Aran flunks Sumo school

[Kintamayama]

The graduation from the Kyokai sumo school was held today. Russian Sandanme Aran has been asked to repeat his studies, as he has failed in "Japanese". The sumo school is divided into 3 phases, each one lasting two months, where the new rikishi learn about sumo, calligraphy,and all sorts of stuff that is supposed to make them understand Sumoudou better. He entered in January, and should have graduated in July. He failed. Now, he has failed again, and will repeat the classes a second time- a first . After the Asashouryuu affair and other problems involving foreign rikishi, many voices said the foreigners were graduating from these classes without actually acquiring any real deep knowledge about Sumo. With this as a background, it seems the ground rules have been tightened.. "This has nothing to do with the Asashouryuu affair. Aran is having problems with his Japanese, but maybe instead of repeating the lessons, he should be guided and practice his Japanese at the heya..", offered Tomozuna Oyakata. The next date for the tests-October 22-25.

[yamaneko]

Wonder if its that much harder for someone his age to learn the language as opposed to a 16 year old wakanoho, or a 16 year old kinryuzan, etc.

[nirumaruyama]

Depends on how he learns in general. Japanese is a relatively easy languge to learn to speak and to a small extent read. I didn't start, like many others here, to learn Japanese until I was 23. I'm no genius but i get by better than average in it. And I was hopeless at languages in school.

[ilovesumo]

Depends on how he learns in general. Japanese is a relatively easy languge to learn to speak and to a small extent read. I didn't start, like many others here, to learn Japanese until I was 23. I'm no genius but i get by better than average in it. And I was hopeless at languages in school.

I am the opposite...

I have been told how Masutoo studied Japanese, his Heyamates just made a game out of it.

Guess that's what the Oyakata is picking at.