The war on katakana starts at school
Eliminating katakana's use as a pronunciation aide would benefit Japanese students' ability to communicate, but that clearly can't be achieved overnight. However, it's still worth putting up a "faito."
Amanda Ritchart is a native speaker of Southern Californian English, the dialect also known as "Valley Girl talk" — you know, the one that's, like, totally full of the word "like." The dialect's most recognizable characteristic might be the rise in pitch that speakers use ...
A South Korean high school student has won the top award in a Japanese-language speech contest in Okayama. Kim Nae-yong, 17, defeated 11 other foreign contestants Friday with a speech in which she expressed her desire to "act as a bridge between South Korea and ...
A 'he or she' may actually prefer to be called 'ze'
As Nicholas Gumas settles into his third year at George Washington University in the U.S. capital, he won't just ask incoming students for names, majors and hometowns. If the situation calls for it, he will ask for preferred gender pronouns (PGPs). To clarify their gender ...
JET alumni advocates for Japan
Clifton Strickler never thought of coming to Japan until he met his boss at the University of Texas while engaged in an undergraduate work-study. His boss lived in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, teaching English with the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. For Strickler, the JET program ...
Ainu fight for return of plundered ancestral remains
Shigeru Kayano, one of the most well-known and respected Ainu figures of modern times, writes in his autobiography "Our Land Was a Forest" about the loathing he felt as a young man for the shamo (Japanese) researchers who used to visit his village and ...
English-language education proposal has French up in arms
There was a time, not so long ago, when anyone with a proper education spoke French. Diplomacy and business were conducted in French. Knowledge was spread in French. Travelers made their way in French and, of course, lovers traded sweet nothings in French. Viewed from ...
Bilingual beauty, straight and permed
Beauty must be a bilingual thing. At least that’s the impression one gets from looking at signs outside hairdressers, beauty parlors and similar types of businesses in Japan.
Abe wants TOEFL to be key exam
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is not satisfied with revising monetary policy — he also appears bent on reviving another failing field: the public's ability to speak English.
With nearly 40 years of experience as an English-Japanese interpreter, 69-year-old Mariko Nagai has worked for a number of important figures from various fields. Nagai has attended numerous summits as an interpreter for prime ministers, in which her role was to interpret what the head ...
Can-can dancers, tea-time snacks and katakana confusion
In last month's column, I looked at the origins of several famous Japanese product brands. Thinking back, perhaps the very first brand I noticed here was a confectioner named 文明堂 (Bunmeido). The company, a 老舗 (shinise, well-established shop), was founded in Nagasaki in 1900, ...
The pervasive influence of digital media was highlighted on June 7 by the announcement of recommendations for changes in the authorized list of kanji for everyday use. A government advisory panel has proposed adding 196 kanji and removing five for a total of 2,136 ...
