Osu!

[Gyakuto]

We have to think about the culture of the Karate in general, particularly Kyokushin; it’s a tough, full-contact fighting art, favouring and fostering bigger muscular men and who’s founder used to demonstrate his strength and machismo by punching defenceless animals to death (after several attempts, I’m led to believe) and (defenceless) telegraph poles, marvelling at the ‘…way the lines shock.’ It’s ultra-macho and that was the cool image he wanted to portray. So the usual, effete ‘hai’ didn’t seem appropriate in that context but the more guttural ‘OOOOSSS’ did. It should be of no surprise that the equally macho world of BJJ has adopted it too.

While some of us, and polite Japanese society, find it uncouth and hearing it jars and makes us wince, as would farting in front of the King (), this is our issue and we’re probably being over sensitive. I find “…can I get…” rather than ‘…may I have…’ uncouth but I’m a poncy Englishman who prepares tea in a teapot and wears a smoking jacket after supper (velvet).

Leave ‘em to it.

 

[HighKick]

We have to think about the culture of the Karate in general, particularly Kyokushin; it’s a tough, full-contact fighting art, favouring and fostering bigger muscular men and who’s founder used to demonstrate his strength and machismo by punching defenceless animals to death (after several attempts, I’m led to believe) and (defenceless) telegraph poles, marvelling at the ‘…way the lines shock.’ It’s ultra-macho and that was the cool image he wanted to portray. So the usual, effete ‘hai’ didn’t seem appropriate in that context but the more guttural ‘OOOOSSS’ did. It should be of no surprise that the equally macho world of BJJ has adopted it too.

While some of us, and polite Japanese society, find it uncouth and hearing it jars and makes us wince, as would farting in front of the King (), this is our issue and we’re probably being over sensitive. I find “…can I get…” rather than ‘…may I have…’ uncouth but I’m a poncy Englishman who prepares tea in a teapot and wears a smoking jacket after supper (velvet).

Leave ‘em to it.

Your post brought back fond (well humorous) memories from 1978.
A few years before I started training, I was at an annual event in Nashville called Summer Lights. Music, shows, demonstrations the whole weekend. It was a big deal back then. I watched a demo in where my future instructor and a couple black belts were performing all sorts of MA's stuff. There was a horse reined near the event which I did notice because it was not common to see one in the city.
One of the black belts was giving a long spiel about ancient origins and how TKD was used in combat. Ground fighting against soldiers on horseback and such.
It was a surreal setting because there was no preamble to what happened next. The horse was led to the middle of the demonstration area where my (future) GM quietly walks out rares-back and kicks the horse in the neck. Hard. The horse started to bolt backwards then dropped like a rock. I later found out he knew where to hit the carotid artery and incapacitate the animal.
Several people started screaming and running away. After a several seconds, the horse got up and bolted. A foot patrol officer was close and after a short discussion with the demonstration organizers and some attendees, my GM was escorted away and was later (quietly) arrested for animal cruelty. Solemn honest true story.

I am from the southern U.S. (where the hillbilly or redneck analogies are common). When it comes to the way we speak, I like the 'form over function' comparison. We do not dress up what we have to say but instead just get to the point and keep working.