Mind the (language) gap
English rears its emotional head again in the Diet, as Reuters reports from Tokyo in this dispatch, noting that a question in the Diet peppered with English financial terms had Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi warning a lawmaker to mind his language.
“Who understands (English) words like compliance and governance?” Koizumi asked the embarrassed opposition questioner. “Use words that ordinary people can understand,” he said to loud cheers and laughter. Some members know English, I’ve studied a bit, but debates shouldn’t be limited to those who understand English. Debates are for everyone.”
UNQUOTE
Reuters notes that English and other foreign-language words are increasingly common in Japan, and are often introduced as much to make something sound exotic or important as to describe concepts for which there is no local equivalent — though non-Japanese often laugh at the peculiar usages.
In addition, Reuters notes, the issue has become an emotional (and sometimes controversial) one among some academics and language purists as well as among the elderly, for whom the unfamiliar words can often be a cause of confusion.
Thanks for posting this, lifted my day.
Koizumi kicking ass and taking names
March 18th, 2006 at 3:39 amThis has become a major issue in France as well. I’m not sure how I feel about it. I guess if there is a word in the native tongue that covers what is being discussed great! If a new word can easily be invented using meanings from Kanji, go for it! If not, what is the harm with an English word or two. I know in Korean, the pronunciation of these ‘English’ words becomes so distorted at times it might as well be considered a Korean word.
March 18th, 2006 at 3:40 amKoizumi kicking ass and taking names
Really? I found his actions in this incident rude and unbecoming of a leader. Seems that he was trying to dodge the question and decided to embarrass the questioner as his escape.
Or, maybe you meant to say he was licking ass and requesting names for a future date as that seems to be his style.
March 18th, 2006 at 3:46 amNope i think he was spot on, if the goverment in the uk all of a sudden started using french words for certain things then a huge % of the population wouldn’t understand what they were saying and quite a few people in the goverment as well. I can understand if there is NO word like it in the native language but not just for the sake of it.
So no, i meant what i said.
March 18th, 2006 at 3:55 amI know you meant what you said Tom, the second part was a joke, notice the laughing face.
Still don’t agree with you though. People are free to use whatever language they wish. If the person in question felt the English word better conveyed what he was trying to say, then English was the best thing to use. Koizumi was just being an asshat, of course, that is the norm for him so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
March 18th, 2006 at 5:32 am[...] East Asia Japan, Ethnicity, Politics Global Roundups Japundit’s post on Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s reprimand of a lawmaker for using English financia [...]
March 18th, 2006 at 7:17 amPlunge, you should really know better from living in Korea, and second, you really don’t know what you’re talking about here.
There is entirely too much use of English by Japanese politicians to sound important and impress people, and the average person doesn’t know what the hell they’re talking about. Starting with my in-laws, for one.
There are perfectly good Japanese equivalents for compliance and governance, and everyone sitting in the Diet knows it. (You read about the positive response he got.)
As usual, Koizumi took the opportunity to make a valid point and score points against the opposition at the same time.
The issue in Japan is different from the one in France–people here have no problems adopting technical jargon or other words that will come in handy, and there is no “linguistic purity” movement to speak of.
Here’s another example. I just finished translating an audio narration for foreign visitors to a national museum (the functional equivalent of the Smithsonian in the US)
The museum is making a big deal about how they are presenting their exhibits in a way that everyone will find easy to understand.
One sentence I had to deal with referred to artwork by ancient Japanese, with the comment it showed they were rather “fankii” (funky).
There’s no excuse for this whatsoever.
Koizumi was, as Tom noted, spot on.
March 18th, 2006 at 12:30 pmYes, I know people who use their “Engrish Frequency” to show themselves to be better than others and it is annoying. Still was the wrong place and time to address the issue though.
March 18th, 2006 at 7:07 pm“Still was the wrong place and time to address the issue though.”
No better place and time to make the point. A country’s politicians have to speak a language that their citizens understand.
Surely you’re not going to hold up the Korean legislative body as a model of decorum and proper behavior?
March 18th, 2006 at 8:10 pmSurely you’re not going to hold up the Korean legislative body as a model of decorum and proper behavior?
Now come on, can’t you tell the difference between the audacity of a verbal dressing down and appropriate occasional hair pulling and beating with the sole of your shoe?
March 19th, 2006 at 2:41 amScore another one for Koizumi and the “dumbing down” movement. I thought it was only in America where the more anti-intellectual you are the more popular you become.
March 20th, 2006 at 6:49 am