Category: Everyday Life
Katakana words are Japanese!
Last week, we were casually watching a quiz show, and Chris suddenly became unhappy with something.
The problem in the show was what katakana words, which Japanese people think are English words, should really be.
Indeed, we have many misunderstandings about katakana words, such as celebrity, naive, moody, and so on. We should know their actual meaning when we use them as English, otherwise we may be misunderstood.
Anyway, the show chose some commonly used Japanese katakana words, and it sounded like they wanted to say, ‘These words are not English!’ or, ‘Your English is wrong!’
For example, there were questions about the words margarine and coupon. Of course, all of the panellists answered the same as they usually speak. Then, they were told, ‘No, no, your pronunciation is not the same as a native English speaker in the USA!’
Then, Chris’ displeasure hit the maximum! (Note: Chris is a native speaker of English. But his pronunciation is not the same as what the show said were the right answers.)
Chris says there are different ways of pronouncing words even in English speaking countries. Also, there are different ways to spell some words. We don’t need to have the exact same pronunciation as someone whose mother tongue is English and who grew up in the USA. And even the USA is very big. Even there, they have more than one kind of English.
Japanese people generally have a pronunciation complex. Most believe they must pronounce things the same as an English native speaker. I guess that of all English speakers, the Japanese have the biggest complex about pronunciation. (Actually, Chris has met many Japanese people who don’t have confidence in their own pronunciation, even though they don’t have any problems.) I don’t know why Japanese people have less self-confidence than other Asian people.
I could also say the same about myself, as someone Japanese… I often feel needlessly embarrassed.
Anyway, surely it’s dangerous to use katakana words assuming they have the same meaning as Japanese. We should know the right English meaning, too.
– YS, 16 January 2008
16 January 2008
