One question posed in a recent survey asked whether people truly understood the original meanings of certain words. For example, the phrase *tsukanu koto* actually means something unrelated to the previous conversation, though many respondents were unsure of its true definition.
Language has always evolved, and the rise and fall of words reflects the times. Expressions such as *kogal*, which became popular among high school girls in the late 1990s, or *MD*, referring to Sony’s MiniDisc released in 1992, have already disappeared from many dictionaries. Even *Famicom*, Nintendo’s 1983 home console, was among the 1,000 words removed from Sanseido’s *Dictionary of Words That Disappeared*, published in 2023.
At the same time, new expressions continue to emerge with every generation. In the latest survey, more than 70 percent of respondents said new words had increased with the spread of social networking services (SNS). Teenagers gave examples such as *shabai*, used to describe someone being unavailable or a situation being uncool, and *aa-ne*, a shortened way of saying *naruhodo ne* (I see).
However, the survey also tested whether people understood the original meanings of long-established words. One such example was *yakubusoku*. While it is often used to mean “lacking ability,” its original definition is that a role is too small for someone’s abilities. Only 45.1 percent of respondents answered this correctly.
Another word was *niyakeru*. Many respondents in their fifties described it as smiling happily or sheepishly, but its original meaning is “to be effeminate or weak.” Respondents were surprised by this, though some recalled being told not to *niyakeru* when scolded at school.
Similarly, *shiodoki* is now widely taken to mean the end of something or the time to give up, with nearly half of respondents using it this way. However, the original meaning is the right or favorable time. One respondent in their twenties admitted, “I didn’t really know Japanese. I got it wrong.”
These findings illustrate how language both adapts over time and drifts from its original meanings. Understanding this evolution helps us appreciate the richness and complexity of language in daily life.
https://newsonjapan.com/article/147037.php