[Paeniteo Azrael]

I tried to use the search function to see if there was a topic about this... but I kinda failed.

Anyways: So I see Omae used as flavor text in Shadowrun, but I'm not a huge fan of it. WIth my (limited) knowledge of Japanese, I happen to know its a fairly offensive word in the Japanese language (the going usage is, if you're not Japanese or are a woman you have no business using that word), so whenever I GM I tend to ask players not to use it, and as a player I never use it. I was wondering what other people's opinion about the word are...

[CanRay]

Probably a corruption of the usage of the word.  Hell, but the 2050s and later, people might have "Reclaimed" the term Gaijin. 

[FastJack]

Umm... maybe I'm missing something, but isn't Omae simply an informal version of "You"?

[Paeniteo Azrael]

Umm... maybe I'm missing something, but isn't Omae simply an informal version of "You"?

Not quite.... It literally translates to "you" but its considered quite rude and offensive. For example, Anata is the more polite way of saying you (though its still kind of rude to say you in Japanese). Otaku was originally the only truly polite way to say you in Japanese. Omae and Ore are exceptionally rude, and saying it to a Japanese person will almost certainly annoy them and make them think you're rude (MUCH more so if you're gaijin.) It would be more accurate to translate it as hey asshole, as opposed to you.

That being said, it is occasionally used amongst very close friends or lovers, and only by men.

On an unrelated note, those damn captchas are impossible to read.

[SirDelta]

Umm... maybe I'm missing something, but isn't Omae simply an informal version of "You"?

Not quite.... It literally translates to "you" but its considered quite rude and offensive. For example, Anata is the more polite way of saying you (though its still kind of rude to say you in Japanese). Otaku was originally the only truly polite way to say you in Japanese. Omae and Ore are exceptionally rude, and saying it to a Japanese person will almost certainly annoy them and make them think you're rude (MUCH more so if you're gaijin.) It would be more accurate to translate it as hey asshole, as opposed to you.

That being said, it is occasionally used amongst very close friends or lovers, and only by men.

On an unrelated note, those damn captchas are impossible to read.

Wouldn't you expect a bunch of criminal sociopaths that shoot people in the face for cash to call each other something rude?

[Paeniteo Azrael]

Wouldn't you expect a bunch of criminal sociopaths that shoot people in the face for cash to call each other something rude?

I suppose, I just find it mildly annoying hearing it in places it shouldn't be used. Its odd and jarring to me, which is why I dislike it. But I merely started this thread to find others opinions of the word, so its nice to hear them

[CanRay]

Wouldn't you expect a bunch of criminal sociopaths that shoot people in the face for cash to call each other something rude?

I suppose, I just find it mildly annoying hearing it in places it shouldn't be used. Its odd and jarring to me, which is why I dislike it. But I merely started this thread to find others opinions of the word, so its nice to hear them

Well, think about the word "Nigger" and the difference between what it means in Dublin and Harlem (And what Irishmen should be careful saying such things in Harlem!).    Things change depending on the local and cultural impetus.

Also, I've seen it mostly used in Seattle.  Most likely it's a Japanese Loanword used in Seattle's streetspeak that was gotten because the Salary-men from the Japana-Corps kept calling people on the street that, which, would you say, is the proper usage of the word?  (After all, you're not about to be polite to a street punk, right?).

Finally, well, rule of cool.  Omae is easy for Gaijin to say, and sounds like something that would creep into the jargon, savvy, my droogs?

[Teknodragon]

Huh. That explains some of the undertones in the flavor text where the word omae is used. The speaker is either a very, very good friend, or is being heavily sarcastic.

[bigity]

Basically SR1 had a slang list which included some poorly translated/bad context Japanese words because in the late 80s, knowing a word of two of Japanese was cool and stuff.

Then FFXI came along and we learned better, because being able to fake being Japanese was key to getting good groups in the early days.

[baronspam]

Interesting, I didn't know that the word was possibly offensive. 

But these things are complex.  Consider the word "nigger".  American society is crazy about it, you can't use it in any pubic way.  We can't even use the word to talk about the word, is so "offensivie" its often refered to as "the N word".  But I have been around black people who quite litteraly say nigger every thrid word out of their mouth.  They can't form a sentence without it. 

At the same time, if I walked up to the same guy, who has said "nigger" fifty times in the last fifty minutes and said "hey nigger hows it going" I am going to get punched in the face.  Why?  Im a white guy. 

As far as 6th World usage, its a loan word and has changed from the original meaning.  Sort of like street samurai.  Ronin would be a much better term, as Samurai are are bound by oaths of loyalty, and basically company men.

[CanRay]

*Coughs and points up about the word "Nigger"*

[baronspam]

*Coughs and points up about the word "Nigger"*

If you want me to read you stuff CanRay you need to use bigger font.  I am usually drinking by mid morning.

[CanRay]

*Coughs and points up about the word "Nigger"*

If you want me to read you stuff CanRay you need to use bigger font.  I am usually drinking by mid morning.

*Coughs and emphatically points up about the word "Nigger"*

Better?

[Paeniteo Azrael]

Oh my. Thats some big font.

Interesting discussion btw, especially being drunk by mid-morning

Bloody Mary's and Screwdrivers getting to you?

[CanRay]

Bloody Mary's and Screwdrivers getting to you?

< CaptainJackSparrow >Bloody Mary's for everybody!< /CaptainJackSparrow >

Well, the sun is over the yardarm somewhere in the world...