Is that English?

Sorry I'm late. I borrowed my mother's my car and it had an engine stop.

Last week I saw Brapi at a Live House and I got his sign!!!!!

Did you undertand what I said?

Guess what? If I showed those sentences to most English speakers outside Japan they probably wouldn't know what I was talking about.

Yup, it looks like English but it's not.

Here is the same sentences in regular English:

Sorry I'm late. I borrowed my mother's car and it broke down.

Last week I saw Brad Pitt at a bar with live music and I got his autograph!!!!

There are lots of words in Japanese that come from English but aren't used by English speakers. Here's a list to be careful about:


Japanese English

ライブハウス bar with live music
ガッツポーズ triumphant, victorious
レベル　アップ upgrade, improve
サラリーマン employee, business person
パラサイト・シングル adult who lives at home
レース　クイーン promotion girls
サイン autograph
モデル　ルーム showroom, model home
CM commercial
GW Golden Week
アポ appointment
キャスター newscaster
コンペ competition
ショート short stop
ゼネコン general contractor
パソコン personal computer
ブラピ Brad Pitt
テロ terrorism

There are lots more, too.

Click on the link below to see a more complete list:
http://honyakuhome.org/glossary/scratchers

But sometimes Japanese English words catch on in English. CoolBiz is a word that started in Japan and is now used to mean the same thing in English.

Until next time
Stay cool!