2012年03月09日
Is that English?
There are three things that surprise a lot of people about loan words (外来語) and English:
Many of my students, both young and old, assume that anything in katakana is good English and try to use those words when they speak English. They also don't believe me when I use a Japanese word and tell them, 'This is how we say it in English.'
Here are a few common loan words that do not come from English:
Here are a few loan words from English that most native speakers have trouble with:
Here is a list of Japanese loanwords that almost every American knows, even if they have no particular interest in or experience with Japan. In a few cases, the American pronunciation is different:
Some Japanese emoticons are also becoming common in America:
- Not all loan words in Japanese come from English.
- Many loan words in Japanese that originally come from English are no longer accurate English, sometimes 和製英語, but usually because of unnecessary or arbitrary abreviation. Many are close enough to be understood, but some are completely incomprehensible to native english speakers unfamiliar with Japan.
- English contains many loan words from Japanese.
Many of my students, both young and old, assume that anything in katakana is good English and try to use those words when they speak English. They also don't believe me when I use a Japanese word and tell them, 'This is how we say it in English.'
Here are a few common loan words that do not come from English:
| Loan Word | Original Language | American English |
|---|---|---|
| アルバイト | German | part-time job |
| パン | Portuguese | bread |
| ピーマン | Portuguese | (bell) pepper |
| ピエロ | French | clown |
Here are a few loan words from English that most native speakers have trouble with:
| Loan Word | American English |
|---|---|
| エアコン | air conditioner, A/C |
| デパート | department store |
| パソコン | PC, personal computer |
| ヴァイキング | buffet /bʉˈfeɪ/ |
Here is a list of Japanese loanwords that almost every American knows, even if they have no particular interest in or experience with Japan. In a few cases, the American pronunciation is different:
| Japanese | American English |
|---|---|
| アニメ | cartoon, animation |
| 日本アニメ | anime /ˈænɨmeɪ/ |
| カラオケ | karaoke /ˌkæriːˈoʊkiː/ |
| 津波 | tsunami |
| 蒲団 | futon |
| 忍者 | ninja |
| 芸者 | giesha |
| 侍 | samurai |
| 俳句 | haiku |
| 日本酒 | sake |
| 空手 | karate |
| 漫画 | comic book |
| 日本漫画 | manga /ˈmeɪŋɡə/ |
| 火鉢 | hibachi |
| 着物 | kimono |
| 寿司 | sushi |
| 豆腐 | tofu |
| オタク | geek, nerd |
| 日本の文化オタク | otaku |
| 折り紙 | origami |
| 盆栽 | bonsai |
| 刀 | katana |
Some Japanese emoticons are also becoming common in America:
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