I didn't know he knew some of the words he knows.

Saturday 02nd August, 04:22 AM JST

Justin Morneau, first baseman of MLB’s Minnesota Twins, commenting on the profanity-laced pep talks that Seattle Mariners’ Ichiro reportedly gave to teammates prior to the All-Star Game. When speaking in public, Ichiro uses an interpreter.

Latest 15 of 16 Total Comments Show All

outofmydepth at 10:25 AM JST - 2nd August

naw - everybody learning a new language gets the bad words first. no matter where.
USAPatriot at 10:28 AM JST - 2nd August

ExPrincesKa- Hey! Another anti US comment, without foundation.

Many of the first words of Japanese i learnt were sear words, because i heard the same word being said again and again , and asked what is that word?

Swear words are easy, as they can be used instead of many decent words, so thay are an easy substitute.
cleo at 11:19 AM JST - 2nd August

Many of the first words of Japanese i learnt were sear words, because i heard the same word being said again and again , and asked what is that word?

Says more about the company you were keeping than anything else. Same goes for Ichiro-kun.
USAPatriot at 11:25 AM JST - 2nd August

Cleo

I came to Japan in my late teens, and used to go out regulary, as kids those ages do.

Those kids also swear a lot when young. I still know some of them, and they no longer speak that way, things change and people change.

Heck- Be truthfull, didn`t you ever say, or do things you would find ridiculous these days in your youth?

Most of us grow out of these thing, i did. heck, i don`t want to sound negative, but you should ask more about someone, or something before pasing judgement.
cleo at 11:33 AM JST - 2nd August

USAPatriot -

You just confirmed what I said - the company you were keeping at the time you were learning the language was reflected in the language you learned.

When I first came to Japan, I didn't realise it at the time, but the language I was learning was heavily weighted towards otoko kotoba. Because of the company I found myself in, ie being young, foreign, blonde and not hideous, I had more boyfriends than girlfriends. But they didn't swear at me or in my presence, so it was a while before I learned any swear words.
USAPatriot at 11:37 AM JST - 2nd August

Cleo- Ok, get your point, but as a male, people thought swearing is normal, as males do, and that was what in picked up on. Doesn`t make them bad people though.
Sarge at 11:45 AM JST - 2nd August

Ichiro is funny. At one news conference, soon after he joined the Mariners, when he was speaking Japanese to a Japanese reporter, and a team mate told him he should speak English now that he was a major-leaguer, Ichiro said "Shut-up!" That cracked me up!
cleo at 11:56 AM JST - 2nd August

USAPatriot - where on earth did you get the impression I was calling anybody 'bad people'??

Simply linguistic truth, people pick up on the language they hear around them every day.
USAPatriot at 12:03 PM JST - 2nd August

Cleo- I thought because you said the type of people, so it seems like they are bad.

Heck; I don`t speak now how i did when young.

Maybe i was a uncouth loudmouth, but i changed as i matured.

This guy should know better, he is in the limelight, hat happened to common sense?
Triumvere at 04:32 PM JST - 2nd August

Perhaps this is a male/female thing. There are a lot of guys who will go out of their way to learn the swear words first as a priority.
Sarge at 04:37 PM JST - 2nd August

"There are a lot of guys who will go out of their way to learn the swear words first"

I just spilled coffee on my lap! Tee hee!

Actually many women use swear words. There was this woman in our office who swore all the time. Usually she cracked us up, but sometimes when there were visitors she made us cringe...
ExPrinceska at 06:58 PM JST - 2nd August

swearing in a foreign language does not appear to us as ugly and rude as in our native language, so many people prefer to swear in a foreign language instead in their own. Maybe Ichiro swears only in english and not in Japanese because he does not comprehend completely the impact of his words.
Sarge at 09:01 PM JST - 2nd August

Ichiro to Mariners team mate: Shut up!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Good one, Ichiro!
Hughgarse at 01:59 PM JST - 5th August

everyone masters the profanisaurus of any language before starting the hellos and goodbyes...
Kijimuna at 11:10 AM JST - 6th August

I don't find the swear words. They find me.