http://disqus.com/by/tomoakiyama/enSat, 09 May 2009 10:27:30 -0000http://blog.rainbowhill.com.au/2009/01/loanwords-and-lazy-japanese.html#comment-9157442<p>I am Japanese and it's nteresting to me to read about what native English speakers think of English loanwords in Japanese. We even have this "gairaigo-kinshi" drinking game where you have to take a shot if you use a loanword. It's really hard because they are completely integrated in the language and we are using them unconsciously. If we are to raise the threshold to "no Western loanwords or sino-Japanese (i.e. Japanese words in on-reading kanji)" I think anyone would get drunk instantly.</p><p>I don't think loanwords are threat to the Japanese language because they are parts of it. Typically a new loanword is addition to the existing Japanese lexicon rather than replacement - the loanword "heaa" (&lt; hair) didn't replace the word "kami-no-ke" (hair), it is used as a cooler-sounding verion of "kaminoke" in hair salons and fashion magazines.</p><p>But just like many other fellow Japanese, I do find it annoying when someone (especially politicians) overuse Western loanwords. If the loanword is so uncommon that it hurts communication, we can't say it's a part of the Japanese language. It's just snobbism.</p>tomoakiyamaSat, 09 May 2009 10:27:30 -0000