PSU Center for Japanese Studies Presents
Professor Koji Tanno, University of Kentucky
Katakana Journeys: How Non-Japanese Words Made It into the Japanese Language
Japanese words can mainly be divided into three categories: kanji-based words, native Japanese words, and loanwords (katakana words). When loanwords are incorporated into Japanese, their sounds and meanings may change. However, they greatly contribute to the creation of new words, especially when introducing new concepts and technologies from abroad or blending them with Japanese culture. For example, English words like "revenge," "aroma," and "celebrity" entered Japanese and became リベンジ (ribenji), アロマ (aroma), and セレブ (serebu). Their meanings, however, have shifted through a process called metonymy, becoming “retry,” “essential oil,” and “rich,” respectively.
Katakana words are often used to emphasize information in advertisements, headlines, product names, and more. Their usage has been increasing in recent years. Moreover, the issue of loanwords has been actively discussed in domestic media as a topic of national language concern. Are the overuse and misuse of katakana words really destroying the Japanese language? What will be the fate of this language? In this talk, Dr. Koji Tanno will explain how loanwords historically entered the Japanese language and what functions they serve culturally and linguistically today.
Koji Tanno is an Assistant Professor of Japanese at the University of Kentucky. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington. Previously, he taught Japanese at Arizona State University, Eastern Michigan University, Lewis and Clark College, and the Middlebury Summer Language School. His research interests include language change, corpus linguistics, discourse markers, computer-assisted language learning, and second language acquisition. Additionally, he develops online apps for learning Japanese using JavaScript. In his free time, he enjoys playing pickleball, swimming, hiking, and learning Chinese.