In Korea, the most popular example was "Hand Phone". Both words are common known English words, however if someone in Saskatoon ever asked to borrow a Handphone you would probably ask them to repeat or explain themselves. In Korea they are simply asking to borrow your cellphone. Easy to see the connection, right? You probably guessed it before I even told you what it 'meant'.
In Japan, I've found it isn't usually a single word that gets used as Japanglish, but entire phrases or sentences. The best example I have found so far is the tag for a pair of overalls that I found at a Japanese clothing store called Avail.
What I originally assumed was this was written in Japanese and then translated into English using Google Translate (or some other online translation site that is notoriously bad for its exact translations without thoughts to grammar, sentence structure, or overall tone.) because someone thought the overalls would be "cooler" that way.
But if you believe that theory to be true... then the Japanese really do want me to value these overalls as I would value a boyfriend?
Something to think about...
2 comments:
That's a first!! I've never heard it as Japanglish! I always call it Engrish. Funny tag though!
Or maybe your boyfriend is as delicate as your overalls?
My favourite "Japanglish" moment came from an educational film Japan's government made to show Canadians what Japanese high schools are like. They had to pull it due to a shot of a kid wearing a T-shirt with the F-word emblazoned across his chest (in English, of course, because English is cool!). Hilarious.
Makes me wonder what all the Chinese/Japanese characters on North American clothing really mean.
Glad you're writing again :)
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