"Denwa"

[Aurura]

I was reading about English language in Japan just now, and had a small question:

Since the telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in America, and was first called (something like) the "phonograph", later to be called a "telephone", how did it later end up being called "denwa" in Japan?

I ask this not knowing if "denwa" is actually a more basic description of the device's function instead of a new "nickname" for it altogether.

Any thoughts on this? ☝

- Aurura

 

[nice gaijin]

denwa is written 電話 in Japanese. The characters are "electricity" and "talk/conversation." Incidentally, the word for cellphone is 携帯, keitai. It literally means something you carry in your hand.

Like some other modern concepts, this is one of the few words that originated in Japan and were adopted into the Chinese language.

 

[Aurura]

Nice Gaijin san, arigatou gozaimashita! Ima, wakarimashita. Omoshiroii desu... This helps a little to explain the names/concepts some other Japanese words I've been curious about. Thanks again!

- Aurura