'J-Acronym' (if I can name it like that...!)

[Olivia]

I’ve noticed that the Japanese people often uses acronyms to refer to foreign expressions – usually in English, I guess. I find it extremely interesting because it is used in everyday communication, turning it into a sort of ‘code’ that only those who actually speak/talk in Japanese can comprehend. And it seems to me that it is unique about the Japanese language – I suppose, as far as I know by now...
So I’d like to know what other acronyms you know, besides the ones below, since I’m not fluent at Japanese and sometimes, when talking to friends and relatives, I have to ask my mom to help me... Hehehe!

Sekuhara (sexual harassment)
Aruchuu (arukooru chuudoku)
Doricamu (Dreams Come True – Jpop band)
Pasocon (personal computer)
Waapuro (word processor)
can't remember any more right now!

Nairon (from nylon – but it’s an ‘international’ word, used worldwide, so I guess it doesn’t count...)

And any other info regarding it will be welcome!
Thank you!

[moyashi]

hmmm, I wouldn't really call those "Acronyms" so to say. They are a shortening of longer words, since loan words [wasei eigo] are just too dang long to say, ie ... makudonarudo = maku or makudo (McDonalds).

nairon is the way Japanese say nylon which is [wasei eigo] like all the words above. It doens't get shortened since it's short all ready.

hmmm ... interesting that you don't really see acronyms for Japanese words outside of company names.

Sorry NEC is based on English words so it's an English Acronym.

There are speical katakana dictionaries that cover only [wasei eigo] words since many older folks have trouble keeping up with all their meanings.

Tanaka Yasuo the governor of Nagano Prefecture doesn't help either. He has added the wording "due process" to wonderful list of Jargon and loan words that Japanese need to know.

Loan words [wasei eido] are at times for the purist a heated debate since they add unnecessary vocabulary to the language but for those who highly detest such words forget themselves why such words do exist in the language.

I personally hate most of the words since I get a headache just trying to figure out which foreign (mostly English) word they are referring to.

Yet, as I started above, these words are also necesary at times because they indicate that it's a foreign idea ... "due process of the law" which is in a sense available in Japanese culture but yet not really since it depends on the person's compassion towards you, while "due process" specifically refers to law providing protection.

So, we are left to using a mouse instead of a nezumi.

Cheers

[Olivia]

i think NEC is a monogram, since you only pick the initial letter of the three words, instead of acronym, which is composed by the initial syllables from the words forming the expression.

... maybe i'm saying things i don't know quite well, given that i'm not an expert on grammar... hihi!

[moyashi]

ohhhhh, I do believe you're right. Dang I've lived too long in Japan.

Monogram for me came up first as either Vuitton or Channel's brand line ....

I better start studying English pretty soon.

[Olivia]

i was looking for the word in the dictionary and maybe 'monogram' is not exactly the word i meant... what is the term for abbreviation such as UFO - unidentified flying object?
sorry for the confusion!

[moyashi]

don't worry, it's probably me

[Olivia]

i noticed that your posts have this footer - 'take pet rocks for walks' and i remembered of an episode from 'The Pink Panther', when the pink panther takes his pet (which is a rock!) for a walk! hmmm... am i way too wrong?
if so... what is a 'pet rock'? ishi no petto?

[moyashi]

I used to like the Pink Panther but my footer doesn't reffer to that ... at least not concisiously.

Pet Rocks were a fad in the States in the late 70's ^ early 80's.

Funny, I just realized that I hadn't changed that line for a while and was planning to change it after I finished going through all the new posts ... and lo and behold ... your post. freaky ... yet, my life is full of these subtle psudo syncroniscities.

[Olivia]

ahaha!
i told you in that other thread - me and deborah are some kind of angels (cyber angels! hahahahaha!) we predict things, we've got this gift, you know...
;)

[moyashi]

lolo