I saw a reference to someone in Japan who 'teaches kakutogi'. Is this an art or a type of teaching?

My wife says it just means "Martial Arts". No more, no less. Nothing special at all conveyed in the message.

From the context I suspected it wasn't an art per se but I wasn't sure.

Originally posted by KumaSan

My wife says it just means "Martial Arts". No more, no less. Nothing special at all conveyed in the message.

Well yes and no.
The nuance associated with kakutogi (fighting arts) and budo (martial arts) is a bit different.

Kakutogi might be better translated as "fighting arts" and more specifically the the modern type.
Boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, and so on.

Budo is often translated as "Martial Arts" and carries a bit more traditional emphasis with it. Things like Kenjutusu, and so on.

Kakutogi has a specific sporting component.
This is why I dislike the English umbrella rubric, "martial arts". Of which Japanese word is it a translation? Budo, bujutsu, bugei, or kakutogi? All of these four are different in meaning, and yet they are all lumped together in English.

Yes, we don't draw the same distinctions with respect to Oriental arts it seems.

Originally posted by arnisador
Yes, we don't draw the same distinctions with respect to Oriental arts it seems.
The lack of specificity is galling.

Originally posted by Kimpatsu
The lack of specificity is galling.

Yet, when Americans create someting new to represent a new term or word or phrase or even art, they are attacked for not following the structure of some other culture.

So could not some of those words translate to competitive combative sports? Or self defense, or even Martial Arts.

Just curious.

Originally posted by Rich Parsons
Yet, when Americans create someting new to represent a new term or word or phrase or even art, they are attacked for not following the structure of some other culture.

So could not some of those words translate to competitive combative sports? Or self defense, or even Martial Arts.

Just curious.
I'll ask again: Be specific. Which Japanese term are you translating as "martial art"? Budo, bugei, bujutsu, or kakutogi?
Lack of specificty isn't American; it's just meaningless.

I don't think of it as a translation--I think of it as using an English term as a description. I don't think it's incorrect but it isn't very precise.

Originally posted by arnisador
I don't think of it as a translation--I think of it as using an English term as a description. I don't think it's incorrect but it isn't very precise.
It's so general as to be meqaningless. Budo and kakutogi, for example, are mutually exclusive concepts.