StarTalk interview - Page 2

njanjayrp · #21 26th February 2016, 10:20 PM

While her English has improved she is far from being fluent.

Kind of disappointed she didn't know whether they speak Cantonese or Mandarin, but oh well.

Also she keeps avoiding answering stuff about her private life which is ok. The thing that annoys me is that she keeps answering in a very politcal, generalized way. With so many words she has said so little. I am not sure whether it's intentional or just the lack of ability to fully converse in English. It doesn't seem like she is being very honest tbh, but just trying to say the right things.

**ayumisrael** · #22 26th February 2016, 10:37 PM

To me it felt like she can't really explain herself or fully understand what she is asked (since there's no Japanese translator at all this time), even though she improved in English, she might have answered differently to some stuff if she would be interviewed in Japanese. It seemed kinda awkward but very cute! I might be wrong though. I mean she is asked about fans around the world and answers about asian wom(a)n. XD
Maybe she felt she needs to answer that way, dunno.

Zeke. · #23 26th February 2016, 10:41 PM

Guys is a general term, it usually refers to a group of people whether they are female or not. But she definitely meant "I am proud to be an Asian female (just like you)."

As far as her comment on writing lyrics and music, I wouldn't read into it so much. I took songs to mean she will begin and complete an entire set of lyrics, and lyrics to mean she will try to work on a few lines or fragments.

rainbow_smile · #24 26th February 2016, 10:47 PM

I don't really blame Ayu for not speaking perfect English. It's really hard to learn a foreign language and become profecient in it.

How long has she been learning English? I think she started studying it properly after her Asian tour. I've been studying English for more than 10 years and I still sound awkward a lot of the time, even though I've been studying in an English speaking environment for around 5 years

And she's probably even less immersed in English than I am.

attractive nausea · #25 26th February 2016, 10:48 PM

Thanks for the video!
Yes she def improved but having married two foreign men over the past 5 years i expected her to be fluent or almost, she improved in pronunciation and vocabulary but it's like she's always searching her words, she's always like "uuuuh" or making pauses. Idk how it's like when she talks to her husband but i hope she speaks to him faster otherwise i couldn't stand her if i was him lmao

ExodusUK · #26 26th February 2016, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by attractive nausea

Thanks for the video!
Yes she def improved but having married two foreign men over the past 5 years i expected her to be fluent or almost, she improved in pronunciation and vocabulary but it's like she's always searching her words, she's always like "uuuuh" or making pauses. Idk how it's like when she talks to her husband but i hope she speaks to him faster otherwise i couldn't stand her if i was him lmao

I think people have said thats how she speaks in Japanese...which is why she was made fun of being "slow" or an airhead at her debut. I imagine she's quite conscious and paranoid about choosing her words knowing they'll be misinterpreted as they have been again and again..

Funny, she has sung in Chinese before with the Chinese version of Who...

MessiahofSilence · #27 26th February 2016, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by attractive nausea

Thanks for the video!
Yes she def improved but having married two foreign men over the past 5 years i expected her to be fluent or almost, she improved in pronunciation and vocabulary but it's like she's always searching her words, she's always like "uuuuh" or making pauses. Idk how it's like when she talks to her husband but i hope she speaks to him faster otherwise i couldn't stand her if i was him lmao

That's how she speaks in Japanesetoo, haha. I think that it's a bit of a habit of hers. Maybe she knows her thoughts, but thinks of how to word herself before speaking.

attractive nausea · #28 26th February 2016, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

I think people have said thats how she speaks in Japanese...which is why she was made fun of being "slow" or an airhead at her debut. I imagine she's quite conscious and paranoid about choosing her words knowing they'll be misinterpreted as they have been again and again..

Ha yes now i remember, people said she was stupid because of how slowly she was talking. I was comparing to how fast she speaks during MCs or when you see her speak during preparations for the show at the end of DVDs, but it's true that it's not the same context at all. I haven't watched much of her interviews in japanese, nor her AyuReady episodes so i forgot that even in japanese she's slow af.

And also since i don't understand a word of japanese it didn't seem that she was talking slowly, obviously :p

JackieRos · #29 26th February 2016, 11:59 PM

My god I thought that this was the podcast with Neil deGrasse, I almost had a heart attack!

I love the way she talks, she sounds so mellow and relaxed. I'm falling more in love with her.

Yannetakizawa · #30 27th February 2016, 12:45 AM

may not be perfect , but for me it's more natural than before.

ayu will never be like a Native American , but their advance leaves me delighted . For me it sound like when you talk in Japanese ( calm ) . She is so cool

AyUmIXx · #31 27th February 2016, 01:12 AM

thanks for sharing the video, aderianu!
loving this interview, she is very independent in answering all the answers, not perfect but it's definitely improving a lot. yay!

and ayu's husband answered bout what she wears at home haha

Yannetakizawa · #32 27th February 2016, 01:53 AM

Link from YouTube - Now

https://youtu.be/6C-gESJ96bE

owlflight · #33 27th February 2016, 04:06 AM

^Thanks for sharing the link!

I enjoyed the interview. I'm happy to see her a bit more relaxed and genuinely confident in who she is and what she wants.

AyuGAME · #34 27th February 2016, 05:58 AM

I really love this interview...If we compare to her 2007 CNN she definitely improving like A LOT of skill on her English...Proud of her.

douggn · #35 27th February 2016, 06:04 AM

Poor ayu, she does an interview in english, she gets blasted about her english, she does stunning photo shoots, but people complain its 'too' photo shopped. I think her english is fine and she speaks fine for english not being her native language. I think she just having some trouble getting what she is thinking out in english.

~angel*ayumi~ · #36 27th February 2016, 08:04 AM

Thanks for the link ^_^

//ABEST · #37 27th February 2016, 08:42 AM

i love how she asks those questions from her husband

she seems kinda awkward at times but i understanded what se meant and isn't japanese always kinda awkward when they speak english? when she said "a lot" i heard everytime " a lala"

she is so easy to love

chocopockymaster · #38 27th February 2016, 12:04 PM

I absolutely loved that interview. As others have said, she does a lot of "talking-around" things when she speaks in Japanese so it's fun to compare her speaking styles when she switches languages. I love that you can always see the wheels in her head turning.

**Yoake** · #39 27th February 2016, 01:21 PM

Why do they have to put music during an interview? It's so disturbing to me. >.<

Nice interview. Go Ayu do music you want, you're an artist!!

roanmy · #40 27th February 2016, 03:23 PM

The interview is quite awkward to watch, I guess it might be because neither one of them are native English speakers, so maybe they're a bit uncomfortable?

Also, I find Ayu's pronunciation to be really good, though her vocabulary and ability to construct sentences aren't as great.