Japanese loanwordsJapanese loanwords

by by MoniqueMonique

IntroductionIntroduction

Japanese lexicon is characterized in Japanese lexicon is characterized in terms of 3 strata terms of 3 strata

大和言葉（大和言葉（ Yamato-kotobaYamato-kotoba ）） 外来語（外来語（ GairaigoGairaigo ）） 漢語（漢語（ KangoKango ））

Genkai dictionary (1859),Genkai dictionary (1859), 漢語 漢語 (6(60%), 0%), 外来語 外来語 (1.4%)(1.4%)

5 waves of borrowing 5 waves of borrowing

1) Sino-Japanese words (A.D. 400)1) Sino-Japanese words (A.D. 400) 2) first systematic contact with western 2) first systematic contact with western

world in 1543 (Portuguese, Dutch and world in 1543 (Portuguese, Dutch and Spanish)Spanish)

3) Meiji period (English, German, and 3) Meiji period (English, German, and French)French)

4) after the WWII (American and English)4) after the WWII (American and English) 5) modern era (English)5) modern era (English) Recently: Japanese combines borrowed Recently: Japanese combines borrowed

elements with each other to create new elements with each other to create new words with new meanings e.g. words with new meanings e.g. 超べり・グ超べり・グ((choberigu)choberigu)

外来語外来語

Recognizable Recognizable KatakanaKatakana Become adjectives by adding -Become adjectives by adding - な な ((--

na) e.g. na) e.g. セクシーセクシー ++ な な ((sekushii+na)sekushii+na)

become verbs by adding become verbs by adding -- するする (-(-suru)suru) 　　ダウンロードダウンロード ++ するする ((daunroodo)daunroodo)

外来語外来語 外来語辞書 外来語辞書 20,000 20,000 wordswords Yearly publications “Yearly publications “Imidas”Imidas” ( ( イミダスイミダス ) ) list hundreds of list hundreds of

newly borrowed words each yearnewly borrowed words each year

Foreign loanword in dictionariesForeign loanword in dictionaries 1859 1.4%1859 1.4% 1956 3.5%1956 3.5% 1972 7.8%1972 7.8% Today 10Today 10% (% (predict)predict)

A trend that the Sino-Japanese words are replaced by the A trend that the Sino-Japanese words are replaced by the foreign wordsforeign words

E.g. E.g. 百貨店百貨店 ((hyakkaten) hyakkaten) デパートデパート 　　　写真機　　　写真機 ((shashinki) shashinki) カメラカメラ

Sino-Japanese wordsSino-Japanese words 1867-1886, 10,000 S-J words are added 1867-1886, 10,000 S-J words are added

into the dictionary into the dictionary Until now they increase very slowlyUntil now they increase very slowly

社会社会 ((shakai)shakai) 、、科学科学 ((kagaku) kagaku)

BUT not all the Chinese character words BUT not all the Chinese character words are of Chinese origin are of Chinese origin

Chinese Chinese

Chinese influence so heavy that Japanese Chinese influence so heavy that Japanese language imported innumerable words as language imported innumerable words as well as syntactic and phonological feature well as syntactic and phonological feature from Chinese. from Chinese.

Sounds like “r” “ya” “yu” “yo” Sounds like “r” “ya” “yu” “yo” A mechanism for forming new words by A mechanism for forming new words by

combining 2 or more Chinese characters combining 2 or more Chinese characters violate the native Japanese word order violate the native Japanese word order

e.g. e.g. 読書読書 ((dokusho)dokusho)

本を読む本を読む ((hon wo yomu)hon wo yomu)

Research by KKK (National Research by KKK (National Language Institute) 1956 - 1964Language Institute) 1956 - 1964

((a) literary magazinesa) literary magazines (b) popular magazines(b) popular magazines (c) practical and popular science(c) practical and popular science (d) domestic and women’s (d) domestic and women’s

magazinesmagazines (e) entertainment and hobby (e) entertainment and hobby

magazinesmagazines

The distribution of words The distribution of words according to magazine typeaccording to magazine type

NativeNative S-JS-J ForeignForeign NativeNative S-JS-J ForeignForeign

(a)(a) 58.958.9 40.040.0 1.51.5 39.939.9 51.551.5 5.05.0

((b)b) 55.155.1 41.241.2 1.91.9 35.935.9 54.354.3 5.75.7

(c) (c) 36.736.7 59.359.3 2.12.1 28.828.8 60.360.3 7.07.0

((d)d) 56.356.3 35.535.5 5.75.7 44.744.7 39.139.1 9.99.9

((e)e) 60.760.7 34.734.7 2.72.7 41.341.3 45.745.7 8.38.3

% % of total word countof total word count % % of total no. of of total no. of distinct wordsdistinct words

KKK report on vocabulary of KKK report on vocabulary of newspapers (1971)newspapers (1971)

S-J : formal, abstract conceptS-J : formal, abstract concept Foreign words: domestic, modern, women Foreign words: domestic, modern, women

relatedrelated

Increase in the use of ForeignIncrease in the use of Foreign wordswords

NativeNative 26.6-43.9%26.6-43.9% 35.2-38.8%35.2-38.8%

S-JS-J 50.7-65.3%50.7-65.3% 44.4-46.9%44.4-46.9%

ForeignForeign 4.0-6.0%4.0-6.0% 12-12.7%12-12.7%

% % of total word of total word countcount

% % of total no. of of total no. of distinct wordsdistinct words

Foreign loanwords in different Foreign loanwords in different specific fieldspecific field

German --- medical, philosophy, German --- medical, philosophy, outdoor sportsoutdoor sports

French --- art, fashionFrench --- art, fashion Italian --- musicItalian --- music English --- entertaining, advertising, English --- entertaining, advertising,

sports and businesssports and business

Principal of total availabilityPrincipal of total availability

Roy Andrew Miller (1967)Roy Andrew Miller (1967) It means that from Chinese and English, It means that from Chinese and English,

any words could be borrowed to replace a any words could be borrowed to replace a native Japanese wordnative Japanese word

Characteristics of loanword in Characteristics of loanword in JapaneseJapanese

1) 1) Sound changesSound changes 2) 2) Difference in meaning Difference in meaning 3) 3) ClippingClipping 4) 4) Change in semanticsChange in semantics

Sound changesSound changes Japanese: 17 consonants, 5 vowelsJapanese: 17 consonants, 5 vowels

E.g. English “E.g. English “ll” and “” and “r”r”, “, “s”s” and “ and “th”th” will end up will end up same in Japanesesame in Japanese

1) final consonants must be followed by a 1) final consonants must be followed by a vowel e.g. vowel e.g. チームチーム ((chiimu)chiimu)

2) vowel+r sequences usually end up as 2) vowel+r sequences usually end up as lengthened vowels in Japanese e.g. lengthened vowels in Japanese e.g. バーバー((baabaa), ), バードバード ((baado)baado)

3) English unstressed vowel is replaced by full 3) English unstressed vowel is replaced by full vowel e.g. vowel e.g. チキンチキン ((chikin)chikin)

4) a small 4) a small ッ ッ ((tsu) tsu) is typically inserted after a is typically inserted after a short vowel before stops such as “short vowel before stops such as “kk” and “” and “tt”, ”, e.g. e.g. ペット ペット ((petto)petto)

ローロー ((roo) low, row, law, rawroo) low, row, law, raw

Difference in meaningDifference in meaning

Some loanwords end up with different in Some loanwords end up with different in meaning in Japanese from the one they meaning in Japanese from the one they had in the donor language had in the donor language

E.g.E.g. アルバイトアルバイト ((arubaito) arubaito)

Donor: German word “Arbeit” means work Donor: German word “Arbeit” means work

Japanese means only extra part time jobsJapanese means only extra part time jobs

ClippingClipping

To make the word shortenTo make the word shorten Clipping is very common especially for Clipping is very common especially for

recently borrowed vocabularyrecently borrowed vocabulary

E.g.E.g. コンビニ コンビニ ((konbini) for “konbini) for “conveniconvenience store”ence store” helicopterhelicopter ヘリ ヘリ ((heri) for “heri) for “helihelicopter”copter”

Change in semanticsChange in semantics

Narrowing and specialized the Narrowing and specialized the meaning meaning

E.g. E.g. ライスライス ((raisu) for only rice that raisu) for only rice that

served on plate but served on plate but 御飯 御飯 ((gohan) for gohan) for the bowl of ricethe bowl of rice

My ResearchMy Research

Objectives:Objectives:- To find out the current situation of To find out the current situation of

comprehensibility of the English loanword comprehensibility of the English loanword among native Japanese speakers.among native Japanese speakers.

Methodology:Methodology:- There are 30 words in the questionnaire There are 30 words in the questionnaire

distributed to 24 native Japanese speakers distributed to 24 native Japanese speakers (14 females and 10 males) in total. (14 females and 10 males) in total.

- The respondents were asked to write down The respondents were asked to write down the correct meaning of the given word.the correct meaning of the given word.

My ResearchMy Research

Requirement:Requirement:- The respondents can answer no more than The respondents can answer no more than

one meaning.one meaning.- The process takes about 5-6 minutes.The process takes about 5-6 minutes.- No dictionary or book can be used.No dictionary or book can be used.

Limitation:Limitation:- It involves a few number of respondents which It involves a few number of respondents which

cannot reflect the current situation accurately.cannot reflect the current situation accurately.- Lack of analyze in terms of age, occupation, Lack of analyze in terms of age, occupation,

and place they live.and place they live.

My Research My Research

Words borrowed around 16Words borrowed around 16thth-18-18thth century century テレビ　テレビ　 ((terebi) for “television”terebi) for “television” ホテル　ホテル　 ((hoteru) for “hotel”hoteru) for “hotel”

Words borrowed around 20Words borrowed around 20thth century century エンジョイ　エンジョイ　 ((enzyoi) for “enjoy”enzyoi) for “enjoy” リアル　リアル　 ((riaru) for “real”riaru) for “real”

Words borrowed in recent yearsWords borrowed in recent years オンライン　オンライン　 ((onrain) for "online”onrain) for "online” モビリティー　モビリティー　 ((mobiritii) for "mobility”mobiritii) for "mobility” ブレイクスルー　ブレイクスルー　 ((bureikusuruu) for "breakthrough" bureikusuruu) for "breakthrough" ステレオタイプ　ステレオタイプ　 ((sutereotaipu) for "stereotype" sutereotaipu) for "stereotype"

Findings:

Words borrowed around 16th-18th century Correct: 100%

Words borrowed around 20th century Correct: 73.3%

Words borrowed in recent years Correct: 36.67%

Implications: Dramatic increase in English loanword in recent years Inundation of using foreign words Even the native Japanese cannot understand the

meaning of the new loanwords

Others: Uncountable Psychological effect: stylish, fashionable, prestige Recently, some Japanese asked the gov’t to control

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