sticksandbones | ❄️ on cultural differences (netbook)

This is Mafuyu Asahina. It's come to my attention that another from... an iteration of my home country is here, now, so I thought it might be important to explain a specific cultural norm. Those in my country, and some similar to it across both the world and across dimensions, have very strict guidelines about names and politeness. It is normally considered rude to use one's first name without permission. Most of my classmates would call me Asahina instead of Mafuyu despite being in the same class as while we are on good terms, friendly terms even, we are not close friends. Using one's first name without permission among peers is overly familiar at best, rude at worst. It can get even more complicated if one goes into honorifics, but I don't have the time or energy for that. (I personally do not mind using Mafuyu with the people of the Grove due to personal matters, but that should not be assumed of everyone from Japan or countries similar to it. I just thought this might be helpful for others.) I'm going back to resting now, unless anyone has questions? I guess. Please keep in mind I am still not fully recovered though.

( as a note, when she writes asahina mafuyu, it's with kanji that translates roughly to 'midwinter morning'! in case anyone wants to be an excited dog about name meanings. )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[WAIT HANG ON WHAT--]

You're a musician?!?!

Me and Min-Gi are in a band!

[Cue music note doodles EVERYWHERE.]

( oh- )

Yes, I'm one of the vocalists and lyricist for my group. I have our songs recorded, too.

That's AWESOME!!! We're Chicken Choice Judy and we were on tour and getting our first demo tape together before we got here.

I'm on guitar, and my main man Min-Gi plays synth. And we both do vocals! Min's way better with lyrics though. We should TOTALLY collab some time while we're here!

Aww, it's cute how many musically-inclined people we have here~.

I know how to play acoustic guitar and I've started learning the harp :O But I can't say I've been in an official band. You guys are really cool ^^

A harp... that sounds very pretty. Acoustic guitars are very good for simple but emotional sounds, too.

Thanks, man! Acoustic's pretty cool too, and I don't run into a ton of harp players! I'd love to hear it sometime!

Also hey unrelated but

Min-Gi's probably not going to be into the whole nickname thing and will yell about it a lot. People get his name wrong like ALL the time back home. But maybe if you have to give him one. Maybe about something he likes instead, that he's good at? Something like Mr. Synth or something I dunno.

[He's noticed the pattern of "Mr." so it seems like an easy softball to throw him.]

Or he could call me the name my parents gave me. That's an option.

[Stop being nice to him, Ryan!]

Yeah, it is, and yeah he should call you Min-Gi. I'm on your side here! You know that! I'm just trying to help you not get stuck with that other nickname.

[He knows that tone even in text!]

:(

Then act like you're on my side. He said right here he doesn't respect me. He won't even apologize. Why should I be the one who has to compromise?

Yeah Min-Gi, and he's totally going to respect you if you refuse to talk to him about it at all. That's definitely how that works! It's not like we learned a bunch of difficult lessons about this or anything!

[Even Ryan is getting annoyed now and he just defended Min-Gi's honor all over the netbook.]

He's not calling you the other name anymore. You're welcome.

This isn't the same situation. I made a polite request. He chose to ignore it. After acting like the point of Mafuyu's original message shouldn't even apply to him.

I know you're trying to help, but it feels like you're pandering to him like everyone else. Just let it go. It's not like we're going to be friends anyway.

[No response. Pointedly.]

Geez, you people are dramatic.

I don't like calling people by name. Actually, you only get called by name if you're one of my partners, Elsword, or a deity that I like.

I like you, so I'm willing to hear you out, but I'm not calling anybody by name. Those are my rules.

How come you don't like to?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking to try and make you change your mind or anything. But if you're hearing me out, I should hear you out too, right?

[It seems fair, even if Min-Gi is grumbling about him being nice about it.]

Min-Gi's rule is he needs to be called by his name. People mess it up a lot because they think it's too hard, or they can't be bothered to learn how to say it right, and it sucks for him. It's important to him, and because it's important to him it's important to me, because he's-- [A beat.] --my best friend.

But like, there's gotta be at least something nicer than Mr. Well Behaved? Or! Maybe you can give me two to make up for it! You can call me whatever!

[How is that a solution, Ryan.]

It's personal. ^^

His name looks Elrian. That's not difficult to say or pronounce where I'm from, it's actually very common. I'm sorry that you guys have been around people who can't read, though.

I'll see. I'd have to notice something else about him before I come up with something new.

Fair enough! :)

[And he leaves that part at that! He's not going to push, like he said. Normally he wouldn't even give out details for Min-Gi, but someone has to be willing to open up somewhere!]

Yeah, it really blows. I don't know where ~~Elrian~~ Elria (how do you spell the country name??) is but back in our world his family's from Korea and they moved to Canada, so there's this whole bullshit thing about it not sounding "Canadian" enough and people get really shitty and racist about it. It's not even just reading it's like, people he saw in school and at work every day saying it wrong because why bother saying it the right way? I grew up with him and saw him have to deal with it all the time. It really hurts him, so he draws a hard line.

Thanks, man. I promise there's a lot of great things to notice about him. :)

I also know piano. It'd be nice to have a proper one again. I think it sounds fun. Mayoi and I sing together, but it's been a long time since I've done a recording... Nightcord hasn't performed live, but we post our albums. If Mayoi's up for it, maybe you could come over to listen? I'm not comfortable leaving the shrine right now.

Oh man it would be AWESOME to record stuff here. I have my guitar and Min's got a mini-synth with him, but my guitar's electric so all I can do is click-clack with it for now, you know?

[Ryan, why would anyone other than someone familiar with guitars understand that nonsense.]

Performing live is SO fun, you should totally give it a shot! Oh, and Min-Gi knows viola too but he's definitely more into his synth. I'd LOVE to hear your album sometime. Maybe like once there's fewer snakes? (Sorry you got bit by the way! I saw that somewhere else in here :( ).

[Sorry Mafuyu, he's excited and thus all over the place.]

But yeah it'd be fun! And Mayoi's cool too, I'd be down to hear him too! :)

I am not opposed...! I think ...it would be very nice to have an exchange of music. A "jam" you might say.

Perhaps I will gather some albums of my own things. Ah, as an idol, we had live performances and such, too. We were less musicians and more entertainers if that makes sense.

❄️ on cultural differences (netbook)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject