blog #9: Slangs

by Asami Yoshikawa

Hello everyone,  I had a great time in the lunch party with you guys. Thank you so much for planed it! This time, I need to write about my homework such as; summarize the lecture, examples of Japanese slangs, and my opinion why people use these slang words instead of original Japanese words.

(1)Summarize of lecture

From the lecture, slang is a language that using in individual group(i.e. uneducated people), and function of slang is to check understanding in the community and to refuse other community, however it changes rapidly. People use slangs in internet which is provided as new technology.

(2) 3 slangs

1. “～なう。”(I’m doing ~ now!)

 This is one of the famous Japanese net slang words. It was started to use in Twitter, and meaning is to explaining what people are doing right now, or tell people where are you now, or what happens you right now. I think the unabbreviated word of “～なう” is “～している、～の最中” (doing ~ right now.). also, there is a word that sound similar to the sounds in English word, such as “Now”. So the true meaning of “～なう” is related to a word of “Now”, therefore the origin of “なう” comes from “Now”!

Here is an example: 今、北海道にいます(I’m in Hokkaido) à 北海道なう。



  

 

2. 婚活(marriage hunting)

Recently Japanese people are viewing “delayed marriage” as problem so the currently matchmaking boom is launching. In this situation, people called hunting activity as “婚活”. The origin word is “結婚活動(marriage hunting)”. People thinks that people have to appeal others to get partner, so 婚活 is all act for marriage.

 

3. 三行半(letter of divorce)

When the woman want to divorce, woman thrust a “三行半” (a letter of divorce) at their husband. Usually, this word is used for divorce by woman, but true meaning of 三行半 is the letter from wife, and the length of letter was three-line and half – “want a divorce, the reason of divorce, and small greeting message”. Sometimes people uses the slung when they give up on their husband, or lovers.

 
 

People never uses slung words in formal situation like the formal document or public. If people use them, then that people will have a low rating. However those words are used in a small community only, so maybe another community member will not understand what it is. Moreover, some slang words are related with small community’s culture or trends so if people understand the slang meaning, then it will be an evidence that the person is a member of small community. Japanese slangs is a contracted from an original long words, or using other country’s language(i.e. English) as a Japanese words. So I think the reason of existence of slang words is to show proof that a person is in small community member. If people know slang, then people will open up to others very easily.