"Bikkuri English" Expedition 2003 - Winners
On May 24, 2004 the English Speaking Union of Japan and eigoTown.com announced
the winners of their annual "Surprising English" Awards. The
awards, in their first year, are designed to spotlight English used in Japan
that is amusing, unnecessary, embarrassing, exceptionally creative or just
downright wrong.
Masamichi Hanabusa, the Chairman of the English-Speaking Union of Japan
commented: "The Awards are intended to cover various types of English, from
those that make foreigners laugh out loud to those where older Japanese
people are made angry by the utter absurdity of forced pseudo-English -
words which don't make any sense at all."
Russell Willis, CEO of eigoTown.com Limited noted: "This is the first year of
the competition and we've had a good response. We hope that the Awards help
to shed light on the good, the bad and the downright ridiculous usage of
English here, and that as a result, English usage in Japan is improved."
The Award winners were as follows:
1) Hilariously Funny Award
"When a visitor has injustice, I will notify the police irrespective of
quantity."
Willis noted: "This gem came from a department store in Kamiouka, Kanagawa
prefecture. Either someone went to a lot of trouble with their dictionary
for this, or it's another sign of machine translation let loose..."
2) You Should Know Better Award
"Our city is fruity."
Hanabusa noted "This was found on paper fans distributed at the Hanagasa
festival in Yamagata prefecture in 1998. With so many native English
speakers in Japan it is hard to understand why involved in municipal
promotions should print something with such connotations."
3) Nonsense Award
"High Touch Town Roppongi"
Willis noted; "The reason for this slogan for Roppongi, Tokyo has been
debated endlessly by the foreign community in Japan. The sign still adorns
signs in Roppongi and can be clearly seen attached to the overpass a
Roppongi Crossing."
4) Stop It! Award
"Ambitious Japan"
Hanabusa noted "This year's Stop It! Award went to Japan Railways for their
slogan on the side of the super express Shinkansen 'Nozomi' trains and on
their television commercials. "Discover Japan" which JR used when it was a
national railway company was excellent, but this slogan is meaningless and
unnecessary. Examples like this should be avoided!"
5) Brilliant English Award
"Walkman"
Willis noted: "English has accepted words from around the world over many
years, and whilst many of the examples above would never been accepted,
"Walkman" has made it into the dictionary. Sony should be congratulated on
creating such a creative brand and word that has been accepted the world
over."
6) For Japanese Only! Award
"Twilight on Movement"
Hanabusa noted: "Sometimes we really wish that the forced coining of English
words and phrases would not take place and that, instead, the appropriate
Japanese word would be used. Many shops signs today have no Japanese at all,
which can be very confusing for older Japanese people. Now we have campaigns
which use a form of English that native English speakers don't understand
and neither do all Japanese. The campaign to encourage drivers to turn on
their headlights before it gets dark, "Twilight on Movement" has to win this
year's award -- the Japanese should have been used instead."
According to Willis, Award winners will be notified where appropriate, and
he encourages both Japanese and non-Japanese to submit entries for this
year's awards by visiting the 2004 "Bikkuri English" Web site:
http://www.eltnews.com/bikkuri/ (English) |
http://www.eigoTown.com/bikkuri/ (Japanese)
The Awards were decided upon by a judging committee which consisted of the
following members:
- Yasushi Akashi - President of the Japan Center for Conflict Prevention
- Masaru Ikei - Professor Emeritus of Keio University
- Hisashi Inoue - President of the Japanese Centre of International P.E.N.
- S. Gomersall - The British Ambassador to Japan
- Kenichi Takemura - Critic
- Peter Barakan - Broadcaster and Music Critic
- Toshiko Marks - Writerand Professor of Shumei University
- Masumi Muramatsu - Representative of NPO MM Cross-Cultural Forum
About the English-Speaking Union of Japan (ESUJ)
The ESUJ was established in 1998 with the aim of promoting mutual
understanding and friendship among people of various countries through the
use of English as an international language. It is an independent,
non-profit organization run by volunteers. The ESUJ also hope to discourage
the unnecessary use of English.
http://www.esuj.gr.jp
Enter the 2005 contest now!
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