Ask John: Why Do People Use “Japanglish?”

Question:
What is with these anime fanboys and girls who constantly use single Japanese words when they are saying or writing something in English? Is it just me, or is doing this absolutely ridiculous? I seriously don’t understand people who do that, when they can probably get their points across much more effectively by saying, “That guy is cute” rather than “That boy is kawaii.” Or perhaps I’m missing something?

Answer:
I understand the point you’re making, but I think you’re coming at this event from a logical standpoint, which is essentially the problem. It’s not logical for non-Japanese people to love anime. Anime is created specifically for Japanese audiences, and most of the time anime creators don’t consider foreign audiences or make concessions to possible foreign fans. It’s not really “normal” or natural for people to completely devote themselves to a form of pop culture art that they literally can’t understand. But Western anime fandom is not logical. It’s not logical for Westerners to spend hundreds of dollars buying import laserdiscs, DVDs and CDs in a language they can’t understand. It’s not logical for Western fans to spend hundreds of dollars on books they can’t read. But we (myself included) do it gladly.

Part of the use of Japanese words in American conversations has to do with the “grass is always greener” syndrome. Many Japanese teens wear counter-culture punk clothes and dye their hair in an attempt to be Western. Many Western anime fans wish that they were Japanese, so that they’d have easy access to great anime and video games. In some cases, the use of Japanese terms is unavoidable. We may refer to something as “hentai” or “shoujo” because there are no accurate English language equivalent words that we could use. I believe that when Western “fanboys and girls” use Japanese terms such as “kawaii” (cute), “minna-san” (everyone), “arigatou” (thank you) and “youkoso” (welcome), it’s not done to sound esoteric or elitist. It’s not done to show off. I believe that fans that use simple Japanese words do so to please themselves more than for the benefit of readers. The use of Japanese terms is a form of endearment. When we use Japanese words, we feel more a part of Japanese culture and more a part of anime itself than merely an outside spectator. It’s true that it is more appropriate for native English speakers to write with purely English. It’s also true that it can be irritating when someone with obviously no comprehension or interest in Japanese culture, or only the most novice understanding of the terms used, uses Japanese words to sound more advanced or cultured than he or she really is. In most cases, though, I think that the use of simple Japanese terms by Western fans is a sort of innocent role-playing. It’s a little indulgence into fantasy. After all, isn’t that what anime is all about?

Do you agree or disagree? If you’d like to discuss this question or provide your own interpretation, allow me to suggest continuing this discussion in the “Ask John” section of the AnimeNation forum.