Katakana English
One interesting feature of the Japanese language is its habit of adopting words in English (or occasionally other languages) and skewing them to its own purposes. I realize that all languages do this, but few do it to the extent that Japanese does. In fact, Japanese has an entire alphabet system, katakana, used almost solely for writing these "borrowed" words. The skewing I mentioned can be anything from just adjusting the pronunciation of a word so it fits the sounds that exist in the Japanese language to clipping a long word into a few choice syllables to changing the meaning entirely. That last one causes the most trouble for foreigners, because the Japanese person may be entirely unaware that the word they're saying in "english" doesn't mean what they think it does.
Let's play a Katakana game! I'll provide you a chart with 4 columns: the Japanese "english" word, a guide to how it's pronounced, what it means, and the actual English word or phrase it came from, but I'll write one or both of those last two for each example in white so you can guess what it is. Just highlight to read the answers.
Sounds fun? Then ready, set, GO!
WordPronunciationMeaningSourceHaitenshyonHigh-ten-shoneExcited, psyched upHigh TensionDonmaiDon (rhymes with 'own') maiDon't worry about itDon't MindSupaaSoo-pahSupermarketSupermarket
PasokonPah-soh-conePersonal computer
Personal computerSaabisuSah-bee-sooSomething free of charge added to the main purchase, for example, a free charger coming with a cell phone is "service"
ServiceToranpuToe-rahn-pooa deck of playing cardsTrumpsWanpiisuWahn-pea-sooa dressOne pieceFuriisaizuFoo-ree-sigh-zooOne size fits all
Free sizeGesenGay-sehnVideo arcadeGame CenterJipanJee-pahnBlue jeansJeans+pantsKanninguKahn-een-gooCheatingCunningManshyonMahn-shoneA large apartment building (not the individual apartments, the whole building)MansionPinchiPeen-cheeA potentially disasterous situationPinchPurikkuraPoo-ree-koo-rahRemember those cool tiny, decorated pictures I posted a while ago? Those thingsPrint-club
How many did you get? As a final PS. if you come to Japan, probably avoid using the word "pants". The Japanese have adopted the British meaning of "pants", underware
Let's play a Katakana game! I'll provide you a chart with 4 columns: the Japanese "english" word, a guide to how it's pronounced, what it means, and the actual English word or phrase it came from, but I'll write one or both of those last two for each example in white so you can guess what it is. Just highlight to read the answers.
Sounds fun? Then ready, set, GO!
WordPronunciationMeaningSourceHaitenshyonHigh-ten-shoneExcited, psyched upHigh TensionDonmaiDon (rhymes with 'own') maiDon't worry about itDon't MindSupaaSoo-pahSupermarketSupermarket
PasokonPah-soh-conePersonal computer
Personal computerSaabisuSah-bee-sooSomething free of charge added to the main purchase, for example, a free charger coming with a cell phone is "service"
ServiceToranpuToe-rahn-pooa deck of playing cardsTrumpsWanpiisuWahn-pea-sooa dressOne pieceFuriisaizuFoo-ree-sigh-zooOne size fits all
Free sizeGesenGay-sehnVideo arcadeGame CenterJipanJee-pahnBlue jeansJeans+pantsKanninguKahn-een-gooCheatingCunningManshyonMahn-shoneA large apartment building (not the individual apartments, the whole building)MansionPinchiPeen-cheeA potentially disasterous situationPinchPurikkuraPoo-ree-koo-rahRemember those cool tiny, decorated pictures I posted a while ago? Those thingsPrint-club
How many did you get? As a final PS. if you come to Japan, probably avoid using the word "pants". The Japanese have adopted the British meaning of "pants", underware