[unfolaReemoma]

I like to be called Emilio.

[12dargernswearf]

"Wey" (dude) is an informal term to call any kendo practitioner (or any other guy on the street generally) in Mexico.

"Kendoka" is usually the "formal" (and informed) term for it, as it is used with other practicioners of Japanese martial arts (karateka, aikidoka, judoka).

[AlissBart]

You do not use kendoist.

If you see a kendo sensei in the dressing/locker room, it's common to greet him casually saying, "Kawaii" while pointing at his nether regions.

Win. Although you could mispronounce it as "kowai" like most people who use random bits of Japanese in their english

Just out of curiosity, who's gotten offended over this? I've never seen it brought up before.

People on this board. They seem to get bent out of shape over it sometimes. Could just be trolls, though.

[ppaelkos]

Win. Although you could mispronounce it as "kowai" like most people who use random bits of Japanese in their english

Kinda makes you wonder which would be worse, doesn't it?
People on this board. They seem to get bent out of shape over it sometimes. Could just be trolls, though. Probably trolls. I haven't really met any active people who are that anal.

[megasprut]

Just out of curiosity, who's gotten offended over this? I've never seen it brought up before.

I don't think it's really a matter of being offended. Both kendoka and kenshi seem to be acceptable in the English speaking kendo world. It would seem strange to me to use either of those terms in Japan though. I asked my wife (who is Japanese) what kind of person she thought the term "kendoka" would describe. She said it sounded like someone who had their own dojo and was carrying on a tradition (like the dojo had been passed on from father to son over a few generations). My wife doesn't actually do kendo though, so I should probably ask some of the sensei I practice with what they think.

Kenshi basically means "swordsman", which, however seriously I take kendo, I don't consider myself to be. I guess that's why I go with the "I practice kendo" approach as well.

[trettegeani]

Kenshi basically means "swordsman", which, however seriously I take kendo, I don't consider myself to be. I guess that's why I go with the "I practice kendo" approach as well.

Do you not hear kenshi? I (he, they, etc) practice kendo is what I hear most often.
I rarely hear anyone really lable someone or themself as kendoka or whatever, but everyonce in while I will hear kenshi. I most often see it used on websites, like when they are recruiting you'll see 剣士募集中(kenshi boshuu-chuu). However that may be a tactic to make it sound more appealing to parents or promising recruits.
I don't care as long as you don't refer to yourself as a samurai or something.

[globjgtyf]

Over here I've never heard anything other than kendoka, jodoka, iaidoka, aikidoka, judoka, etc.

Different strokes and all that. I don't think anyone'd get offended at being called a kendoist. I used it briefly when I very first started attending the dojo but noone else did and so I just kinda stopped. It wasn't cos I was made to feel I was saying the wrong thing, just that noone else really used the term.

[antiggill]

Do you not hear kenshi?

I have seen kenshi used in the context you mentioned (剣士募集中... not on the internet but in flyers for スポ少), but I've never heard someone refer to his/herself as a kenshi. Have you?

[dserbokim]

Ok, I was curious if it was a regional thing or something.

Have you?

I have not heard someone actually refer to him/herself as a kenshi but a couple of times (not often) I have heard kenshi used when refering to people who do kendo in general.
The only times I have seen kendo-ka were in Japanese kendo books.