by Cichorei Kano Fri Sep 06, 2013 6:24 pm
NBK wrote: DougNZ wrote: Cichorei Kano wrote:I wonder how many people at the Kôdôkan or AJJF would understand what Renaissance really means ?
Certainly, the use of the word in the paragraph in the article provided seems correct. Returning to the original ideals of judo seems like an apt 'rebirth'. I cannot comment on the use, if any, in the Japanese article provided by NBK.
Renaissance itself is a loan word to English. One Japanese dictionary I glanced at had a couple of pages of origin, background, explanations and derivations of 'Renaissance' so I expect Japanese think they have a meaning for it even if it doesn't comport to our specific notions.
Regarding the comment of 'I would love to know how people went about the renaissance and how its success - or otherwise - was measured.' I asked the same - what was the budget, goals, measurements of the success or failure of such, etc. - and the response was to stare at me as if I had grown a third eye...
Perhaps the new AJJF leadership has a better handle on such management tools.
Speaking of, what I hear is that the expectation is that Muneoka kaicho is a placeholder as AJJF chairman for a couple of years then Yamashita sensei will be coronated. Back to the competitor paradigm.....
Of course it is a loan word (and so is "judo" []ya know, like "judo chops" and "judo kicks" ... or "jujutsu" or "Aufklärung even though "Enlightenment" -- the one written with a capital is specific enough, but probably because Enlightenment also had distinctive historical development in England), but one with a very specific context, just like there is a very specific context (or there should be one) when one in English feels the need to use just that specific word instead of the English word "rebirth".
The term implies as such, particularly humanism, and revival of classical values, a bit like your favorite "invented tradition" of bushidô. In addition there is a multifactorial embracing of liberal arts-like multi-values. In other words, everything that is currently present. In summary, they may well have had a "rebirth" in mind, but a "renaissance" it surely never has been, and I don't see that happening within the current judo population either. Shortcuts, fighting, winning, and back home to count the money.
Hey, we can continue our conversation over a drink at "Meetsplace". Oh wait, what "Meetsplace" isn't English, but ... it sounds English, no, even although no dictionary would contain such an afterbirth of a word ...