2010年10月8日金曜日

English words originally from Japanese

We have a lot of adopted words from English called ' gairaigo ' which are spelled with katakana.
While letting some Japanese words exported instead.

Almost of all the English words originally from Japanese are Names and special in Japan.
We tend to borrow or lend new words to share each other. It makes faster as the globalization goes.

I will pick up familiar words first.

Sumo, Judo, Geisha, Samurai, Shogun, Kamikaze, Shintoism are popular which doesn't exist in other culture and are accepted as symbols of Japanese culture.
Recently new word are rushing into the world, for example, Tsunami, Anime from Japanese animation, Karaoke all over the world and so on.
My American friend Jimm let me know a new word ' Japanmation ' from Japan animation.
It seems really popular among anime fans.

I've also noticed another word which is introduced into English I had never expected.
It's ' Satori ' from Zen.
I think it's a really deep and specific word in abstract, spiritual and religious category.
It is explained that is " enlightenment in Zen Buddhism."
I'd like to translate it " a great achievement given by yourself "
I can say Satori is not brought by chance but caused by yourself having had an effort.

I'm glad to know one of Japanese solemn word is universal.
We need to be proud of our culture and share the goodness with people in the world.        

1 件のコメント:

  1. I grew up with Japanese dramas and annimations, still like them today to kill time. These days I'm drowning myself reading some novels from Japanese ancient writers of the Meiji period, one is 樋口一葉, another is 夏目漱石, I like his "こゝろ" so very much. Actually I love cultures from any countries, as soon as it interest me, I'll go for it ^^

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