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Is this the Japans? Social English – Preparing to be a Culture Vulture on Japan: some picks & pointers
Part one of this blog focussed on how enterprising Business people, from Spain or elsewhere, might better prepare themselves for doing business with their counterparts in Japan. In anticipation of business opportunities that might spring from the delayedTokyo Olympics due to start on July 23rd. Referring to instructive models we saw that both Japan & Spain are categorized as HIGH CONTEXT CULTURES where building trust & developing both working & social relationships are seen to have a higher premium than in LOW CONTEXT CULTURES such as The United States & Germany. Meaningful business transactions might then follow from a good impression made in a social context such as at the restaurant, the bar or even at Karaoke. These 'Social English' contexts present a great challenge for any speaker of English as a Second Language but what, aside from business & family, could business travelers talk about? Showing some appreciation of the host culture always helps, of course, & so we have prepared a primer on Japanese cultural highlights here which will certainly help to NAME DROP some reference points where appropriate.
Ikigai - work-life balance, life expectancy & being centred
First of all, let us look at work-life-balance. Unravelling the stereotypes is key. Just how much time (& money) do business people have to enjoy a ´hinterland´ for the social side of business life?
Like most modern liberal democracies, the expectation in both Japan & Spain are that companies offer standard working contracts or around 40 hours a week. It is Japan, however, that has the reputation for unrealistic demands on its workforce. A recent official (2016) survey showed that 25% of companies in Japan demanded 80 hours of overtime every month.
Contrastingly in Spain many ´expats´ from around the world have arrived on the basis that the country offers a different set of priorities & so a far better quality of life than most. On arrival, though, many are surprised to learn that Spain has some of the longest working hours in Europe with reformers including the lobby group the ‘Association for the Rationalisation for Spanish Schedules’ citing a host of contributing factors for its ´quirky rhythms´ - being the wrong time-zone, the symbolic significance of the lunch break, & the problem of ´presentismo´ – the expectation that workers will stay (some possibly pretending to be busy) until their boss leaves. Whatever the reality is – in both cases long hours can clearly eat into productivity & impact negatively on family & social lives, & also on the capacity of Corporate & Social Responsible (CSR) projects or civic society manifested in volunteering & skill-sharing.
Yet both nations top the league tables for life expectancy. Elsewhere in Oxinity materials we have asked our students to speculate on why Spain might even take over Japan & move into the top spot.
Clearly diet figures strongly - around half the output of Japanese television is said to be food related Japan, & of course Tokyo can now boast more Michelin stars than any other city for its approximately 160,000 restaurants. Unlike ethnically diverse cities such as London, Toronto & New York most of these restaurants specialise in classical Japanese cuisine supplied by Tsukiji, the world's largest fish market.
However, perhaps only Okinawa in Japan can match or exceed Spain & parts of the Mediterranean in terms of the promotion of a relaxed way of life. Interestingly readers could follow up on the recommended reads that follow here with books on this subject by two Spanish writers. They suggest that diet is fundamental as part of the condition of ‘Ikigai’ that has been trending in wellbeing circles in recent years alongside the Danish terms ´Hygge & Lykke´. It is defined variously as ´a reason for being, found during a search for self & purpose´.
But diet is only part of the picture as shown in the graphic & by two Spanish authorities on the subject - Héctor García & Francesc Miralles in their books including ´Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long & Happy Life´ (also listed below).
In conclusion from their interviews with residents of Okinawa García & Miralles talk of the importance of curiosity & intuition as powerful internal compasses in finding our inner “Ikigai”. This is consistent with the models on ´High Context verses Low Context Cultures´ featured in part one of this blog where both the Japanese & Spanish are seen to be more intuitive & relational (or lateral) in their thinking & less logical & linear than their ´Low Context´ counterparts (in countries such as the United States or Germany).
Blogger Kyle Kowalski has picked up on these discoveries as life changing & cites key material on similar localities of calm including in the Mediterranean defined as “Blue Zones” by Dan Buettner a leading innovator & consultant on the design of holistic policies for reclaiming & remodelling our cities to our kitchens as healthy & sustainable environments geared squarely at healthy living & longevity.
In his blog Kowalski reprints a communication sent back to his father 
on his discoveries:
“I would say Ikarians (from the Blue Zones) are the most sane humans on the planet. Long healthy life, minimal impact on the planet, meaningful relationships (“us” vs. “me”), plant-based diets, drink wine and tea with family and friends, clear purpose based on satisfying low-level needs, no care about time, walkable communities, gardening, enjoy physical work and find joy in everyday chores, enjoy being outside, etc.”
We can cut here to other Oxinity materials in anticipation of the 2021 European Championship. ´World Cup Food´ was an innovative resource put together by top pollsters fivethirtyeight.com that had both Japan & Spain topping their respective groups of five nations not on the quality of their football teams, but on the perceived renown of their cuisine. Students are encouraged to voice their opinions using verbs of perception & review superlatives at the same time.
Aside from a topic to engage the ´foodies´ as a factor to measure general wellbeing what else could a prospective business partner (& culture vulture) delve into before doing business with the Japanese? In what area would they like to become more expert in?
1. Music, Dance & Theatre or Musical Theatre
According to a 2010 piece in the Guardian the phrase 'Big in Japan' dates back to when Japanese record-buyers were seen as ‘kooky’ or unfashionable in their tastes - aiming their affection for western culture at the 'wrong targets'. We can, of course, detect a touch of snobbery filtered through a bit cultural relativism. There should be something for anyone with a cross-cultural palettes here:
- The Ventures. In 1962, US instrumental rock band the Ventures were the first Western band to find an unexpectedly enthusiastic audience tin Japan, & have toured the country extensively ever since, their albums said too have outsold the Beatles two to one.
- J-Pop or Kayōkyoku, Ereki or Group Sounds – the terms originated from these times as a Japanese language response to English language so-called British invasion & particularly the Beatles & the Rolling Stones. What had changed from previous incarnations of Japanese popular music was that the pronunciation mimicked sounds in English, whilst as a detail for ‘musos’ - the use of ‘the major second’ or the interval between the first & second degrees of a major scale became standard. Website gogonihon has helpfully produced a contemporary listening & viewing guides for ‘newies’.
One recommendation that I did have in my collection from that earlier era is: Nippon Girls – Japanese Pop, Beat & Bossa Nova 1966-70. The CD sleeve mention that the Beatle’s Japanese tour in 1965 kickstarted this ‘Ereki’ (electric rock) boom to the detriment of the Enka (traditional) scene. As in the western world ‘teenagers ruled’ & the ‘Group Sound’ Japanese bands included ‘the Spiders, Tempters, Tigers, Jaguars, Out Cast & Carnabeats’ whilst teen singer Jun Mayuzumi cutting her hair off ‘Twiggy-style’ was to become ‘queen of Japanese beat’ ushering in a new wave of popular girl singers parallel to what was happening in the West.
- David Bowie - started to gain a cult following in Japan from 1972 - the country's Kabuki theatre, fashion designers (Kansai Yamamoto) & hair stylists feeding into the creation of his Ziggy Stardust alter-ego: "Ziggy really sang, screwed up eyes & screwed down hairdo. Like some cat from Japan".
More detail on the more expressive forms of dance in Kabuki can be seen here alongside other tradition forms of dance & instrumentation. Interestingly aficionados have also commented on links between Kabuki & Flamenco from the common song themes of life, love, hard labour tragedy & death, to a focus on some of the lower rungs in society & to the expressiveness in faces & arm movements, the dramatic poses & even the traditional use of decorative fans.
A documentary Ricochet – follows Bowie during his tour dates in Hong Kong, Singapore & Japan in 1983 as a fascinating insight into a modern day “Anjin-San”. At an interview Bowie confirms that it was exposure to Kabuki on British TV that first made an impact on him whilst he is also on a quest to find out who sung an old Chinese 50s tune that he could remember from his childhood. He finds his answer with Yao Lee recording under the name of Miss Hue Lee for western audiences before the melody was adapted for an English version called ´Rose, Rose I Love You´. More telling still was the in-joke feature on some young Hong Kong Chinese covering the eponymous song from Ziggy Stardust – the bass guitarist ´had to break up the band´ (practice) with a nod to the famous work ethic in Japan: “Sorry you guys….I’ve got to go to work now”.
- Bowie acolyt
es - Bowie spawned a number of British devotees slavishly following what the great man was into. A British fetish with the east could be seen in British pop culture in the early 80s with new bands & singers including Alphaville – Big in Japan, Wang Chung, Aneka – Japanese Boy & China Crisis. Most notable was a group from the same part of south London as Bowie himself calling themselves simply 'Japan'. They had respectable success in the country - with their final album ‘Tin Drum’ being heavily influenced by obscure Chinese recordings found on albums apparently found exclusively in London’s Chinese supermarkets. The touring band then included influential Japanese guitarist Masami Tsuchiya as a kind of counter to charges of ‘cultural tourism’.
Bowie’s own self – referential homage in early 1980 came in the form of an instrumental “Crystal Japan” titled in Japan as “Fuji Moto San” or "The money is a useful thing" for a TV advert for the shochu manufacturer, Crystal Jun Rock, filmed at a Kyoto temple. Shot shortly before MTV revolutionalised music video, Bowie later recollected that he was getting more airplay via TV ads that he did with radio.
- Karaoke – various guides are available to prepare the business traveller wary of having to step out of their comfort zones & try & sing a song fairly tunefully. The growth of karaoke as a Japanese phenomenon seems to have mirrored the development of J-Pop. The idea has been attributed to Kobe-based singer Daisuke Inoue who built & rented out an unpatented coin operat
ed machine to play his own records, minus his voice, at bars & hotels. Filipino inventor Roberto del Rosario then developed & registered a similar system called “less one” in 1975. As a session could be in the firmament of any social activities organised by potential business partners as hosts - the international business traveller should really have at least one tune ´up their sleeves´. Lists of the current most popular eastern & western tunes are readily available – Yo Hitoto – “Hanamizuki” (translated as ´Flowering Dogwoods´) & Kenshi Yonezu´s “Lemon” have topped recent Karaoke charts for the former, whilst the latter tunes feature Disney heavily as well as 70s era Queen. What seems to be consistent in another blog listing the variously popular - Disney showtunes, Abba, Celion Dion, The Carpenters, Taylor Swift misc. boy bands etc. is what a curious Western audience might categorize as ´HIGH CAMP´.
- New young bands – impressive Japanologist Will Heath (featured below) namechecks girl band Triko & orchestral progressive rockers Mono as worth checking out.
2. Film - Nagisa Ôshima. The singer-songwriter of the band 'Japan' David Sylvian went on to befriend Ryuichi Sakamoto formerly from the pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra who tellingly worked both as an actor alongside Bowie & as a composer of the soundtrack respectively, providing the music for perhaps his & Sylvian’s best musical offering in the film 'Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence' (1983) directed by Nagisa Ôshima. In a rare televised interview at that time Bowie was asked about the contrasts between east-west film direction:
"Ôshima (filmed) inherently from a Japanese sensibility. He's got such a peculiar balance in the movie between the stylistic acting of the Japanese and the neo-realistic acting of the westerners & kept them almost against each other to produce this almost dream state..."
Akira Kurosawa. Perhaps the most influential Japanese director - Kurosawa is said to have given birth to a genre that would flow through the rest of the century - 'the Hollywood remake'. His fingerprints can be seen on a number of westerns & war films - "The Magnificent Seven”, "The Dirty Dozen" ,"The Guns of Navarone," & the first significant Spaghetti Western with the samurai adventure "Yojimbo" (1960) remade by Italian master Sergio Leone giving Clint Eastwood his first major break in "A Fistful of Dollars". Various heist & caper type movies resembled his style whilst "The Hidden Fortress" (1958) was referenced by George Lucas as a influence for his "Star Wars" series.
Yasujiro Ozu - Tokyo Story (1953) is perhaps the one movie that every visitor to Japan should see. It is said to be a ‘profound evocation of elemental humanity & universal heartbreak’ featuring the director’s recurring theme of generational conflict as it follows an aging couple’s journey to visit their 
grown children in bustling post-war Tokyo, creating a cinematic masterpiece. Cross-generational conflict is perhaps more subtly nuanced in Japanese society than in the West & the phenomenon of the ´Hikikomori´ or extreme social isolation & loneliness has been written about elsewhere in Oxinity materials.
A carefully curated top twenty of important Japanese epic movies is listed here - Best Japanese Movies.
3. Animation, Anime & Graphic Novels
Manga - translated as 'whimsical pictures' are comics & graphic novels read by the Japanese of all ages in a style said to have developed used in the late nineteenth century but with a gestation dating back to scrolls from the twelfth century. Creators of manga are called mangaka. Mangaka are both authors & illustrators of their works, each with their own unique approach such as Tezuka O
samu (“Astro Boy”), Akira Toriyama (“Dragon Ball Z”) and Naoko Takeuchi (“Sailor Moon”). JW Web Magazines has put together a top 25 list here.
Studio Ghibli - One of the most acclaimed studios in the world, Studio Ghibli is home to of some of the most revered & beloved animated works in the history of cinema. The pick of the bunch might be Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning 2001 anime feature "Spirited Away" said to be an extraordinary gateway into anime as a unifying form with pervading themes of environmentalism, supernaturalism & humanity. 
Asher Isbrucker has provided a fantastic appreciation of Ghibli’s unique approach to ‘immersive realism’ through highly skilled ‘world building’ so that the delicate balance between fantasy & realism is consistently just about perfect.
4. Martial Arts
The informative link here mentions that the origins of martial arts in Japan can, of course, be traced back to the role of the samurai, the highly trained, elite level, warrior class in hierarchical medieval Japanese society where the samurai prized their extremely sharp "katana" (Japanese swords) as closely as their fascinating code of honour.
"Bushido," or "way of the warrior” is seen to have included the principles of discipline, frugal living, honesty, honour, & the mastery of martial arts into their training & everyday life. Although the samurai class was abolished during the Meiji period (1868 - 1912), the respect towards the moral code remains, any many
people, of course, practice martial arts today to train their bodies & minds.
The principal Japanese codes detailed here are Jujutsu, Judo, Aikido, Karate & Sumo & with weapons – Kendo, Naginata (popular with women) & Kyudo.
Of interest is how Chinese-American Bruce Lee might be perceived in China. His brand of mixed-martial arts clearly drew from Japanese traditions, but his principal method of Kung Fu is of Chinese origin. He was born in San Francisco but spent his formative years in Hong Kong. Certainly in the 1970s there was, of course, a remaining anti-Japanese antipathy in China dating back to WW2 & critics have noted that Japanese natives are often portrayed as the bad guys in his movies. However, he is also deeply revered across Japan for the mastery of his skills & as a trailblazer for Asian actors & just plain Asian cool as since reflected in movie homages such as Tarantino’s Kill Bill.
5. Sport & sportsmanship - a story that football fans might recall about the Japanese seems to be consistent with these notions of honour & high principles seen in Martial Arts & Samuria. Japan won a lot of new fans at the 2018 Men´s Football World Cup in Russia when, due to the fair play-rule, they had qualified to the knockout stages & faced one of the favourites Belgium. Remarkably after an hour the Japanese team was two-nil up, yet did not choose to close down the game with the now common-place, cynical tactics of the various ´dark-arts´ of time-wasting & feigning injuries etc. as practiced by most nations. Partly resultantly perhaps, the Belgians made an impropable comeback to win the game 3-2 in the final seconds. Of course the Japanese team & their fans were DISTRAUGHT yet both proved to be admirably MAGNAMINOUS in defeat. The classiest touches perhaps illustrated by the team leaving their changing rooms spotless alongside a thank-you note (written in Russian) for their grateful hosts, as well as scores of fans doing their bit to clear the stands of litter.
Some excellent journalist pieces have been commemorating the last time Tokyo hosted the Olympics in 1964. Well worth taking a look at is Kon Ichikawa’s official documentary which captures skilfully & artfully Japan at such an important crossroads. From the Guardian:
“The official film of the ’64 Olympics opens with a match cut; it jumps from the blazing white sun to a wrecking ball demolishing a bomb-ruined block of Tokyo city. Walls fall, dust rises. The ’64 Olympics cost $2.8bn, which made them the most expensive in history. They came on a wave of poured concrete, 100km of new super highways, a new sewage system, two new subway lines, a new monorail to the refurbished airport, a new Shinkansen line to Osaka. The Games were, sports historian David Goldblatt wrote, “both an instrument and symbol” of Japan’s rapid economic development and its post-war rehabilitation.
At least, that’s the official narrative. The story told in the documentary is more complicated and ambiguous. It was directed by Kon Ichikawa, who had only just won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Festival for his film Odd Obsession. The organisers had originally hired Akira Kurosawa, but dropped him when he insisted on having complete creative control over the opening and closing ceremonies as well. It paid off. Ichikawa, who had made his name with two anti-war movies, The Burmese Harp and Fires on the Plain, ended up making one of the great sports films. It won two Baftas, including best documentary”.
6. Comedy - The Asia Society has produced an excellent guide with the help of the novelist Hisashi Inoue from the northern region of Tohoku, & the storyteller or ´rakugo´ said to have orginated from Kyoto & Osaka. ´Stand-up´ comedy is rare insofar as the storyteller is sitting down – tall tales are delivered from a raconteur sitting on a purple cushion.
The Brits assign their own perceptions to the idea of the ´northern comic´ - probably old fashioned, cruel & offensive to minorities. Hisashi Inoue appears to be a different beast but he has his targets. When asked about the apparent strict rules of decorum in Japanese society he answers:
“It's more a matter of caution than decorum. In a sense, you assume that strangers are hostile until proven otherwise. There used to be a saying that a samurai could lift one side of his mouth in a grin once in three years; a whole laugh was all right every five or six. That tradition is still alive: the samurai in modern Japan -- the bureaucrats, the white-collar employees in the big companies have no sense of humour at all. The more important you are in some organizational way, the more serious you have to be. Japanese humour comes from ordinary people like me who work for themselves”.
- Clive James on TV & the Japanese Game Show Endurance - Back to my formative years & to the much-missed Australian critic, novelist & poet Clive James who became something of a natural treasure in the UK. The premise of this particular show which originally ran from 1982-+ to 1988 was to poke gentle fun at the broadcasting commissioning decisions that had produced these seemingly odd television shows from around the world. A regular highlight were the featured clips from the Japanese Game Show ´Endurance´ in which contestants put themselves through extreme discomfort in ludicrous situations such as dipping their heads in glass cases full of live insects or having ice dangled over their ‘private parts’ The implication was heavily implied - only the Japanese were crazy enough to do such things. Years later, of course we have similar shows aired in the West such as "I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!" - the slightly condescending humour is targeted closer to home. The show did not seem to play very well at home but Japanese business people of a certain age might have faint recollections & be interested in how this shaped perceptions of their country.
- The Strange Art of Chindōgu or How to be ´Unuseless´ - No. 6 in the 10 tenets of Chindōgu, as translated in the “Observer Book of Invention” states
“Humour must not be the reason for creating Chindōgu. The creation of Chindugo is fundamentally a problem solving activity. Humour is simply the by-product of finding an elaborate or unconventional solution to a problem that may have not been that pressing to begin with.”
What is Chindōgu? Literary it means ´unsual tool´ & the phenomenon displays just how playful the Japanese sense of humour can be. The story goes that in the same decade – the (late) 1980s intellectual & amateur inventor Kenji Kawakami decided that failed or CRACKPOT type inventions inhibited a certain charm & that the ´art´ of the ‘unuseless’ or the ´almost useful´ deserved to be championed. Devices mentioned in the Observer book included here are an Eye Protector for Chickens, the Fingertip Toothbrush, Butter on a Stick & the Back Scratcher´s T-shirt featuring a handy grid to better locate the itch.
Interestingly neither Japan nor Spain had an invention deemed important enough for the Observer’s list of ‘the 100 most important inventions of all time’. However millennials in particular might beg to differ. The number of the innovations in the arts & in pop culture featured here – martial arts, comic books, manga (not to mention Pokémon & Hello Kitty), revolving stages (Kabuko), Karaoke etc. but also we need to focus on the field of electronics – the pocket calculator, the Walkman, Nintendo PlayStation & gaming culture often populated with androgynous heroes self-referential to Mangaka. This subject of Japan’s ´pop-media complex´ being so successful in re-fashioning global culture has inspired Matt Alt to produce a book– ‘Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World’ that very ably catches the ZEITGIST.
As for Spanish inventions – ‘anything with a stick’ is a RUNNING JOKE that I use in ESL classes when Spanish students get little too COCKY in any review of superlatives. They tend to self-ascribe themselves (granted – with some truth), as having the best food, best weather, best football, most beautiful women etc. but then I counter ´good´ weather might be bad for creativity. When Spanish University students are asked for their greatest contributions to improving our quality of life, they inevitably come up with a ´lexical set´ that includes some of the mop, the lollipop, table football, the cigarette, & possible helicopter blades, before I ask them what these have in common & whether or not we could live without them. The siesta (the Romans), irrigation & the cultivation of rice or the ‘Spanish’ guitar (both Arabic?) I duly disqualify.
7. Best (mainly) non-fiction books on Japan – Will Heath has produced a fascinating & immersive written & video guide to 13 essential newly published titles on Japanese culture & history. Heath demonstrates that he is a personification of the trend described by Matt Alt – a young millennial increasingly obsessed with this immerging group of pervasive pop-art forms which have triggered many to delve much deeper into their research. So much so, that he is immerging as a true ‘Japanophile’ or ‘Japanologist’, another modern-day ´Anjin-san´ from Shōgun.
Culture -
Pure Invention – How Japan’s Pop Culture Conquered the World by Matt Alt (2020)
Lost Japan by Alex Kerr (2016)
Fifty Sounds by Polly Barton (2019)
Japanese Tattoos – History, Culture, Design (2016)
Forest Bathing: the Rejuvenating Practice of Shinrin Yoku by Héctor García & Francesc Miralles (2020)
Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long & Happy Life by Héctor García & Francesc Miralles (2017)
History -
Stranger in the Shogun’s City: A Woman’s Life in Nineteenth Century Japan by Amy Stanley (2020) – a Historical Novel
Japan Story: In Search of a Nation 1850 to the Present by Christopher Harding (2019)
The Japanese: A History in Twenty Lives by Christopher Harding (2020)
A Brief History of Japan: Samurai, Shogun & Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun by Jonathan Clements (2017)
The Bells of Old Tokyo: Meditations on Time & City by Anna Sherman (2019)
Bending Adversity: Japan & the Art of Survival by David Pilling (2015)
A History of the Samuria: Legendary Warriors of Japan by Johnathan Lopez-Vera (2020) Translated by Russell Galvert
8. Best Novels set in Japan – Russell Thomas opens his Guardian 2020 piece with: “When Japan was forced to “open up” in 1853 following more than 200 years of its Sakoku policy, the country was a mystery to the outside world. In some ways it still is..” He goes on to curate this list of novels written by its natives:
Coin Locker Babies by Ryu Murakami (1980)
The Sailor Who Fell from Grace by Yukio Mishima (1963)
Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami (2013)
I am a Cat by Natsume Soseki (1906)
Some Prefer Nettles by Jun'ichiro Tanizaki (1929)
The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon (990-1000?, 2006 translation by Meredith McKinney)
choolgirl by Osamu Dazai (1939)
Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami (1985)
9. Feminist & Feminine Voices
Introducing rising literary & cultural star Mieko Kawakami. We have seen that observers have treaded carefully when broaching the area of gender equality in the in Japanese boardroom & beyond. Mieko Kawakami has ´pulled no punches´ & seen to have made her name articulating Japanese (working-class) womanhood better than any other. She has respectfully challenged the role of women in Haruki Murakami´s fiction but has remained a harsher critic of much more of her country´s literary canon as detailed above as ´full of stock imagery of geisha & Mt Fuji´. In her recent novel “Chichi to Ran” (“Breasts & Eggs”) & in her interviews she has challenged what she sees as the pervading patriarchy in the Japanese publishing world.
How then could a visiting business person broach such a controversial subject or workplaces justify rules that are trying to force women to wear heals & not wear glasses? Even the BBC has entered the fray producing copy on the subject of Why Japan Can´t Shake Sexism?
Endpiece: ´Pushing Ahead of the Dame´ - Gender Politics in Language
Back to Bowie or his affectionate pet name to many fans ´the Dame´. Most will know his hit ´China Girl´ - the opening number on his 1983 far-east tour diary as shown on Ricochet. A song about the dangers of cultural exploitation of the East by the West, the lyrics were actually written by his 70s ´partner in crime´ Iggy Pop. Iggy in turn was inspired by a big crush on Kuelan Nguyen, the Vietnamese girlfriend of French actor/singer Jacques Higelin after they met whilst recording at the Château d’Hérouville near Paris in 1976. The excellent blogger Chris O´Leary ´takes up the chase´:
“Nguyen spoke no English, Pop no French, so the two communicated in gestures, expressions & pidgin reductions of each other’s language. Pop would grow frustrated trying to get through to Nguyen in sign language and brutalized French; she once put a finger to her lips & shushed him”.
Less well referenced is Bowie´s own ´It´s No Game´ – two different versions of the song bookend his 1980 offering Scary Monsters (& Super Creeps). Interpreted by O´Leary as consistent with Bowie´s then preoccupation on protest songs with a twist – Part One of the song carries a more powerful electric charge amidst the barrage of amplified guitars (Robert Fripp´s finest moment?). Of prophetic note was that Bowie had spent much of 1980 in New York recording, then acting on stage in a minimalist production of The Elephant Man. Since around 1974 he had forged a strong friendship with his ´most important mentor´ - famous Soho residents John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono and had hooked up with Lennon for a few days holiday in Japan that year and a few years later as drunken revellers on another holiday in Hong Kong. Even before he met Yoko it seems that Lennon had shared a fellow fascination with all things Japanese. Chris O' Leary continues:
“The first voice on the track is the Japanese actress Michi Hirota (she’s on the cover of Sparks’ Kimono My House) snapping “Shirueto ya kagega!” (“silhouettes and shadows,” full translation here). Hirota originally was to coach Bowie in voicing the Japanese translation (by the professor Hisahi Miura). But as the translation was literal, it was hard for Hirota to make the lines fit the vocal melody—there were just too many syllables. The obstacle became an inspiration: Bowie asked Hirota to recite the lyric herself, but in an aggressive “masculine” manner, shouting & barking out the words.
The Japanese language has a sharply defined gender separation, with men & women (and older men/younger men, etc.) using different words, tenses and phrasings. If a woman was to speak the way Hirota does on “Game,” it would still be startling in today’s Japan; more than that, it just wouldn’t be done. For example, Hirota says “ore,” the pronoun for “I” which only an older Japanese man would use; she also uses more direct verb endings than a woman typically would. Her whole delivery is an aggressive, exaggerated masculine tone (it’s basically how a Japanese teenage boy would speak).
So Bowie intended Hirota to be the song’s secret revolutionary: I wanted to break down a particular type of sexist attitude about women. I thought the [idea of] the “Japanese girl” typifies it, where everyone pictures them as a geisha girl, very sweet, demure & non-thinking, when in fact that’s the absolute opposite of what women are like. They think an awful lot!, with quite as much strength as any man. I wanted to caricature that attitude by having a very forceful Japanese voice on it. So I had [Hirota] come out with a very samurai kind of thing”.
Should then a (Spanish) International Business Traveller, & particularly a confident & assertive business woman, be advised to avoid this most delicate of subjects or on the opposite scale consider ´playing devil´s advocate´ so to enliven a social encounter? Is a middle way the wiser? For a Spaniard this could take the form of a conversation starter that references feminist assertions that the Real Academia de la Lenqua (RAE) in Spain has been criticized as an outdated & institutionally sexist body. It could be noted that its official dictionary defined the Spanish word for “femininity” as “an abnormal state of the man.” The RAE actively preserves the Spanish language worldwide & some of the same discriminatory defined gender separations exist within the equivalent promotion of standard Japanese language or ´Hyojungo´. This has been bravely picked up on by the Japan Times which references the key outsider text first published in 1987 - “Womensword: What Japanese Words Say About Women” by Kittredge Cherry.
In polite conversation where we are conscious of the need not TO LOOSE FACE we could also cite a recent review of the book that reminds us that many gender biases also exist in English & that much progress might had been made in the 30 years the revised text took to reach its thirteenth edition.
Last words & music then including a call to arms that falls somewhere between aggressive & assertive curtesy of David Bowie, Robert Fripp & Michi Hirota:
It’s No Game
The Japanese lyric of “It’s No Game Pt.1” (via Stephen Ryan).
shirueto ya kage ga kakumei wo miteiru
(Sillouettes and shadows are watching the revolution)
mo tengoku no jiyu no kaidan wa nai
(free [as in without restrictions] steps of heaven are no longer there/here)
ore wa genjitsu kara shime dasare
(I [a ‘tough’ masculine 'I’] have been excluded from reality)
nani ga okotteiru no ka wakaranai
(I don’t understand what’s going on)
doko ni kyoukun wa aruno ka hitobito wa yubi wo orareteiru
(where is the lesson [moral] people’s fingers are being broken)
konna dokusaisya ni iyashimerareru no wa kanashii
(to be abused [taunted] by this strong-willed leader [dictator?] is sad)
nanmin no kiroku eiga
(documented films of refugees)
hyouteki ni se wo shita koibitotachi
(lovers are set as a background to the target)
michi ni ishi wo nagereba
(if you throw a stone into the road)
konagona ni kudake
(it is shattered into a powder)
kino ni futa wo sureba
(if you cover up [put a lid on] yesterday
kyoufu wa masu
(the terror [fear] grows)
ore no atama ni tama wo uchikomeba
(if you shoot a bullet into my head)
shinbun wa kakitateru
(the newspapers will write about it in an exaggerated way)
Part one of the blog:
https://oxinity.com/es/blog/better-preparing-spanish-business-people-for-doing-business-with-japan-in-english_106233?idc=106233&blog
21 January 2022
Propofol, the cat
One proverb in four languages, and some benefits of online education
Gergo
SEE MORE
TIPS DE PRONUNCIACIÓN PARA HISPANOHABLANTES -ERRORES A EVITAR
Clases de inglés online baratas 5€, 4€, 2€
Propofol, the cat
Can Freelance Teachers Stay In Business In A Competitive Market And Low Prices?
Las mejores academias de inglés en Madrid
Las 5 mejores academias de inglés en Valencia
False friends
New Year Goals: Learning a language with the wonder of film!
X-Mas Practice!
While Improving Your English Reading Skills, Improve Your Life! [+Recommended Reading List]
Innovación tecnológica en educación: ¿Para qué (no) sirve la tecnología?
Las mejores academias de inglés en León
Qué NO hemos aprendido de la pandemia del Covid-19 en educación
Sistemas de enseñanza colaborativos para profesores. La alternativa a la soledad de un sistema obsoleto.
I walk in the park. She walks in the park. Do you walk in the park? Does she go with you?
El presente simple en inglés (A1).
Aprender inglés rápido y fácilmente: el único truco que necesitas
Aprender inglés con música Parte 1 Niños
El negocio de la enseñanza del inglés y su impacto en profesores y alumnos
Business English: Qué tienes que saber sobre el inglés de los negocios
Practise Your English with a Beautiful Song
The best TEFL job
Cómo transmitir experiencia en educación y hacer evolucionar un sistema
Can dogs learn multiple languages too?
Don't forget to write!
¿Por qué somos mejores y peores que Duolingo?
Language learning and our brain.
Pronombres Sujeto y Objeto en inglés: WHO or WHOM?
This is my house. The house is mine. Pronombres y adjectivos
posesivos en Inglés (A1-A2)
This is JK Rowling's famous book THAT everybody knows. Pronombres relativos en inglés (A1-A2)
Guía definitiva de los tiempos verbales en inglés
Understanding Student's Cultural Background
La estafa detrás de los certificados de idiomas. Tengo un título pero no entiendo una película en versión original. ¿Por qué?
Las 5 mejores academias de inglés en Bilbao
Conectores en inglés - Los 20 más importantes
Clases de inglés para niños y adultos con dislexia
Libros recomendados para leer en inglés
Future continuous - los tiempos futuros en inglés. Ejercicios con teoría (B1)
Mejores profesores de inglés. ¿Cómo saber si realmente se es buen profesor?
Las mejores clases de inglés para aprender rápido y fácil el idioma (Funciona)
How does learning a foreign language enrich your travel experience ?
Ejercicios past simple o pasado simple (Inglés A1)
El abecedario en inglés (english for kids).
Los dias de la semana en Inglés (kids)
Las mejores Apps para aprender inglés gratis y pagando en 2021
Cómo se aprende a escribir en inglés
Emma Raducanu and the Language of Success
What are homonyms and homophones? Are they different? How?
Los 5 mejores cursos de inglés para empresas. Cómo elegir un sistema para aprender inglés rápido.
Partes del cuerpo en Inglés (kids)
¿Por qué de mayores nos cuesta más aprender inglés? Claves para superar las barreras que nos impiden aprender rápido.
Q&A about our roles as parents to optimize our children's L2 language learning process.
The origin of idioms in English.
Does technology enable me to learn faster? How...?
Benefits of Children Learning foreign language at a young age.
Prepositions of Time
Los exámenes en la escuela y Maquiavelo. ¿El fin justifica los medios?
La enseñanza bilingüe en inglés: ¿Fracaso o acierto de los colegios con eseñanza bilingüe?
Very Repetitive (
Why should I have a bucket list?
How to become a polyglot.
Learn English Meaningfully: This Is Water
Crosswords to make us smarter!
¿Qué c*ñ* es Oxinity?
A misspelt tattoo will make you a 'laughing stock'
Connected speech - what is that?
APRENDER INGLÉS EN CASA, 4 MANERAS EFECTIVAS
Gratitude For Our Another E-Learning Year
Practise your reading skills with a short story: Eveline, by James Joyce (Levels B2-C1)
Descubre el secreto de los alumnos con mejores resultados académicos. ¡Se preparan en verano!
Jugar al fútbol sin balón. Así es como se enseña el inglés en el colegio y en la academia.
There's No Need To Cut The Flow Of Learning Anymore
Menos inglés, más deporte = ¡mejores resultados!
Three Reasons to Learn languages Online with Oxinity
Clases online: fracaso digital
An Introduction to Colloquialism/Slang
Drink water like Ronaldo!
Languages in Austro-Hungary: The multi-lingual empire
Songwriting: Words then Music or Music then words? What do I write first, song lyrics or the music?
Funny sounding phrases
Los 5 pasos para que tu hijo hable inglés como un nativo en 3 meses
Sun day
Yesterday's name
Another planetary day
Thursday
Is this the Japans? Social English – Preparing to be a Culture Vulture on Japan: some picks & pointers
Day three, or four
Today was a good day
Frequently used Acronyms in the TEFL/TESOL environment
Tips on Teaching English to Beginners
Moon's day
Is this the Japans? - How might an enterprising business person in Spain best prepare for doing business in Japan?
Aprende inglés online... y conviértelo en un hábito.
Cursos de Verão - Inglês
Learn, and fully understand English adjectives with the Mr. Men
Is that a hamster? No, it's a rat!
Aprende inglés con 30 minutos al día en 3 meses con profesores especializados
Teaching ESL To Students With ADHD
The French Connection!!
(The influence of the French language on the English language)
American English VS British English.
The most common spelling differences.
Ingles bueno, bonito, barato
El secreto del MEJOR curso de inglés intensivo (el que nadie más puede ofrecer)
Cómo detener las abusivas prácticas de las plataformas de idiomas que pagan poco a los profesores
Who is Olivia Rodrigo, the girl that is driving our teenagers crazy?
8 habits for learning a language effectively
William Shakespeare: How his vocabulary and idioms can help to improve your English
Consejos para escribir mejor en inglés
¿Cómo aprender inglés rápido? Los 3 ciclos de aceleración de 3 meses de 30 minutos al día.
¿Cómo aprender inglés rápido? Los 3 ciclos de aceleración de 3 meses de 30 minutos al día.
El inglés sigue siendo el rey
SUCCESS: TALENT, PASSION, OR GRIT
Why is it called Whit Monday?
IDIOMS - Spanish to English
Aprende “Bad” Ingles
5 Things your ESL teacher wishes you knew
Idiom: Wolf in Sheep´s Clothing ?
Idiom: Butter Someone up ?
Practice your reading skills in English with a sci-fi story: Barney (Kids - Levels B1-C1)
Playing with Lego can improve your child's English
How can playing with LEGO bricks help a company improve its strategic planning, communication, and creative thinking?
Vocabulary: What is Flourishing?
Are you a Swiftie? Understanding adjectives in English (Part II).
Growth Milestones At Oxinity: Be An Expert, Not A Salesperson
Vocabulary: What is burnout?
Curfew
Idiomas online, fórmula efectiva
The many uses of 'blue' within the English Language
Understanding the Adjectives in English - Part I (A1-B2)
His Holiness The Dalai Lama:
“We need an education of the heart”
¡Llega Oxinity Colombia!
Nothing Will Stop Me (About the Interrelation Between Motivation and Success)
Practise your reading skills in English with a 10-minute short story: The Blue Jar, by Isak Dinesen (Level B1-C1)
The philosophy of Bruce Lee: How does “Being like water” make us stronger?
US Dollar Takes a Beating after Unexpected Slowdown in Job Creation
How to get English students by sharing Oxinity content.
Colourful grammar
Yes, you will survive! Aprende first, second y third conditional con canciones (inglés B1-B2)
Imagine you can learn English listening to John Lennon (A1-A2)
Lift your mood while practicing English with one of the best ever Disney songs: The Bare Necessities (A1-B1 General English)
How do you write?
The UNprofitable business of private English lessons
Mejores apps para aprender inglés gratis y pagando. 2021.
Learn French with Hazra
Lo que los maestros de TEFL pueden ofrecer
Richard Branson - high School drop out to self-made billionaire says:
The 3 skills successful CEOs need are not taught in schools
What's your favourite book?
The books that changed my life. Recommendations for English learners for World Book Day.
¿Por qué no aprendo inglés?
The Irishman Who Helped Save FC Barcelona
20 Things Spaniards Say Incorrectly in English
Tony-Robbins-Teaches-You-How-to-Take-Your-English-from-B2-to-C1
Aprende inglés con Forest Blakk: If you love her. (A1-B1 Inglés general)
Write Songs in 4 Steps. English for Song-writers. Basics of Song-writing
Understand lyrics of POP songs! Learn English with music: English for B1 and B2 levels
Learn English With Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO. The Power of EMPATHY (B1 Business English)
El engaño de los supuestamente mejores métodos para aprender inglés del mercado
Una oportunidad de aprendizaje (B1 Intermediate English).
Registering as Autonomo in Spain: A Personal Experience
5 habits that can help improve your English
6 essential tips to learn a foreign language
Franquicia Academia Inglés Online
Google Translate or Good Old Dictionaries?: Tips for English learners on using dictionaries
Los 3 beneficios de las clases de media hora
Is finding an online language teacher as easy as ABC?
Como mejorar la pronunciación en Inglés?
How to position yourself on instagram?
Learn English with Music- You & I COVER. B1 and B2 English
Las 5 mejores academias de inglés en Barcelona
Ingles para niños de 2 a 3 años
A different view of Spanish politics
The Balance In Teaching Children
4 Ways to Practice English Outside of Class... That aren't Netflix
How a huge lifestyle change exposed me to the world of teaching
Teaching English to children is...... a mixed bag of emotions!
Phrasal verbs fáciles con canciones (Inglés nivel B1 y B2)
What’s the best restaurant in Barcelona?
I am Oxinity
10 novelas en inglés fáciles de leer para adultos!
¿Cuánto tiempo se tarda en aprender inglés desde cero?
How Can Learning English Make You More Kind and Mindful person?
Learn English with Music - Dream a Little Dream of Me. B1 and B2 English
Busco profesor de inglés online
Why would I pay for my English lessons when I can get them for free?
Stop Translating in Your Head
¡Ahórrate 20.000 euros estudiando inglés!
Revolución industrial 4.0: revolución en las aulas
Discourse Markers: Examples
Water Day
What is Your Way of Learning English?
Motivational quotes in the morning
Did I become a better teacher because I am a Scout?
To become fluent in English
Recycling Wasted Time
Tecnología y aprendizaje, las piedras del camino a tu futuro
How speaking English at an advanced level saved my life when living AND working abroad…
What's the key to learning a new language?
What did I do differently when learning English?
Everybody Is a Genius
Hablar inglés nunca fue tan importante... ni tan fácil!
'Plan B'
Estoy en paro: aprender inglés para trabajar
Cómo aprobar el essay del First Certificate con un 10. Ejercicio práctico para sacar un aprobado seguro.
L@s profesor@s somos alumn@s
PARTE III: La docencia está llena de sorpresas
L@s profesor@s somos alumn@s
PARTE II: Las nueva tecnologías
L@s profesor@s también somos alumn@s
PARTE I: Rubén
Presidential Cartoons
My habit of improving vocabulary
Enhorabuena y gracias (B1 Intermediate English)
Ya no solo es Covid... (B1 Intermediate English)
TIPS DE PRONUNCIACIÓN PARA HISPANOHABLANTES -ERRORES A EVITAR
Lista de resoluciones para 2021
Sounding Spanish
Regala un empujoncito (B1 Intermediate English)
Give a gift of language for Christmas
Regalos para Navidad 2020 originales: regala ilusión
Del aula analógica a la virtual: un cambio de paradigma.
Teachers Revolutionize Education, Not Technology
Naenda wapi - where am I going?
How to Make a Career Change
My Top 5 Websites for Teaching Resources
5 Tips para tener un CV en inglés impecable
Learning English after 60.
English To Go
How to engage your children in learning a new language.
Trenta años de la caída del muro de Berlin, trenta años de globalización
Cuando usar los adverbios de frecuencia en Ingles
3 Pasos y Una Razón para Aprender, Practicar y Avanzar en Inglés
La educación 2.0 entre las apuestas de inversión ganadoras para ser rico
Aprender idiomas: la pregunta del millón
Benefits of using mind maps in class for students
A Few Facts About Me...
Convierte la Crisis en una Oportunidad aprendiendo Inglés
Fish Or Fishes Or Questions That Make Us Love English
Arender Inglés con Oxinity
Ey up lad! Learning English as a diverse global language
Aprender inglés: la tercera columna
Communicative Learning Technique (CLT), the importance of Student Talking Time (STT) and how it changes language learning.
How Artificial Intelligence can predict the winner of the 2020 US Presidential Election
La Alta Necesidad de Aprender Inglés
Why do I think it is efficient to learn or teach a language online?
La crisis abre un mundo de oportunidades para los emprendedores
Un Viaje Emocionante
¿Qué dice nuestro acento sobre nosotros?
The Start of my Online TEFL journey – Part 2.
Sometimes we foreigners believe that we can understand
Checklist of Catalonia's anti-Covid rules: measures in force as of 30th October
La forma de hablar en una entrevista de trabajo abre más puertas que lo que dices
Spanish Congress to consider PM's request for six-month state of alarm on Thursday
Top tools for developing fluency online for free. Tips for teachers and students.
Are you a plant lover?
Learning through teaching English as a Second Language. Why I choose to teach.
When I'm not in the Classroom
A reason to start
Adaptarse a la Nueva Realidad aprendiendo Inglés como segunda lengua
Happy LGBTQ+ History Month!
INGLÉS DESDE DONDE ESTÉS (English for children)
There is an imposter among us! The best mobile games for learning English
Cierre de International House (IH)
Showing Personal Interest In Your Student - How?
A Day in the Life of an Online TEFL Teacher
The Perfect Presentation
My TEFL Online Survival Guide
A lesson said in humour is long remembered’
Somos OXINITY!
The best children’s books for English learners (and why you should read them no matter what your age!)
'There ain't 'alf been some clever b******s'
The Benefits of learning other languages as a child.
The Travelling Office ?
Teach them Quasm – Meaning?
The Spanglish Quiz: perfect for learners of Spanish and English
The Importance of Timing – and not just with Lesson Planning!
A short guide to write academic essays!
Learning English in a fun and productive way
English for Medical Professionals
How to Plan a Successful Online Lesson
Como hacer una cover letter en inglés: las formalidades
10 Fantastic British Slang words - impress your friends with your knowledge!
Inglés para Turismo: Como hacer limonada de limones
English for the Tourism Sector: Making lemonade out of lemons
From Teaching to Travelling and Back Again. An Unexpected Journey.
Living Language combining law and language learning.
Bring on 2020 Online Learning!
My Travels Around Spain and How it has helped teaching my Spanish Students
Improving your Spoken English Without a Partner – How?
Teaching Young Learners - How exactly?
Daniel Ebanks English Teacher
The Power of Music Demonstrated with Residents
Is that Italian you’re speaking?
Stop taking the Mickey - It's Origins
Creating Memories
Teacher, to Tour Guide, to Teacher
El Futuro de la Educación
Adapting to the New Reality via learning English
How Coronavirus has Changed the World of Online Teaching
The Seven Levers To Learn A Language
Using my Professional Experience to Teach Business English Online
Que tus hijos no se queden sin clases extra escolares este año
A importância da prática
Working with Charities and Volunteering to gain Teaching Experience
Corsi di inglese intensivi per ragazzi e bambini
Inglese per videoconferenza
Inglés es el idioma mas hablado en el Mundo
It´s a Pain in Spain to keep up with the clocks
LOS BENEFICIOS DE UN CEREBRO BILINGÜE
Teaching Students from Different Cultures and Adapting your Skills
Speaking English THROUGH A COVID FACE MASK: Does it help or hinder your progress?
Fun things to do in the pool whilst learning English
La regla de tres para hablar inglés
PUEDES APRENDER INGLES SOLO CON UNA APLICACION?
DO YOU LOVE THE SHOW 'LA CASA DE PAPEL' (OR EVEN HATE IT) AND WANT A NEW ICEBREAKER WHEN CHATTING IN ENGLISH? BECAUSE OF 'MONEY HEIST'S INTERNATIONAL APPEAL, YOU COULD BE ONTO A WINNER
To make or to do?
My Travels in China and how it has helped with teaching my Chinese students
What do I do for homework?
LA RAMBLA’S LICEU THEATRE IS A THREE-TIME VICTIM OF FIRE BURSTS
The Start of my ESL Journey
Questions about Quarantine: Here are some questions you can ask your students about their quarantine experience:
Approaching Cultural Differences and Breaking the Ice in ESL classes
¿Clases de inglés con mascarilla?
The Real and the Fake, the Preserved and Restored: in Barcelona's Roman remains you have BOTH.
Learning a new language...
Introducing ..... myself!
Oxinity Ingles para Adultos - Vídeo Conferencia Segura.
A good english teacher for my kid (English for children)
.CAT domain – Catalonia the first ‘region’ to get their own domain tag, but cat owners were left disappointed!
Language and Culture: Recommendations
How To Write A Blog Post For English Teaching Purposes
What does the dog say?
Let's get started!
Barcelona
The Australian accent
Unique Barcelona Facts - First major female serial killer of 20th Century turns out to have been a Barcelona VAMPIRE!
¿El COVID -19 se lleva por delante tu academia? ¡No cierres!
To TEFL or not to TEFL
I can’t breathe: Ideas for a discussion about George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter Movement
Private sector breakthrough in Space: How Space-X is changing the paradigm of space travel
Nueva normalidad VS Distinta Realidad
Confessions of an English Teacher! I hide the vegetables...
Errores para aprender inglés: los tres errores principales que no te permiten hablar con fluidez
Planning to take an english Exam?
MOTIVATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
I want my Mtv: A discussion about television
La jota catalana y la jota inglesa son primas hermanas
¿Jornada intensiva? ¡Inglés sin esfuerzo!
Movement in learning
Always watch the original version
When will then be now? Soon: A discussion about time travel
Learning English through Song - 'Advise to take up caution when learning from them.' Pros and Pitfalls.
Learn English from a native speaker
Teaching and learning online. What a good idea!
Clases de inglés online: una manera de acelerar el aprendizaje
Integrated Pilates And Yoga And Children's Performance In Education
Unique Barcelona Facts - Europe's First Photograph taken right here in Barcelona
MeToo Movement: Discussion Questions
Short creative writing about incense and smoke
Are you a university student studying English? These tips about how to change your language from colloquial to more academic may help.
REAL TALK. My first day with Oxinity.
Introduction and Why English is So Hard To Learn?
Transfer Your Offline Business In English Teaching Into Online
Business English - Job Interview Success for ESL Speakers.
Productive skills in ESL – accuracy, fluency & creativity. Do we need a rethink to help learners flourish
How to deliver online classes in Oxinity properly: 4 steps
The Art of Teaching
The Future of our Children
dotCAT domain – for Catalonia or Cat Owners?!
Profesores de inglés en comunidad (B1 Intermediate English)
PLAY TO LEARN
Desarrollo de habilidades jugando
Make passion your priority when learning English!
Tips for Writing Academic English
Characteristics of Successful Language Learners - A How To Guide
To read or not to read? Book recommendations to learn English!
Allow me to introduce myself first...
An Introduction
Best Views to See When Lockdown Ends
What’s Better? The Movie in English with Spanish Subtitles or in Spanish with English Subtitles?
Game Changing Technology in Education
¿Te sientes idiota cuando hablas en inglés? (B1 Intermediate English)
Preposición PARA en inglés: cómo se dice
Rugby
Will clapping become the new currency when this is all over?
Music and Social Movements - Asia
Music and Social Movements - Africa
10 years and counting
RESILIENCE FOR BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
Recursos divertidos para que los niños mejoren su inglés
WHAT DO YOU NEED ENGLISH FOR?
Why, thank you! How to give and accept a compliment (and not to sound awkward in the process).
Coping With Coronavirus Lockdown - Language For Written English Expression
Music and Social Movements
Oxinity Ingles para Niños - Video Conferencia Segura.
Business English - Leadership skills development for ESL Speakers.
Teaching kids - The challenge (English for children)
TED Talks para mejorar tu inglés (B1 Intermediate English)
Oferta online para niños y niñas (English for children)
Inglés fácil, útil y divertido
Let´s Kick Off With a Few Handy Phrases!
10 Reasons to Learn English
A native English teacher who can help you perfect your English!
Introduction
Saturn's Moons: Dione and I.
Why I, a staunch opponent of Boris Johnson, am wishing him all the best
The Things We Take For Granted
APRENDER DONDEQUIERA
Memory #18
Welcome to the English Blog by Juan Manuel Leiva, English Teacher online with experience in teaching for well over 18 years now. Let's meet and discuss interesting topics. Do not live a day without devoting at least 15 minutes to improving your English.
El silencio como lugar de no idioma
Verbal Cues and Hiccups in English that seem unique to Spanish-speakers
Covid-19: What Can We Learn From This Crisis?
About me.
TWO WAYS TO SHARPEN YOUR LANGUAGE MIND THROUGH PLAY. Part 1: Darts
Memory #17
Memory #16
IV. The Oxinity.com Team
Kavafis or how I felt in love with the Greek language
The Cardinal Vowel Chart
La crisi dell'Unione Europea
Saturn's Moons: Phoebe and I.
¿QUÉ ES OXINITY? / PREGUNTAS FRECUENTES
¿CÓMO CONTACTAR CONMIGO?
III. IES Bellaguarda in Altea, Alicante.
ENGLISH BUBBLE
¡TARIFAS AL DETALLE!
SPRECHEN SIE DEUTSCH? / APRENDE ALEMÁN CONMIGO
Apprend le français, la cinquième langue la plus parlée dans le monde
Business English for ESL speakers - How to speak like a Pro.
¡Bienvenidos a mi web!
LEARNING PHRASAL VERBS (THE EASY WAY)
LEARNING LANGUAGES THROUGH NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND FUN!
CONOCE A SLAVI ¡TU PROFESOR!
Saturn's Moons: Mimas and I.
Lost in Translation
Atardeceres en Colombia....
PSYCHOLOGY Nudges on Pension Schemes
Marital Satisfaction and Child Development
Harmony, Brotherhood, Democracy – La Sardana and Catalonia’s unique national identity
Woman Crush Wednesday: Turning Pain into Philanthropy
THIS IS WHY being a musician has helped me a lot during the past 12 years of teaching English in Spain, come meet me!
Memory #15
Creations by Kristina
February 11 - International day of women and girls in science
Memory #14
III. Be an Early Bird.
II. Talk My Walk.
I. Build Public Speaking Muscle.
Forever is a Long Time, But The Show Wasn't Long Enough
jewllery activity
Little Women: A modern adaptation for an enlightened audience
Teaching With Tech / Enseñando con Tecnología
Indigo Days: A concert in Madrid
SLP de inglés
New Year's Resolutions?
Why we must learn English
Blog title
I lost my body (2019)
New Professor in Town
Test
For those reading and dog lovers, here is a heartwarming story based on a true event that will make your heart melt....
5 ways to inspire creativity in the workplace
How to handle dating in the workplace. Max Ibeawuchi English teacher in Barcelona
Conversations about Cars
About me!
From the Isle of Man to Madrid: sharing the joys of language learning
Biography
My Trip to London
Madrid History Class!
Spanish women work for free for the rest of the year
Some uses of Get/have/let/allow/make/force
My first blog!
Why gender in English?
Aprendizaje y empoderamiento mano a mano
About me
For Halloween, I thought it would be fun to talk about my favorite horror podcasts. These are really scary and will help you practice your English listening skills at the same time!
A Travel Guide to New Delhi
Time to read?
¡Tercer post del blog!
¡últimos días en tapapies!
Last days in tapapies
Third post!
Final Chapter of Ghost from the North
Flags and Identity
CROSS-CULTURAL USAGE OF MODAL VERBS IN ENGLISH
Get on my Level: the importance of knowing your English level
FROM THE DEATH OF ONE DREAM TO THE BIRTH OF ANOTHER
Art galleries in London
Memory #13
Memory #12
Village Pueblo?
Painting materials knowledge
Surfski
Speaking English in Public: The Fear is Real
Common Mistakes in Seismic Stratigraphic Analyses (and how to avoid them)
How to deal with conflict in the workplace. Max Ibeawuchi English teacher in Barcelona
Oxinity’s YouTube channel
Saturn's Moons: Rhea and I.
The importance of studying English for Business
Los idiomas se aprenden con diversión
Using Twitter to improve your English?
Why I Became A Teacher
How to Get Students as a Freelance teacher
¡Segundo post!
Second Post!
English as two languages and false(ish) friends
How to get a Passport and NIE number or DNI in Madrid
My Favourite Reading Quotes
A Quick Guide for New Teachers in Spain
Brexit Jargon and where are we at?
My Journey
How to register as Self Employed (Autónomo) in Madrid
Teaching Kids With Purpose
Friday the 13th!
Negotiating: more than just a business skill
Listening to English: a daily habit!
Translation and thinking in English
Fiction: The Ghost from the North, Part 4
Teaching English in Sunny Malaga
Pleased to meet you!
¡Primer post!
El hundimiento del Titanic y la curiosidad morbosa
First Post!
El origen de Halloween
Where's the scents in that? Part II
Fiction: The Ghost from the North, Part 3
Fiction: The Ghost from the North, Part 2
Do you want to improve your english
The awning has broken - should I move house?
THE MAGIC HOUR
Fiction: The Ghost from the North, Part 1
Where's the scents (sense) in that?
Anyone for Cricket?
Guest Interview with Francesca from Creativistas
What is deliberate practice and how can I use it for language learning?
Entrevista con David Llosa, experto en logística
5 myths on learning a new language. Max Ibeawuchi English teacher in Barcelona
ArmEarie: Guest Interview with Liz Richko about her up and coming non-profit organization in West Palm Beach, Florida USA
Memory #11
Memory #10
II. John Cummins.
Trabajar como profesor de inglés
CALL FOR GUEST POSTS
Fourth of July: Little Known Facts about USA's Independence Day
Memory #9
The Must Have Reads for English Learners Over The Summer
Countdown to WWII
Come On Down To Cambridge!
TIPS I HAVE GIVEN MYSELF AFTER MY COMPLETING MY TEFL
An Amazing Getaway to Congost de Montrebei
Taking a Stride
Tips for Teachers
Why would you like to become a teacher
Class Conversation This Week: Saving the Ocean
How to stay focused while learning something new. My experience as an English teacher in Barcelona for language learners. Part 3.
3 ideas that make learning a language more useful
Saturn's Moons: Titan and I.
Saturn's Moons: Intro
Memory #8
Lo que dice la gente sobre inglésconJulie
A little introduction to myself
Why English is important in the hospitality industry?
Great part of its surface is a protected natural area
Memory #7
How to stay focused while learning something new. My experience as an English teacher in Barcelona for language learners. Part 2.
How to invest your time wisely. Max Ibeawuchi English teacher in Barcelona
I Am English. Three Symbols That Represent Me
How to stay focused while learning something new. My experience as an English teacher in Barcelona for language learners.
Thinking in a second language (Profesor de Inglés en Horta)
Future is community. Exploring the concept of connection applied to English learning in Barcelona.
Oposición is opposition? And carrera is career?
Puedo prepararte para oposiciones y examenes universitarios
The 5 most weird Nigerian cultures. Max Ibeawuchi English Teacher in Barcelona.
Make learning easy with: Scribblenauts
To sew and sing, getting started with stitches
Learning English with Netflix
Inglés Jurídico: ¿Ser no culpable es lo mismo que ser inocente?
4 of the best music venues I've discovered in Madrid.
Artprendizaje, lúdicamente eficiente.
So who is Carl Langwood?
The Great Escape
Taking the Tracks
Is English important for your career?
Teaching vocabulary to kids in Barcelona. Memory game for all age levels.
Prueba de inglés para el acceso a la Guardia Civil
The Art of Staycation. A new approach to learning English during vacation.
Making learning English fun: video games
Una minihistoria de la minifalda
Practicar ingles con conversaciones en ingles
Microorganismos. La moda del futuro
How to talk to English customers - An Introduction
How does Oxinity work
Colourful Business English
Teaching Spelling Activities For Kids. Spelling with stamps
Learn to Cook with me! - Cooking vocabulary
International House Barcelona cierra sus puertas: los 5 porqués
Memory #6
Memory #5
¿Sabes cómo llamar a tus tacones?
English the language of Science
Writing Songs in English - My Experience
Inglés para todxs
FOREIGN LANGUAGES - A BRIDGE TO THE FAVORITE ACTIVITIES
Cómo hacer un blog profesional paso a paso y posicionarlo
I. Language Immersion for Spanish Teachers
Memory #4
Memory #3
Business English Classes Tailored To Your Profession With Agatha Sarah
Two books that made a difference
The story of my life. Meet a nice geologist teaching English as a second language in Barcelona
How to Improve Your English Skills Outside of Class
Easter (and other) Activities for Kids English Classes in Barcelona
An American Architect Teaching English In Madrid. How I'ts been to move to Madrid and start a new profession.
Memory #2
Memory #1
Why watching the Simpsons in English can help English Learners
American Economist English Teacher in Madrid
A bit about myself
Oxinity Talks On Education. How To Become A Better English Teacher
English for financial and legal purposes with Mark Bransby: We don’t do it that way!
An English teacher in Barcelona on Brexit: A Brief History Why is this happening?
Teaching kids English. English class material for kids. Tips for engaging learning.
Specialized English: what is this mysterious subject?
English lessons for Creatives, Musicians, Media and Content Producers; and everybody with Wil Baker: I Used to make films Part 2: Life in Outback Australia.
English lessons for Creatives, Musicians, Media and Content Producers; and everybody with Wil Baker: All Those Food Market or Spaniards know how to throw a good party.
Una diseñadora de moda bilingüe
English lessons for Creatives, Musicians, Media and Content Producers; and everybody with Wil Baker: Spain has a problem with email communication.
Mejor en versión original
¿Estás metido en el mundo del fútbol? Yo te puedo enseñar el inglés que necesitas
Inbound Marketing for English teachers
Oxinity Talks on Education: Teachers' Pains and Gains in ESL. Business concerns
How to Register as Self Employed (Autónomo) in Madrid: 2019 Guide for Dummies
English lessons for Creatives, Musicians, Media and Content Producers; and everybody else with Wil Baker: I used to make films Part 1.
English for Hospitality with Sarah: how to understand customer requests
English lessons for Creatives, Musicians, Media and Content Producers; and everybody else with Wil Baker: Adios Australia. Hola Barcelona.
Cómo me convertí en profesor de inglés en Barcelona. ¡Viva la vida loca!
Los profesores de inglés de Oxinity cuentan: cómo aprender inglés mejor a niveles avanzados
Kick-Start your English with Four Sentences
The Grammer of Any Language
Learning And Puns
English lessons for Creatives, Musicians, Media and Content Producers; and everybody else with Wil Baker: Adios Australia. Hola Barcelona.
Juegos para aprender inglés: los mejores y los más sencillos
Learning English in a bar in Alonso Martinez | I'm PUMPED UP about it!
English lessons for Creatives, Musicians, Media and Content Producers; and everybody else with Wil Baker: Backstage at the Sydney Opera House.
FIRST KNOW YOUR PASSION, THEN LEARN LANGUAGES, AND YOUR LIFE WILL BE FUN
American -and British comedy, which is best to learn English?
Sigue conociendo Irlanda a través de su cultura
How to Use One & Ones in English
Learning English as a second or a foreign language in USA!
Diez razones para no alquilar una casa en el campo
Five online tools for more effective learning
To translate or not translate: this is the question
8 de marzo, día de la mujer trabajadora y símbolo de los derechos todos nosotros
How to apply for NIE number in Madrid - 2019 Guide for Dummies
Do you think English is a piece of cake?
Take a deep breath
Which is best between 1 on 1 -and normal classrooms?
We Can't all be Beyoncé but We Can at Least Try
Pasado Simple | Como Pronunciar ed en Ingles
Pronunciation
Obtaining Your NIE in Barcelona.
English as a foreign or a second language
Profesora de Inglés
Conoce la cultura deportiva Irlandesa a través del fútbol gaélico y del inglés
Learning English in cafés in Madrid – why it is genius
Top Valentine's Day Songs
Architect and English teacher
Profesora Nativa de Inglés / Native British English teacher in Madrid
Las mejores cafeterías en Barcelona para clases de inglés
Trabajando en Construccion en Londres
Como Encontrar Trabajo En Londres - Cosas Que Debes Saber
English Acquisition Personal Experience
Correcting students – the ideal teaching method for learning English?
Teaching kids – how to teach teenagers English
How to stay motivated and find joy in learning
Dominará el inglés el mundo?
In, On, At: A Guidelide to Prepositions.
Teaching a second language
Como es Vivir en Londres | Mis 5 Años de Conocimiento
Different Teaching Approaches
Como pronunciar correctamente los verbos regulares en pasado en inglés.
Como ser un buen profesor.
Different things we call each other in the English language
Super Bowl 53 your complete beginner's guide
Como Aprender Inglés? | The Question That’s Holding You Back from English Fluency
LET'S LAUGH
Good for class, good for life
Music – why it is perfect for learning English language
My Vocation In Barcelona Teaching English to Kids and Adults
Imposter syndrome o Sindrome del impostor
Nunca fué tan facil aprender ingles
Cómo mejorar mi inglés. Los mejores consejos de tu profesor de inglés en Madrid.
3 great novels to help improve your English
My experience in 2nd language acquisition
Businesses in Madrid - why English classes are so important
¿Pensando en certificar tu nivel de inglés, superar las pruebas de SLP o de acceso a otras escalas?
Learning English with music videos, movie trailers and adverts. Different accents.
Stereotypes - People from the North of England and the South of England
Porque el sistema educativo actual no funciona.
Norwegian military service – why it helps other English speaking countries
How To Incorporate A New Language Into Your Daily Life
Teaching Level 1 Students
Deportes y aprendizaje de idiomas
WHAT ACTUALLY AFFECTS COMMUNICATION IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE?
HOW DIFFICULT SHOULD LEARNING BE?
Starting fresh for the New Year – view from an English teacher in Madrid
Business Phrasal Verbs. Increase Your Overall Understanding Of English
Why move to Málaga to learn English
Prepara tu entrevista en inglés y consigue el trabajo de tus sueños
Sports and Language Learning
How television can change the way we speak English
Learning English in Moratalaz, the best nieghborhood of Madrid
Sincerely, From The English-Speaking Club
The reality of learning a new language
THREE FACTORS THAT FUNDAMENTALLY IMPROVE LEARNING
New year and new opportunities – thoughts from a Norwegian guy teaching English in Madrid
5 Quick Language Tips To Set Yourself Up For The New Year
From Music to teaching English.
The Difference between 13 and 30
The predictions for 2019 of an English teacher in Madrid
La satisfacción del trabajo bien hecho y la importancia de sentirse seguro mientras se aprende inglés.
Nice weather you have!!!
How I discovered my passion for teaching English and became a successful teacher in Málaga
La mejor manera de aprender inglés
The Best Way to Learn English
Why You Shouldn’t Make New Year’s Resolutions
A comparison from an English Teacher on Christmas in Britain compared to Christmas in Barcelona.
My passion for teaching business and general English in Valencia
De los Países Bajos a Estados Unidos y España. Más que cuento, el de Santa Claus es una mágica historia para compartir con mis alumnos de inglés
How is Christmas celebrated in Norway? Point of view from an English teacher in Madrid
The Terror That Made Me Better Learning A Language
From NYC to BCN
Inglés combinando el idioma con skateboarding o algo que te encanta
From Washington, DC to Barcelona
My English teaching approach
My passion for climbing, mountaineering and teaching English in Barcelona
Learning idioms through videos and trailers. At the drop of a hat
La aventura de un profesor de inglés especializado en tecnología e innovación en Madrid
Is there a synergy when learning chemistry and English in Madrid?
Why Darth Vader is my favourite movie character of all time!
English Teaching: My First experience as an English Teacher.
Oxinity training!!
Your next English Teacher!
Bird in the hand
How to be a good English teacher
9 Strangest New Year Traditions Around the World
Propósitos de nuevo año: Aprende inglés en Madrid o por videoconferencia
Why pick a Norwegian who left Chemistry to teach English in Madrid?
How to Use Emotional Intelligence to Enhance Learning
Come the festive season in Madrid
Starting a new life as an English Teacher in Madrid
You have some guts to talk to me like that
Inglés para militares. Promociona en el ejército aprendiendo inglés.
New concept: fun English group classes in a cosy cafe in Poble Sec
Monkey business
Silver spoon
Real Madrid or Barcelona the best?
How to learn English expressions and words through music videos and movie trailers
Quieres aprender ingles en Barcelona?
Happy
How we can learn useful idioms in English with songs and videos
Aldinsteaching