Business language in English is famous for its overly complex jargon which though intended to impress the listener, often leaves people scratching their heads. The situation is similar in Japan, but an interesting point is that many popular Japanese business buzzwords have been … [Read more...] about How to Use Katakana Words in Japanese Business Jargon
Cushion Words: Useful Japanese Expressions for Introducing Awkward Topics
The Japanese language has many useful expressions that can be used to make otherwise awkward topics less blunt. In Japanese these are called クッション言葉 (kusshon kotoba) which literally means “cushion words.” The name is appropriate as these phrases have a softening effect when … [Read more...] about Cushion Words: Useful Japanese Expressions for Introducing Awkward Topics
How to Improve Japanese Pronunciation with Tongue-Twisters!
Tongue-twisters, those amusing expressions so artfully designed for maximum difficulty, are perfect for practicing pronunciation. The difficulty in these playful expressions arises from the rapid repetitions of easily confused sounds, producing verbal slips from the … [Read more...] about How to Improve Japanese Pronunciation with Tongue-Twisters!
Studying Japanese Through Manga: An Interview with Kumar Sivasubramanian
In which my old friend the manga translator Kumar Sivasubramanian shares how he used manga to learn Japanese, explains why manga is such a great study resource, and also gives us his personal manga-for-study recommendations. This interview was originally published on another … [Read more...] about Studying Japanese Through Manga: An Interview with Kumar Sivasubramanian
A Myriad Leaves: The Timeless Poems of the Man’yōshū
On May 1st 2019 Japan entered a new official era to mark the new emperor’s ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne. The name chosen for this era, Reiwa, uses two Chinese characters 令和, which were taken from an ancient Japanese poetry collection called the Man’yōshū. Oddly … [Read more...] about A Myriad Leaves: The Timeless Poems of the Man’yōshū