Kendoist, Kenshi, what to call practitioners.
 

So, I've noticed that a lot of people on this board tend to get super-offended whenever someone (mis)uses the words.
When do you call someone a kenshi, a kendoist, and what other terms are there?

ive also heard kendoka used.

The folks in my dojo like to be called kendoka (only those who practice kendo, the rest of us are iaidokahttp://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif).

My sensei uses the expression "Kendo-ka".

suffixed by the ka, e.g kendoka, iaidoka, judoka, aikidoka.
ive heard kenshi used also
never kendoist until you mentioned it im afraid http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif
http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/tongue.gif

From a distance, and if he's wearing bogu, anything you want!
Up close, and he's got a shinken, "Sir!" http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif

Kendoka is probably best, kenshi a close second.

In Japan I've never heard kendoka or kenshi used to discribe a modern practitioner of kendo. The suffix -ka is usually used to discribe someones occupation, so unless you make a living doing kendo it's probably not appropriate. Kenshi sounds to me like the samurai version of an old-west gunslinger.

It seems like there was a thread about this on here recently...

Kendoist is good. I use it.

I like to be called "Your enormousness" or "Kendo God" but most folks in the dojo call me grandpop or Ojiisan.http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/ponder.gif

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.

Indeed. But keep in mind, it's only appropriate while in the presence of your senpai.

Keep in mind that I don't speak a whole lot of Japanese, (Just key-words, and maybe a phrase here and there, but that's about it.) but from what I understand, this is how it goes:

Kendoist is a term used only in English speaking countries. It's usually used when talking to people who don't know much about Japanese culture. It makes things easier. If you tell someone that you're a kendo-ka or a kenshi, chances are they'll be like, "Huh? What does that mean?"
But if you tell them that you're a kendoist, they'll understand that you're someone who does kendo, even if they have no idea of what Kendo actually is. It saves the time in explaining that you're a practitioner of the art.

Kendo-ka is pretty much the Japanese equivalent to Kendoist. The -ka suffix means that you're a practioner of something. If you practice kendo, then you are a kendo-ka. If you draw manga, you're a manga-ka. It doesn't matter if it's your occupation or not.

Kenshi is the Japanese equivalent to Swordsmen. So even an Iaido-ka can be called a kenshi. I think.

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

I don't think that anyone has been offended about being called a kendoka or something. They might correct someone to the name they prefer, but I don't think it's anything really bad.

The problem might arise if someone called you a samurai man or something completely wrong. But who knows, there are some anal people out there.

No. No one calls a karate or judo student a karateist or judoist

The kid carrying the bamboo stick who waltzed into the dojo Friday (with his shoes on), looked at my zekken and said "hey, "Hunter" - where can I watch?" missed it. He was asked to watch from the other side of the door.

Now, "Your Eminence" wouldn't have changed the verdict, but I might have smiled a bit more at it.

I'm not offended by kendo-ist, it's just a little awkward. If you're speaking to someone who doesn't know kendo, it's easiest to say "I practice Japanese fencing". "Kendo player" also works for me.

Kendoka is what my sensei uses. He gave me a funny look once when I said "kenshi". I think where he's from, that's a fancier term that implies a level of skill I didn't have.

Yeah, "I practice kendo" is the phrase I usually use.
Kendoist sounds weird to my ears, but then I don't have english as my native language.

I am a kendoist. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/wink.gif

actually kenshi is used quite often. If you read about kendo you will see it a lot.
Kendoka....hmm kind of rare.

Like John Wayne in "The Shootist"

...the Duke was never "playing".