FW: Judoka

[Benjamin J Barrett]

Some notes about "playing" martial arts, and -ka from the Honyaku list.

The final posting below includes some Japanese which mentions that -ka
is a person who excels at something. -ka is the Sino-Japanese character
for house. The word honyakker (probably more commonly Honyakker) is also
used.

Benjamin Barrett
Baking the World a Better Place
www.hiroki.us

-----Original Message-----
From: Ko Iwata [mailto:iwatako at parkcity.ne.jp]
Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2004 11:34 PM

For those who are still wondering how to render an
athlete that plays judo, here is an article and glossary
from the official Olympic website.

They define judoka as a judo contestant.

http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/page/legacy?lang=en&cid=2b0b4704291
49f00VgnVCMServer28130b0aRCRD

http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/page/legacy?lang=en&channel=Judo

What I find quite interesting is that in Taekwondo, they are called
competitors.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ryan Ginstrom [mailto:ginstrom at tree.odn.ne.jp]
Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2004 3:05 AM

This is probably appropriate in the context of a tournament, but what do
you call someone who practices judo in general?

At the dojo's I practiced at in the United States, they called them
"judo players."

-----Original Message-----
From: Ryan Ginstrom [mailto:ginstrom at tree.odn.ne.jp]

Evan Emswiler wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 19:05:19 +0900, Ryan Ginstrom
> <ginstrom at tree.odn.ne.jp> wrote:
>> This is probably appropriate in the context of a tournament, but what

>> do you call someone who practices judo in general?
>
> I've heard "judoist" for this. (Of course part of me wants to suggest
> "Judoer"...)
>
>> At the dojo's I practiced at in the United States, they called them
>> "judo players."
>
> Technically, I don't think that you "play" a martial art in English,

Except judo. Some googling should reveal that it is fairly common in
judo circles (e.g. judoinfo.com).

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Siegrist [mailto:AlanFSiegrist at Comcast.net]
Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2004 3:17 AM

Yes, I first studied judo and kendo in Japan but found it rather odd and
peculiar when I first heard people in the US say "play judo" or "play
kendo" as if we were playing checkers or tiddlywinks.

I suppose they call them professional football and baseball players, so
maybe a judo player or kendo player may not be so bad, but it still
sounds strange.

> But "judoka" may be the best way to go in some cases.

I still prefer judoka and kendoka even in English. I have heard
"judoist" and "kendoist" but these seem a bit strained.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Hendry [mailto:mhendry at bigpond.net.au]
Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2004 4:44 AM

From: "Alan Siegrist" <AlanFSiegrist at Comcast.net>

> I still prefer judoka and kendoka even in English.

Likewise with karate. Apart from terms like karate "practitioners" or
"students," I see the term "karateka" used by English speakers. I don't
know how familiar the lay person would be with the terms judoka, kendoka
or karateka, but they are used without explanation in mainstream press
articles.

-----Original Message-----
From: Shinya Suzuki [mailto:CXP04164 at nifty.ne.jp]
Sent: Sunday, August 22, 2004 7:43 AM

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 05:11:47 -0700
"Alan Siegrist" <AlanFSiegrist at Comcast.net> wrote:

> I sort of like the idea of "judo student" but it may take some
> explaining to instill the idea that even the greatest judoka is still
> a student.

"An 80-year-old, 8-dan student of judo" sounds great to me
(philosophically
not practically). On the other hand, I can never call a 10 year-old judo

beginner "judoka."

In any field of endeavor, particularly those called  $B2?!9F; (B, to be called

 $B2H (B cannot be taken lightly.   $B9-<-1q (B defines  $B2H (B(4) as  $B!V$=$NF;$N?M!#$^ (B
 $B$?!" (B
 $B$=$NF;$K$9$0$l$??M!#!W (B. I believe most honyakkers are aware of the
different nuances between  $BK]Lu2H (B and  $BK]Lu<T (B.