If your son can interpret for you on anything but polite chit-chat after studying Japanese for just 16 months, I bow deeply to him. I studied Japanese at uni for 4 years, have lived in Japan for more than 50 years (working as a translator of written documents for the past 40), and would still struggle to provide on-the-spot interpretation between Japanese and English to a live audience on anything but ordinary conversational topics. There are, of course, people who can do it (I am in awe of their talent), but they have trained and practiced for that task (and still can only keep it up for so long). I hope your son will have some backup! Anyway, best wishes for a pleasant and fulfilling visit.
Even though Bryan has said some surprisingly naive things about foreign language study in the past, I'm quite confident he's not saying here that his son is a simultaneous interpreter of academic speech, only that he can help with everyday interactions, explain some details at tourism sites, etc.
Wished I were there. The eternal CaplanvsScottvsCaplanvs... struggle. I think you owe the next. https://slatestarcodex.com/2020/01/15/contra-contra-contra-caplan-on-psych/ "In 2006, Bryan Caplan wrote a critique of psychiatry. In 2015, I responded. Now it’s 2020, and Bryan has a counterargument. I’m going to break the cycle of delay and respond now, and maybe we’ll finish this argument before we’re both too old and demented to operate computers."
Einstein said 1932: "I do not believe in the freedom of the will. Schopenhauer's word, man can well do what he wants, but he cannot want what he wants, accompanies me in all situations of life and reconciles me with the actions of people, even if they are quite painful to me. This realization of the lack of freedom of the will protects me from taking myself and my fellow human beings too seriously as acting and judging individuals and from losing my good humor".
If your son can interpret for you on anything but polite chit-chat after studying Japanese for just 16 months, I bow deeply to him. I studied Japanese at uni for 4 years, have lived in Japan for more than 50 years (working as a translator of written documents for the past 40), and would still struggle to provide on-the-spot interpretation between Japanese and English to a live audience on anything but ordinary conversational topics. There are, of course, people who can do it (I am in awe of their talent), but they have trained and practiced for that task (and still can only keep it up for so long). I hope your son will have some backup! Anyway, best wishes for a pleasant and fulfilling visit.
Even though Bryan has said some surprisingly naive things about foreign language study in the past, I'm quite confident he's not saying here that his son is a simultaneous interpreter of academic speech, only that he can help with everyday interactions, explain some details at tourism sites, etc.
I know that at least talk #1 will be in English. 16 months is plenty to help someone get around Tokyo subways and ask for the English menu.
Wished I were there. The eternal CaplanvsScottvsCaplanvs... struggle. I think you owe the next. https://slatestarcodex.com/2020/01/15/contra-contra-contra-caplan-on-psych/ "In 2006, Bryan Caplan wrote a critique of psychiatry. In 2015, I responded. Now it’s 2020, and Bryan has a counterargument. I’m going to break the cycle of delay and respond now, and maybe we’ll finish this argument before we’re both too old and demented to operate computers."
Einstein said 1932: "I do not believe in the freedom of the will. Schopenhauer's word, man can well do what he wants, but he cannot want what he wants, accompanies me in all situations of life and reconciles me with the actions of people, even if they are quite painful to me. This realization of the lack of freedom of the will protects me from taking myself and my fellow human beings too seriously as acting and judging individuals and from losing my good humor".