Yes! Yes! Yes!

[gurdymonkey]

Those who have responded so far to my Samurai Eye shout out have been unanimously confirming permission to use their images for the CostumeCon 26 slide show. It's a little thing, especially since they permitted me to use the photos for the website in the first place. It still pleases me.

One of 'em wrote "You go, sensei." Someday I may take this for granted. For now I do not.

The first time it happened was at the first Estrella that I wore Japanese clothing. In three separate incidents, I was accosted by squeeing women (in European dress) crying "Makiwara-sensei! Makiwara-sensei!" I recall blurting something appalled and humble about, no, no, you don't need to call me that, and how we are all students and we can all learn from each other. This only confirmed in their minds my sensei-like attributes.

Now, those of you familiar with This Table may be going, "Well, that's presumptuous!" Well, no, it's not. Because That Table is inaccurate, at least when it comes to adapting Japanese titles for SCA use. I have no idea on those from other cultures, however, given the fact that the Japanese ones are based on 19th century usages, the others may require further scrutiny.

This article is a lot more accurate.  It  was written by the man ALL of us Known World Nihonjin call "Sensei." The one with the Ph.D. in this stuff. My Sensei says: "The Laurel Sovereign of Arms has recommended “sensei” (= master/teacher) be used to address peers, but this is too restrictive a usage. In Japanese practice, anyone teaching you anything (stained glass technique, how to make armour, shield work, even how to boil rice) can and should be called sensei."  If I wanted to be nitpicky and correct, I could address him as Meijin, but Sensei has stuck.

This article is why so many SCA Nihonjin always address each other by surname+honorific. If someone remembers to use my Western title, it's "Lady Jehanne," never "Lady Wodeford." As a Japanese, though, it's always "Saionji-hime" or the gender neutral "Saionji-dono."  To be overly familiar or to omit the honorific is to slight someone. There is a select handful who could address me as "Hanae-hime" - and do not.
 
THIS is why I hold still for being called "sensei" and why I have no problem calling certain SCA Japanese who do not hold peerages the same thing. It means - to those of us unwilling to settle for the 19th century title collection on the SCA heraldry website - "You share what you know with me."

 We're all students. We're all teachers.

Comments

[takadai-no-tora.livejournal.com]

When you look at the kanji used to write 'sensei' the literal meaning is a person who is ahead of you. It is generally used for instructors, from elementary school to a university professor, but a more advanced student who is teaching you something is your sensei at that moment. Yes, sensei is an appropriate form of address for a Laurel--we are supposed to be teaching our arts, but it certainly shouldn't be reserved. When it comes to things Japanese, I have lots of sensei and I'm very glad of it.

Turkish titles on the list

[sasha-khan.livejournal.com]

The Turkish titles have been corrected = Ursula Georges got the new titles approved by the Powers That Be, and they been up on the alternate titles list for a few montyhs.

The previous version was so terribly horrid (and WRONG, WRONG, WRONG) that they could have been in Klingon.

Re: Turkish titles on the list

[xrian.livejournal.com]

Y'know, Laurel is more than willing to correct the title lists. All it really takes is for someone to do the research, come up with a better title list and some logical reasoning about why it should be changed, write it up, and send it in.

It's those last two things that seem to be most difficult. Finding people who know it's wrong and are happy to complain about it -- easy. Getting someone to look at the sources, write a coherent and well documented article and submit it -- not so easy.

Laurel may still decide that some compromises with accuracy are needed for the sake of whatever, but at least this way they have accurate information to start with. There are a number of title lists that are known to be wrong and are just waiting for someone to take an interest, find the time and sit down and write up a proposal.

Re: Turkish titles on the list

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Effing-sensei wrote that page I don't know how many years ago. Trying to light a fire under him to send it to the appropriate parties, well, let's just say, the "under construction" pages on that website have been under construction at least as long as I've been doing the Japanese thing.

Re: Turkish titles on the list

[xrian.livejournal.com]

I'd be terribly tempted to oh so politely, but forcibly, take it away from him and send it in myself, personally :)

[danabren.livejournal.com]

We're all students. We're all teachers.

Duh.

That's why I call you sensei.

Sempai

[elmunadi.livejournal.com]

In a modern context, Sempai (or Senpai) gets used in the Japanese martial arts as "senior student/big brother/not officially a teacher, but pretty darn close", and has other, relative-age-related implications in business...

If you insist that you're not Sensei, at least acknowledge that your brown belt is awfully faded, and you have major time in grade...

Not that it'll stop anyone who feels otherwise from calling you Sensei whether you like it or not.

An old friend (A fellow-Caidan, knight and royal peer) used to find it slightly amusing that when he visited other places (a fair bit prior to getting knighted) with his armor, and fought in practices or pickup fights at tourneys, he kept getting asked (often by local knights) why he chose not to wear his (white) belt. "Only a beginner, I am", and then he'd go right back to helping someone figure out why he was able to tag them repeatedly.

Just a beginner... fraying brown belt and all.

(g,d,rfc)

Re: Sempai

[elmunadi.livejournal.com]

Arggggh. I hate scribefire. (sorry - formatting pilot failure)

Did nobody ever see "Rising Sun?"

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

You know, I have subtly tried to drop this hint with people by addressing them as "kohai". What worked for Sean Connery has not worked for me. ;-D

Re: Did nobody ever see "Rising Sun?"

[elmunadi.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you have to be Scottish and Cinematic for it to work. Or, they have to be of an age to have seen movies made before 1990 that feature live action characters versus MangaVid.

...or, they simply don't have that particular clue in the bag.

don't even get me started...

[the-ri.livejournal.com]

on the fact that it has been observed time and again that the SCA listing of chinese titles is based on modern mandarin translations, and is in no way based on period forms of address or linguistics.

silly round eyes. :P

[gurdymonkey.livejournal.com]

Just because you can't swing a peer without hitting a dead cat in this kingdom doesn't mean there's anything wrong with addressing someone with respect and courtesy. I think it's kind of sad that this weird Western double standard means that the only time someone may ever hear themselves styled as "Lord X" or "Lady Y" may be when the herald leads the populace in cheering the newest armiger of the West. Because, face it, some people never get any farther than that in the Society and it's too easy for some folks to forget that.

You shouldn't insist. But you shouldn't HAVE to either.