Japanese Viewer Sues Japanese TV Channel For Overuse Of English Words

A Japanese viewer is suing a Japanese TV channel called NHK, due to the 'mental distress' he says was caused by the channel using too many English words. His lawyer confirms that the basis for this is the concern that Japan is being Americanised. Modern Japanese vocabulary has many English words which have been changed to fit the Japanese word structure.

It is claimed that words such as 'risuku' (risk), 'toraburu' (trouble) and 'rajio' (radio) can be regulary heard on NHK's news and entertainment programmes. The claimant, who is a member of a campaign group that supports the Japanese language, hopes to protect the Japanese language and ultimately, the Japanese culture.

This is not the first time that traditionalists have tried to stop another language overwhelming their own native language. There are people in France and in the French-speaking parts of Canada who worry about the influx of English words into their language. The English language has various 'loanwords' from other languages such as 'kindergarten' and 'blitz' from the German language, 'cafe' and 'faux-pas' from the French language and 'bonsai' and 'origami' from the Japanese language.

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