In regards to dubs vs subs, the people who say all dubs are crap annoy the hell out of me. I can name so many series' where I felt the dub was actually better (Such as Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, Fullmetal Alchemist and Puella Magi Madoka Magica). Yes, there are some shows where the sub is better (like Shakugan no Shana - hopefully FUNimation's dub can do better), but it's something I view on a series by series basis. In fact, if a dub IS available, I often only watch the dub (the only exceptions being Shana due to Geneon's piss poor casting and Mardock Scramble, because the Director's Cut wasn't dubbed).
In regards to people who often use Japanese words randomly...I admit, when I first got into the fandom, I was like that and I look back upon those days with embarrassment. In fact, when I was first drafting plans for my novel, a lot of my characters had Japanese names - now none of them do (admittedly, I did keep in one bit of terminology because it sounds way cooler than the English, but whatever, it's only mentioned like once or twice in the first book anyway).
So I don't really look at people like that with scorn - I just think of excited and passionate I was when I first found the fandom and I let it slide as I know one day they will realise it's silly. Besides, usually it's only short phrases like "Kawaii!" and such that can be easily understood.
Although I do cringe when I read an official translation that keeps some of this stuff in, like saying "nee-san" instead of "brother" and to an extent, even the suffixes such as "-chan" and "-san" because more often and not, that actually turns me away from introducing a series to a non-casual watcher/reader, as I fear that would alienate someone not used to anime or Japanese culture. It worked in shows like Lucky Star because that show was basically us watching a show taking the piss out of us, but for others? Not so much.
In regards to people who often use Japanese words randomly...I admit, when I first got into the fandom, I was like that and I look back upon those days with embarrassment. In fact, when I was first drafting plans for my novel, a lot of my characters had Japanese names - now none of them do (admittedly, I did keep in one bit of terminology because it sounds way cooler than the English, but whatever, it's only mentioned like once or twice in the first book anyway).
So I don't really look at people like that with scorn - I just think of excited and passionate I was when I first found the fandom and I let it slide as I know one day they will realise it's silly. Besides, usually it's only short phrases like "Kawaii!" and such that can be easily understood.
Although I do cringe when I read an official translation that keeps some of this stuff in, like saying "nee-san" instead of "brother" and to an extent, even the suffixes such as "-chan" and "-san" because more often and not, that actually turns me away from introducing a series to a non-casual watcher/reader, as I fear that would alienate someone not used to anime or Japanese culture. It worked in shows like Lucky Star because that show was basically us watching a show taking the piss out of us, but for others? Not so much.
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