Avoiding the Use of Japanese Terms?

Blog reader Kevin wrote with this excellent question (used with
his permission):

My question is about the idea
I see many using in the lean blogosphere…and that being the
continued and rampant use of Japanese terms when dealing with
lean.

I have no inherent problem
with these terms per se, I’ve been to Japan and love the culture,
and the terms are 100% correct but as a lean implementer and leader
of a lean group I don’t allow those terms to be used. The simple
reason being that using terms in their truest form like, “gemba”,
“muri, mura, and muda”, “kaizen”, etc make the perception of the
activity jaded in the eyes of your customer, that being the
operator on the floor and other members of any
implementation.

I mean no disrespect to those
that use these terms, but to me it seems that to the operator, when
you say “let’s go to gemba” instead of “let’s hit the shop floor”
or something similar, that the perception from the operator and
others may be “Who the hell is this guy and why is he using all
these fancy words that I don’t understand?”

Therefore, I don’t use them or
permit them to be used. I translate these terms into the simplest
form possible for my intended audience, so it doesn’t appear that
I’m trying to be a “typical” manager in the eyes of my customer or
perhaps using words that seem scary or out-of-place to those I’m
wanting to help.

Like Thomas Jefferson said, “The most
valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one
will do.” and Ohno stating that “The most dangerous kind of waste
is the waste we don’t recognize”….since ultimately you are going
to have to explain what these Japanese terms mean then you are in
fact violating both men’s prophetic words? What are others thoughts
and experiences?

My response to his question was this:

I do my best to avoid all but the most common terms, like
kanban, gemba, and kaizen. I introduce those terms in initial team
and staff training, but just so people are aware if they see the
terms in the literature - heijunka, poka yoke, jidoka…. I always
emphasize that we shouldn’t try to wow anyone with our use of
Japanese terms…

I know there will be disagreement about this — what do you
think? What do you practice?