Alright, so I was browsing through the internet the other day, and you know how it is, one click leads to another, and boom, I’m down some rabbit hole. This time, it was about Shohei Ohtani. Yeah, the baseball phenom. The guy’s a beast on the field, no doubt. But I got to wondering, with all this fame, can the dude actually speak English?
I mean, he’s been playing in the MLB since 2018, so he’s been in the States for a while. You’d think he would’ve picked up a bit more than just baseball slang, right? I started digging around, trying to piece things together. It is interesting that he doesn’t speak English in his interviews. But, I found out that he understands various English words and phrases. He uses those words with his teammates and coaches. Cool.
So, here’s what I found out. It looks like Ohtani’s got a basic grasp of English. Like, he’s not totally clueless. I read somewhere that he gets by with his teammates and coaches, so he’s gotta know some words and phrases, right?
Then, I stumbled upon this little tidbit about him being in some video for a private English teaching company. They used him for their marketing video. What a smart move. I guess he is trying to learn English. I also saw some folks online saying that when he does throw in some English, it feels more inclusive or something. I guess people appreciate the effort, even if it’s not perfect.
My Two Cents
- He’s a sports star, not a linguist: Let’s be real, the guy’s main focus is probably hitting homers and striking out batters, not mastering English grammar.
- He’s trying, maybe?: Being in that English teaching video suggests he might be putting in some work behind the scenes. Who knows?
- It doesn’t really matter: I mean, his baseball skills are what really matter, right? He can communicate with his teammates and coaches, and that’s what counts on the field.
At the end of the day, who cares if his English isn’t flawless? The dude’s a baseball god. As one article put it, “Shohei Ohtani’s athletic prowess speaks volumes.” I couldn’t agree more. He’s out there living his dream, and that’s pretty awesome, English skills or not.
I just simply shared my findings with you guys. Hope you enjoyed it.
