Lesbians using boku?

Is it okay for lesbians to use boku for I?

Saiko,

If they are "masculine", yes.

then what about girls? can girls use boku? hehehe

Xindy,

can girls use boku?

If they are at kindergarten and are copying the way the boys around them speak, then, yes, I think it is not uncommon.
Otherwise, it conveys a sense of boyishness or masculinity that might make people stop and wonder. If you are a non-Japanese female and use "boku", the chances are Japanese speakers would just assume you aren't aware that you are making a mistake, and will probably try to correct you.

Since we are on this subject can someone say something about the boy vs male adult issue?

What nuance or meaning has using 'boku' for a young male adult? An old one? Or even an elderly one?

Macho? Masculine? Boyish? Informal? Lively? Humble? Serious?

Prometheus,

What nuance or meaning has using 'boku' for a young male adult? An old one? Or even an elderly one?

Macho? Masculine? Boyish? Informal? Lively? Humble? Serious?

My understanding is that it has a friendly or informal nuance. If you wanted to sound macho or maculine, you would use "ore". Humble would surely be something like "watakushi". Lively? I suppose you could use "oira" - or "atashi". ;-)

A while ago I saw a question on a Japanese internet forum asking how fellow older locals use "boku".

There were quite a few males who claimed that you should switch from "boku" to "watashi" at least by your late 20s or so, if I remember correctly.

This caught me by surprise, because almost every local male resident I personally know uses "boku" even after their 50s or 70s or even 80s. My grandfather even used "boku" until he passed away at 91 back in the 80s.

However, in business scenes it is more proper to use "watashi" or "watakushi".

So to me, "boku" is a very normal/nuetral term for males of any age. Between friends and close ones, they might use more "ore"s.

Btw, you might be interested to know that when foreign male celebrities' interviews or quotes are translated into Japanese, the publisher (rather than the traslator) is pretty much in charge of judging if the celebrity should use "ore" or "boku" or something completely different.

This often leads to controversy among fans. "Hey, he's not an ORE type!" "No, he's tougher than you think!" type of thing.

In real life, the same person may switch between ore and boku in the same conversation, but funny that publishers often prefer the contrary. For example, the vocalist of a certain band might always use "boku" while the guitarist of that band may always use "ore" during one big biography book.

Usually "ore" is applied to metal and punk musicians no matter the age. Rock guitarists almost always are applied with "boku" or "ore". The only rock guitarist I can think of who is always applied with "watashi" is Robert Fripp.

I realise Mika Nakashima uses 'boku' in her song 'yuki no hana'
"boku ga egao e to kaete ageru" I dont know whats the meaning of that...but I guess this song should be sang in a girl's perspective? ..hmm~~

Xindy, a lot of singers, domestic and foreign, often sings in the opposite gender's perspective. Nakashima's song you mentioned is a good example. In fact, that's the tricky part about translating English lyrics into Japanese.

I've heard girls say they prefer "boku" guys or "ore" guys- they idea being that the kind of man who would use "boku" is too mild mannered and boyish for some, whereas a man who would choose to use "ore" is too coarse and arrogant for others. One girl I know said her boyfriend tried to use "ore" when talking to her and she hated it- it made her feel he was being rough and possessive.

You also hear girls who are into a certain subset of gal style using "ore" along with other masculine language for shock value.

I asked my Japanese teacher, and she said it's fine, just not with superiors and the like. Thank you all for your answers!