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Zone81: English resources and information for gaijin in Japan

Gov't protects Japanese language from imported words

Wednesday, June 26 2002, 09:00

TOKYO - The Japanese Ministry of Education plans to organize a committee of lanuage experts in July to brainstorm way to prevent the Japanese language from being saturated with foreign words, announced Education Minister Atsuko Toyama on Tuesday.

"The brainless importing of foreign words is damaging the nature and beauty of traditional Japanese language. The importing has sharply increased recently which causes concern," said Toyama, Minister of not only education, but also culture, sports, technology and science at a press conference.

Toyama charges that imported words by young Japanese are sometimes not decipherable by older Japanese which causes confusion, and these imported words could also lead to problems for foreigners trying to learn Japanese.

The committee will apprently pose substitute Japanese words for the imported words.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has also stated concern on this issue and supports the forming of the committee. (Zone81.com)

Caesar's Commentary

Yes, PLEASE STOP using English words in Japan. It would be nice not to see English pronounced and used incorrectly every day for a change.

"Speak Lark" "Are you Haagen Daz" "I'm juicy" (my personal favorite) Yes stop importing English unless you learn to use it right...

For as shy as they are about speaking English, they sure know how to butcher it in writing. Did the phrase "Check it with a native speaker" even enter your mind? It is a multi-million dollar ad Einstein!!!

Atsuko Toyama, you have just qualified yourself for an honorary membership to Zone81's jackass files... Congratulations

Users Comments

CB
  Heh you think that is something? In Quebec they have a whole branch of the police dedicated to enforcing Language laws. -That is a collosal waste of time and money.
Nigel
  Japanese are so poor at English I think they are doing this to keep from embarrasing themselves.
dainamikku paason
  Its about time someone in Japan realized their language problem. too bad this problem is too large and out of control to fix.
another expat
  They'll never be able to enforce it, because they don't realize how much of their language is imported. I'd love to know how they're going to replace words like tenisu, biru, wain, uisky, pototo furai, terebi ... Ask a Japanese kid the real Japanese word for things like tennis & sponge and they'll try telling you those words are Japanese.
Detective John Kimbell
  OH NO! NOT ZONE81's FILES!! OH NOOOO! oh wait, you're nobody, lol, gimme a break...
Malejewicz
  I once asked some Japanese young people about the word "arbeit", you know, arubaito (part time work) and they swore it was a Japanese word. When I told it was German they though and still think I am lying.
Okon Effiong
  My wife sometimes complains that her father writes difficult Kainji. I think it is OK for the young generation to confuse the older one with modified Japanese. All language evolve and Japanese should not be an exception.
Okon Effiong
  Correction All 'languages' not All 'language'
mad dog
  to okok, typo mate geta life dicko who the f are you anyway
mad dog
  to okok, typo mate geta life dicko who the f are you anyway
ranx
  to mad DOG, funny how wanko sounds like an imported word "wanker".
the corraboorator
  I think it is natural for any language to adapt a foreign language and make as their own. im pretty sure some of the words in english are borrowed words from other countries too. some languages are not that rich to describe a certain condition...
Jimbo
  Did the same debate occur when they started importing Chinese as thier written language all those years ago?
stepping on thier backs
  So long as they can't speak proper english, this place will remain a haven for gaijin making easy coin. Lets keep them down!
Aokoi
  Though I admire the idea of trying to keep as many non-native Japanese words out of the language, there are only so many words that can be used for foreign items. 'Another expat' mentioned several words that are non-native words like 'terebi' and 'tenisu' - these are examples of words that are borrowed because they are the original name of those thing. In most languages, television and tennis are called by some derivation of the English. On the other hand, there are words I have heard commonly used that have native equivalents -like 'miruku' instead of 'guunuu' for milk. Really, if there is already a Japanese word for it, there is no need for using adapted English.
Aokoi
  Oh, just an aside - there are somewhere between 7,000 and 10,000 loan words in English [according to Merriam-Webster]. Some notable examples are canoe, reconnaissance, canyon, and tsunami - four examples from four different languages.
to all of you
  If you did your homework. you would know that at least 80% of the English language is borrowed from other languages. Why do you think the French hate us so much.(we got most of it from them) The word 'ketchup' comes from China. If you don't believe me look it up for yourselves. I think that Atsuko Toyama should be more concerned about the racist implications of her committee. I've lived hear for 10 years and they still call me an alien.(don't I feel welcome) International exchange is a two way street and I think it's time that the Japanese learnt this.



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