好きな・嫌いな・微妙な和製英語 (wasei eigo)

[nekojita]

So what's your favourite/least favourite/most confusing 和製英語 term?

Lately, I've been seeing 「スタンドプレイ」around a lot - which initially threw me for a loop, even though normally I'm quite fond of katakana.

English speakers might be able to guess the meaning if I tell you it originates in a sporting term and has been shortened from the front rather than from the back, although I first found it in a completely sporting-unrelated context and couldn't guess it at all. (どんなプレイでしょうか ← 初めて見た私www)

I quite like バイキング (for 食べ放題/buffet). The fact that the phrase ケーキバイキング exists makes me happy (don't google image that on an empty stomach).

 

[Wardie1993]

if you're referring to japanese words/names etc of english origin then my last name in japanese has to be my least favourite! It's "Ward" (ウォード) it comes out like "U~ōdo" in romaji, typing that romaji into Japanese to English translation in the standard translator i use (Google translate) wont even translate it back to "Ward"! It keeps asking me if I mean "U~audio".

 

[nekojita]

For it to be true 和製英語 I think it has to be a case where it's not just a direct transliteration. For example カンニング (from English cunning, means "cheating"). サラリーマン is the classic, since reborrowed into English.

Names can be a pain. At least you can describe yours as ウォークマンのウォー . Translator software probably won't get it if you write "Uo" because of the small ォ. I think in Hepburn ウォ is wo (but then you'll have potential confusion with を).

 

[Wardie1993]

ok thanks

 

[Toritoribe]

The tricky ones for English speakers, I think, would be something like サイダー "soda pop (not cider)", ストーブ "kerosene heater (not kitchen stove)" or コンセント "electrical outlet". These Japanese words have different meaning from the original English words.