Universal Translator ?

[MDFJ]

Bruce, et al

Just a though I had, which I am sure you may have had already but Just wanted to ask for my own curiosity (I am not a cat, so I am ok)

It seems you and the others have an almost impossible task in attempting to create the universal minimum standard, or universal terminology...

So, how about, in order to help folks get closer or understand each other..
I thought about creating a universal translator... ?

Chances are that everyone teaches virtually the same techniques, you and I mentioned a "fig-4" armlock in one post.. Now I teach this lock/throw position in three/four different basic ways, but they are all "fig-4 lock" Others may call this a Chicken wing, or Hot-dog lock or "number 4" or whatever......?!?! It doesnt matter what it is called or ways it is taught within different Kwans, essentially it is the same technique...

Now, if we had pictures or video's somewhere (a website) showing the basic movement/technique people could submit names/terminology they use either in English or in Korean/Japanese..

That way people would start to recognise what others were talking about even if they used different names...

I call Dollyo Chagi "turning Kick" or "Roundhouse" others may possibly have other names, if they could see pictures or video of the technique they could start to communicate, just like two people of different nationalities/cultures... We both speak English, But You say Hood and Trunk of a car, we brits call the Hood the "Bonnett", and the trunk is called the "boot" We don't use the same names, but once we are both aware of the basic names we and others use we can communicate... You would know what i meant when I said my car broke down, I popped the Bonnett and got some water out of my boot....

Maybe people would be happier submitting and contributing to the idea as they would not need to change or adopt anyone else's terms/ideas, the site could simply be used as a resource...

Not as any source of what is or is not "Hapkido" not political or alligned with any Kwan or group, those who want to use it, use it, those who don't, don't..

I personally would be very pleased to organise, help, work with, set up or contribute in any way to a project like this....

It may already have been done, it may be a stupid Idea.... But it is something I would like to do, I think this might be of great benefit to people...

Any thoughts anyone ?

Marc

 

[Black Belt FC]

I do not understand why we need to re-invent the wheel when there're books with Korean terminology covering Hapkido kicks, punching, grabs, wrist locks etc...check Global Hapkido Federation books for example.

They published a book in Korean and English with english terminology translation. Rather than tried to focus on Korean terminology, why not focus more on english terms that everyone can understand?

 

[MDFJ]

I agree, I don't think the wheel needs re-inventing, but it does seem if some people call the wheel different things, this would simply alow everyone to understand what each other meant... whether in English/Korean/Spanish or Double-Dutch.. whatever language...

Marc

 

[howard]

...I call Dollyo Chagi "turning Kick" or "Roundhouse" others may possibly have other names, if they could see pictures or video of the technique they could start to communicate, just like two people of different nationalities/cultures... We both speak English, But You say Hood and Trunk of a car, we brits call the Hood the "Bonnett", and the trunk is called the "boot" We don't use the same names, but once we are both aware of the basic names we and others use we can communicate... You would know what i meant when I said my car broke down, I popped the Bonnett and got some water out of my boot....

Any thoughts anyone ?

Marc

marc, excellent point about britain and the US... 2 nations separated by a common language, as they say.

here's a good example... i heard this joke while i was living in london, but didnt' realize until later that most americans won't understand it without having several of the terms explained...

a guy walks into a chemist to by some durrettes. the chemist tells him, "we don't have any more, have you tried boots?" the guy responds, "hang on mate, i want to make love to her, not kick her to death!"

you probably see my point... and the same challenge will be present in korean. for example, in the tkd arts, i have seen very different terms in different stylesfor simple things like front snap kick, low, middle and high, etc....

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Marc:

Please take what I am about to say in the kindest way. I don't mean you or anyone else any evil in what I am about to say.

The problem is NOT in the "translation". The problem is in the "universal". Now what do I mean by this?

The fact is that we HAVE a whole slough of books out on the market and any one of them could be a decent standard. Jere Hilland over on the DD (DOCHANG DIGEST) suggested Dr. He-Young Kimms' book as the foundation for a universal standard and there is a good argument for this. There is also a good argument that could be made for Kwang Sik Myungs books and tapes, those of Joo Bang Lee and those of In Hyuk Suh. The problem is NOT HAVING a standard. The problem is having a UNIVERSAL (read also: an all inclusive standard) through which all practitioners can communicate. The KEY point here is UNIVERSAL and that means people must become involved in the process and as you can see when things turn to technical matters, facts and hard work the discussions tend to dry-up. As far as I can see there are three very good reasons for this.

1.) If we have a universal language, people who have represented themselves as authorities on the subject may find themselves being shown for how little they really know. Imagine a self-promoted 8th dan who doesn't know basic language, terminology or concepts and how to use them.

2.) If we have a universal language, people who have represented themselves as authorities or leaders would actually have to get involved and work side-by-side with other leaders. This would mean leaders would have to admit that we are all "monkeys in the same zoo". The Hapkido arts have been plagued for more than 50 years with people trying to demo how THEY are somehow "better" than their peer.

3.) If we have a universal language, people who have represented themselves as authorities on the subject may actually have to start acting like true leaders. They would have to take a hand, get involved, contribute, do research, communicate and share instead of sit back and let others carry the ball. There is a lot of laziness in our ranks.

As I say I don't mean anyone any evil. " I'm just illuminating the terrain upon which we currently find ourselves deployed." as the movie said. FWIW.

BTW: I am quite a bit ahead of you. I was going to lift the appropriate pages from my books to "demo" the techniques in the minimal standards. First I need to know what people think the minimal standards ARE. Pretty hard to do when people don't want to get involved.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[MDFJ]

Hey Bruce

No Evil read into that at all.. Thanks

I just thought It might help towards the same end that people could communicate, I thought if people would not agree on what minimum standards were, or who was hapkido and who's not maybe, just maybe they might be willing to contribute in other ways..

The image I had in my head was to have a site with pages for kicks, pages for throws etc etc etc.. on each page people could see the techniques either in pictures or in video, and then have a field(s) they could submit what they called the technique..

It could even be done without having to disclose who you were or what Kwan you were from....

No Politics, no embarrasment...

Even without the most senior contributing, I am sure it would start to show some common names...

Those common names would NOT then need to be adopted by all, it could just serve to allow people to relate what they do to what others do...?

Like I said, dont know if it's a good idea, but thought it was worth getting thoughts on...

Best Regards

Marc