What I noticed was that Miki is speaking in the kind of halfway-between-useful-casual-and-useful-polite form that really doesn’t do the learner any good if they actually live in Japan. It’s just too polite for casual conversation and not polite enough for say, talking to your boss or customer, which is what most people would need the polite form for, where you need to use sonkeigo and kenjougo, for example.

Like, I can’t think of any situation except giving an oral report (which I haven’t needed to do since high school) that I would ever end EVERY sentence using -masu. The form is useless to me. It just never happens because I don’t do much public speaking. I don’t have anybody who I can speak to like that. How about pretending that you’re our friend, Miki, so we can learn how to talk to our friends? And then maybe you can show us how to talk to clients in another section, using keigo?

This year “2007″ set me (off) from tears and I’m specialy fine! S_R_C

What Sean is saying is that she is speaking/writing in “keigo” which is just a more formal way of speaking/writing. It doesn’t mean that what she is saying isn’t honest and true. I think you took at as this is something her bosses forced her to say as opposed to her saying what she really thinks, but in front of her bosses….big difference. No need to cry.

けいご 敬語 noun (meishi) ; honorific; term of respect; common word

This would like saying:

I’m going to the store.
お店に行きます。

As opposed to saying.

店に行くよ。

While I think you have a legitimate points about Mikiさん’s speaking style on her audio blog, your comments about her being watched over are without warrant. Perhaps you meant it tongue-in-cheek. But, I believe, Mikiさん’s content is her own.

However, preparing and delivering content like this “naturally” is not as easy as it sounds. But, I do agree that it would be good to strive for a more relaxed delivery.

And, I’m positively certain that Mikiさん’s replies to those who leave comments is sincere. I’ve met her, and I can vouch for her sincerity. You need not worry about that Sindyさん。

so what exactly does this mean that Miki-san just answer us the way the superiors want not her!

Miki-san I thought that what say to me and all of us you really mean it from inside you not because someone else tells you! I know that its your job but I’m very serious to be your friend and get to know you more that’s why I sent you the two packages but if prefer not to be my friend and get to know me, its fine! I’ll understand. S_R_C

*Leaves and begins to *

I’m happy to find this service, but something about your blog seems odd to me: why do you use writing-style Japanese when you speak? Wouldn’t it be more natural (and beneficial to us students) to speak like normal Japanese people speak?

You sound like you’re being too closely watched by your superiors or something (which wouldn’t surprise me, it being Japan and all). See if you can get them to lighten up on you so you can relax and speak normally. I’ll back you up by email if you need a concerned customer to back you up, since I think this takes away from your website’s quality.

mata ne
sean

＞Beltonさん
そうなんですか それはなかなかおもしろいですね
日本ではこの時期のr旅行は初売りで安いものがあります
私もどこかに行きたいなぁ。
今一番行ってみたい国はエジプトなんです

＞annieさん
東京にはまだ行きが降っていません
スキー場に行きたいです。
昔、長野にスキーをしによく行きました！
黒部という場所です
餅はおいしかったかな ？

今日は醤油に砂糖を入れるのは食べてみようと思います。

You deserve ( The Two Packages) and more but that would be when I go to Japan and visit you ok!

I also want to apologize! because I haven’t say cute comments lately just not worth comments like previous ones like the one above “good looking people” I just sometimes forget that I’m posting public and express my personal thoughts. ??:

It won’t happen again promise and that goes to all JP101 and listeners too! I’m going to apply “Think before you Speak” method but in this case it would be Post!! S_R_C

PS: Miki-san About Being English power insufficient, the [me] it is do

Don’t worry if you want I can teach you my American English ok just let me know!

＞MinJung さん
韓国にもトラックがやってくるんですね！
何を売りにくるのでしょうか？

除雪トラックのことは除雪車と言います
今年は本当に暖かい日が続いていますね。
地球の温暖化が進んでいます

ありがとう、おみくじを信じてがんばります！

＞João Pauloさん
私は元気ですよ。João Pauloさんは元気ですか？
私のブログがJoão Pauloさんの勉強になればうれしいです
最近本当に暖かいですね。地球の将来が心配です。

応援ありがとうございます！私もJPodを続けたいです

＞Beltonさん
明日が’仕事始め’なんですね
休み明けの仕事はなかなか気が進まないですよね。すごくよくわかります 私もそろそろ学校が始まります！

夏休みについて考えるのには気が早いですよ（笑）
ぜひ日本に来てください

応援ありがとうございます

＞Carloさん
去年はコメントをたくさんしてくれてありがとうございました！
今年もよろしくおねがいします

石焼き芋はおいしいですよ 牛乳とよく合います。
イタリアも暖かい冬（暖冬：だんとう）なんですね。
温暖化で地球の環境がおかしくなってきているように感じます。
南イタリアで２０度というのにはとても驚きました

＞Sindyさん
I also heard polars are melting and rising in sea level
私たちにとってとても大きな問題です

メキシコにも同じ文化があるんですね
かすかな音でそれが来るのを知るのは難しそう

私の成人式は振り袖を来て式典に出て、そのあとに宴会がありました。
そのあと朝までカラオケに行きました

就職活動の応援ありがとう！

＞ミシェルさん
明けましておめでとうございます。

日本の冬は寒いですが、東京にはあまり雪はふりません。
今年もまだ降っていません
梅雨は嫌ですね でも春はよかったんではないですか？
桜がきれいだったことでしょう
外でランチをするのには春が一番いいです

１月に桜が咲く？
それは超びっくりですね！
温暖化が進むと氷河期がくると聞いた事があります。
温暖化を遅らせる努力をしようと思います。

＞annie さん
応援ありがとう！

長野は寒いでしょう？でも今年は雪が少ないと聞きました。
灯油を自転車で買いにいくのは大変ですね
雪道は気をつけて！

もちを焼いて醤油とのりで食べるのはとてもおいしいですよね
醤油に砂糖を入れてもおいしいですよ

千葉県に住んでいた時灯油のトラックは迷惑だけど、長野にそのトラックは全然来ないのでちょっと困ります．（多分皆車があるから）

私日本の免許がなくて、自転車で灯油を買いに行くのはすごくめんどくさいです．

It finally snowed, so it feels like winter is here.
My favorite winter snack is mochi grilled in my toaster oven with soy sauce and nori.

The weather has really changed lately.

When I was younger, we used to wear some jackets and winter clothes from June through August (our winter). But now, even winters have been extremely warm.

Miki-san… ganbatte ne! But, like Sindy-san said… don’t leave JPOD!!!

Mata