EY Y01 L20 Buzzword

  1. Modern Japanese has a lot of buzzwords, such as "KY" "OL" or "イケメン". Name one that did not exist when you were a child. What does it mean? When and how did you learn its meaning?
  2. Modern Japanese has a lot of loan words and phrases, such as "ケース‐バイ‐ケース" or "スマホ". Name one that did not exist when you were a child. What does it mean? Which country or language is it from? Is there a Japanese word for this? If there is, which is used more; the loan word or the Japanese? Why do you think that is?
  3. Abbreviations, acronyms and jargon play a part in all businesses. Tell us about a time when you have had to adjust to and use new terminology at work or when learning something new.
  4. The public often pick up catchphrases, tag lines, slogans and catchlines from advertising, movies and pop culture. Some examples would be "ピアノうってちょうだい" (from the Takamoto Piano television commercials) or "Shaken not Stirred" (from the James Bond movies). Name one. Where is it from? Why did it become famous do you think?
  5. Tell us about a buzzword, loan word, idiom, phrase, saying, portmanteau, proverb, slogan, catchphrase, acronym or abbreviation, either in Japanese or English, that you really like or that makes you laugh? What does it mean? Where is from? Why do you like it or find it funny?
  6. Are you good at picking up new word and phrases (either in Japanese or in English)? If yes, how do you retain new words and phrases? If no, why not?
For teachers:
  1. Modern English has a lot of buzzwords, such as "hangry" "crowdfund" or "blockchain". Name one that did not exist when you were a child. What does it mean? When and how did you learn its meaning?
  2. Modern English has a lot of loan words and phrases, such as "anime" "bokeh" or "hygge". Name one that did not exist when you were a child. What does it mean? Which country or language is it from? Is there an English word for this? If there is, which is used more; the loan word or the English word? Why do you think that is?
  3. Abbreviations, acronyms and jargon play a part in all businesses. Tell us about a time when you have had to adjust to and use new terminology at work or when learning something new.
  4. The public often pick up catchphrases, tag lines, slogans and catchlines from advertising, movies and pop culture. Some examples would be "Just Do It" (Nike) or "Shaken not Stirred" (from the James Bond movies). Name one. Where is it from? Why did it become famous do you think?
  5. Tell us about a buzzword, loan word, idiom, phrase, saying, proverb, portmanteau, slogan, catchphrase, acronym or abbreviation, either in Japanese or English, that you really like or that makes you laugh? What does it mean? Where is from? Why do you like it or find it funny?
  6. Are you good at picking up new word and phrases (either in Japanese or in English)? If yes, how do you retain new words and phrases? If no, why not?

Question 1

 When I was a kid the internet was new. Computer or iphone words did not exist, words such as "selfie" were not around as no one had the technology.

Question 2

When I was a child in New Zealand I had never heard Spanish.  I watched and loved an action movie called "Terminator 2". The movie is spoken completely in English apart from one line, "no problemo".  My mother (who cannot speak Spanish) said that this is Spanish for "no problem".  When I got to my mid-twenties I lived in Mexico and I discovered that "no problemo" is not Spanish at all.  It is English but made to sound Spanish.  The correct Spanish should've been "No hay problema".

Question 3

When I went to culinary school I had to learn a lot of cooking terminology.  Maybe an interesting phrase is "blue" steak.  Blue steak is steak that is completely raw inside and the outside is only slightly cooked.

Question 4

I think the McDonald's catchphrase "I'm Lovin' It" was popular and it was natural for many people to say.  I think many people said "I'm lovin'..." before McDonald's made the phrase popular.

Question 5

I like the word "App".  It is short and so many cultures use it.  It is a great abbreviation.

Question 6

I am usually good at remembering bad words or bad phrases but more useful ones are difficult.  I think repeating the target sentence constantly is the best way.

Tough Vocabulary

- English - - Japanese -
catchphrase うたい文句

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