Invisible Anglicisms in Japanese

Exploring English Loan Translations Using the GLAD Database

Abstract

This paper explores loan translations from English into Japanese—an area often overlooked due to the prevalence of direct lexical borrowing from English—by utilizing over 8,000 loan translation entries from the GLAD Database. A total of 664 loan translations were identified through a thorough investigation. At the same time, the analysis revealed that many English lexical items were borrowed directly, reflecting the Japanese language’s strong inclination toward direct borrowing. An examination of the lexical patterns of loan translations reveals a heavy reliance on Sino-Japanese words, suggesting a continuation of translation conventions established during the late 19th century, when Western concepts were rapidly adopted during Japan’s modernization. Structurally, the analysis demonstrates the predominance of the N + N pattern; however, it also identifies formations that incorporate native morphemes, which may indicate a shift in trends in the creation of loan translations.