sexy woman, but at 11pm at Kanehide I probably look a mess in old shorts and no make up.:grin1:

lol :D well...I hope you are still beautiful when you are no make up :w00t:

[dk]

I am a sexy woman, but at 11pm at Kanehide I probably look a mess in old shorts and no make up.:grin1:

LOL, maybe the reason people are rude is because it's late at night. Most people don't give a damn about manners at 11 p.m.!

[I Am Luna]

Sheittttttt, at 11pm, I'd push anyone who looks a mess in old shorts and has no make up. I did it last night! Except I was at a bar and not a shopping mart. But I'd be more inclined to do it at a shopping mart.

[DoctorP]

I said it is a waste of my time to stand and wait for people to decide on waht they want. Do you read english?

Thistle...RB don't read period...no matter the language. Well, he might read, but comprehension is out of the question! :D

[socalheart]

thistle, the same thing happens to me, and I sorta kinda look like them, if you squint, and it bugged me for a while. as long as they don't touch me or the kids or ram into me, I try to ignore it. they're usually the same idiots who leave their carts in the middle of the aisle too. :rolleyes: I suppose they don't bother saying "excuse me" or anything like it, because they just want to get their stuff and go, and you and the rest of them are non-entities to them. we've all been in that zone before, but most of us can pull our heads out of our butts to be polite, unlike them. :o

[amplify]

I get about 50/50, the people who are annoying and try to slide past you while you're trying to do something without saying anything and the people who do say excuse me to get your attention so you can be polite enough to let them by.

I think I get the majority of the people not saying anything living deeper south and have started doing the same myself. :scared:

[0341isa]

There's two sides, so which side are we talking about right now? There are the, not going ot bother saying excuse me and i'm just going to brush/push my way past you all annoyed like as if the whole aisle belongs to me types. that = rude ass clown.

Then there's the I need to get by, but instead of saying excuse me, I'll just sit back here quietly and patiently for 25 minutes until you move on your own. That sounds pretty Okinawan to me. Part overall meekness, and part fear to interact with Americans. maybe its the language barrier, maybe its just the culture, but either way its kinda silly. Are they really sooo painfully shy that they won;t say "excuse me" to someone you don't know?



Some Americans are starting to get that way too, but its relly kind of a sad state of things that we are so averse to interacting wiht people nowadays. We want to stay in our own little box and not deal with other humans. Before, when you passed another person, you would greet them, maybe even strike up conversation.

In the present, you shuffle by, avoid eye contact for fear that someone feel obligated to speak, and hurry on home so tha tyou can log onto the internet which allows you to pay your bills, go shopping, get your appliances fixed, and order delivery for dinner all without ever having to interact with a Human being. Now if only they could find a wayto wirelessly beam my pizza to me so I didn;t have to speak with a live delivery guy at my door.

[Spadesy]

Some people say it, some people don't, both in mainland and in Okinawa...neither of them like to make much conversation with you, if at all. Did get more looks in mainland though, especially from chicks, and I know they were talking about me when I recognized words like "gaijin" and "amerika-jin". :)

[Spadesy]

There's two sides, so which side are we talking about right now? There are the, not going ot bother saying excuse me and i'm just going to brush/push my way past you all annoyed like as if the whole aisle belongs to me types. that = rude ass clown.

Then there's the I need to get by, but instead of saying excuse me, I'll just sit back here quietly and patiently for 25 minutes until you move on your own. That sounds pretty Okinawan to me. Part overall meekness, and part fear to interact with Americans. maybe its the language barrier, maybe its just the culture, but either way its kinda silly. Are they really sooo painfully shy that they won;t say "excuse me" to someone you don't know?



Some Americans are starting to get that way too, but its relly kind of a sad state of things that we are so averse to interacting wiht people nowadays. We want to stay in our own little box and not deal with other humans. Before, when you passed another person, you would greet them, maybe even strike up conversation.

In the present, you shuffle by, avoid eye contact for fear that someone feel obligated to speak, and hurry on home so tha tyou can log onto the internet which allows you to pay your bills, go shopping, get your appliances fixed, and order delivery for dinner all without ever having to interact with a Human being. Now if only they could find a wayto wirelessly beam my pizza to me so I didn;t have to speak with a live delivery guy at my door.

Perfectly worded, couldn't describe it any better if I tried.

I've noticed a lot of junior Marines too fall in the second category you mentioned...probably so used to getting their asses chewed and being careful about how they word things, that they just don't want to deal with people altogether. lol

[0341isa]

Yeah I remember those days. back as a PFC you're only concern on th eapproach was ok ok ok greeting of the day, here we go get ready,

Greeting of the day and move on before he gets a chance to start a convo or correct me on something....shit! rank??? ok, whats that on his collar?

analyzing, analyzing, oh shit, there's too mch rank, I can;t make it out from here. What do I DO?? panick panick! Its all one big black glob... Is that MSgt or 1st Sgt.???:ohmy::ohmy: Msgt or 1St Sgt...???? So much pressure!:ohmy::scared:

Ok Ok Ok focus focus, what the F* IS THAT??? okokok it looks like, shit, don;t want to look like I'm staring, gotta hurry, he's closing in....

MSgt! Yes, got it!

ok here we go.... get ready.. and 4...3...2...1..

"Good Morning MSgt."


"...Good Morning? Marine, it's 1330."


:-|
oh Gdammit.

[Spadesy]

^ HAHAHA so true it hurts...ah, the good ol' days...

I think my eye sight got crappy over the last few years. If I can't readily identify a rank from a distance but I see a bunch of rockers, I just greet them as a sir. And if I don't know what time it is, I say 'oorah.' :thumbup: I seriously can't differentiate between a bursting bomb, diamond or EGA until the guy is like, 2 feet from my face.

[P_chan]

LOL the officers at our squadron don't even want to be saluted. Whenever I salute an army officer while around post I always get a "Air Assault" to which I respond "Air Force":D:D:D

[Richard Burns]

MSgt! Yes, got it!

ok here we go.... get ready.. and 4...3...2...1..

"Good Morning MSgt."


"...Good Morning? Marine, it's 1330."


:-|
oh Gdammit.


PFC Burns had such a scenario with an old MSgt. But the response was " it ain't MSgt it's Top. "

PFC Burns: Aye Aye MSgt

Top:" Boy are you deaf it's Top."

PFC Burns : GTG Top

[0341isa]

^ HAHAHA so true it hurts...ah, the good ol' days...

I think my eye sight got crappy over the last few years. If I can't readily identify a rank from a distance but I see a bunch of rockers, I just greet them as a sir. And if I don't know what time it is, I say 'oorah.' :thumbup: I seriously can't differentiate between a bursting bomb, diamond or EGA until the guy is like, 2 feet from my face.

and then you used to always ge that one guy whose cammies just ahppened to have like all the black pattern on the collar so it was like camoflauge for the rank. Dammit, I have NO IDEA what they hell that is.

Then there's the damn navy is-he-an-officer-or-isn't-he? A.K.A. Sonufabitch-I-just-saluted-a-chief-again-didn't-I? Khaki's

no the old, lets salute the guy with bare Charlie sleeves only to realize he isn't an LT, he's that "used to be a" Lcpl that just got NJP'd last week.

[Spadesy]

Oh yeah...definitely an experience going to Dam Neck for my MOS school, first time going anywhere straight out of boot let alone learning at a Naval school.

Saluted chiefs, was too used to saluting all brass...had no idea what to do when I saw my first petty officers with their brass...

Thought docs were SNCOs, only saw the big-black glob, despite the younger face and the relaxed haircut regs.

Oh the memories.

[Blues]

not to mention the enlisted flight crew that throws you off every once and while especially when its at a fighter base....

[Haru-sa]

so, the whole Okinawan "uber-meek gonna slide by you and knock 18 rows of crap off the shelves all because we're too intimidated by the fear of ever having to utter a word in our own language to a foreigner" thing gets to you Thistle? Me too. I kind of feel bad for people that are in this state though and just try to smile, give them a sumimasen and then go out of my way to move out of their way. Idea behind it, they see you make an effort to move out of their way and be accomidating and also see you give them eye contact, a smile and a word or two from their own language. I've had really interesting conversations that started that way.

The opposite end is the Okinawan quasi-alpha male who has "had it up to here with you foreign scum" and pushes and bullies his way through. Usually between 40 and 55, these guys are full of piss and vinegar and are looking for a confrontation. So, I manage with them to feign the whole indecisive "aisle-dance" thing where neither of you can decide which direction you'll veer to and keep mirroring each other. If you do it well, it looks natural and then after they're really riled, you can be the nice guy, break the cycle and politely tell them to "go ahead" or "after you" or something equally as meek. They are either really pissed off (that's fine by me) or they realize that you're trying to be accomidating by letting them go first. Either way, I get a chuckle...

Power biotches pushing past 3 year olds? Well, they are everywhere. That's another cause for the "aisle-dance" with them, but give them the full eye contact so there's no mistake you're messing with them.

People that can't decide and just generally take up space, or those that just walk up in a line and queue up ahead of the rest of the line? A really loud cough (I mean frighteningly loud) or clearing of the throat repeatedly usually does the trick. Sometimes after the loud cough, they are so ready to be away from you (fear of contagious disease or just general foreigner fear) that they actually run like in the old godzilla movies (not much of the fingerpointing though, they figured out that it was rude).

Seriously, people come in all flavors; pick a seat at Jusco one day and just watch the 'tard circus that is made up of Okinawa, mainlander, foreigner and all others. It can be enlightening and is even better as a spectator than as a participant.

Love this place for the constant entertainment value of the meek thrown in with the mercilous, with a sprinkle of the ultimate defenders and a few wannabe tough guys to boot.

[0341isa]

speaking of foreign infection... I think my new game for this weekend will be go out and find people wearing those anti flu "sars" face masks, sit down right next to them, and continuously cough, hack, and sneeze loudly without even the attempt to cover my mouth. ;)

[Haru-sa]

speaking of foreign infection... I think my new game for this weekend will be go out and find people wearing those anti flu "sars" face masks, sit down right next to them, and continuously cough, hack, and sneeze loudly without even the attempt to cover my mouth. ;)


that's a riot, done it a few times in American Village

[canjap02]

speaking of foreign infection... I think my new game for this weekend will be go out and find people wearing those anti flu "sars" face masks, sit down right next to them, and continuously cough, hack, and sneeze loudly without even the attempt to cover my mouth. ;)

I did that wasy back in '03 (sars scare)when I was going coming back from korea to vancouver. I was the only one not wearing a mask , so I decided to have some fun with it, while I was in line for my next flight. Just stared coughing etc. people ackually ran from me. It was great I got to the front of the line in no time at all.

[Haru-sa]

I did that wasy back in '03 (sars scare)when I was going coming back from korea to vancouver. I was the only one not wearing a mask , so I decided to have some fun with it, while I was in line for my next flight. Just stared coughing etc. people ackually ran from me. It was great I got to the front of the line in no time at all.

absolutely brilliant. I need that for the next purple haired wonder that tries to line stand on me at San-A...