The English language has been greatly enriched by borrowings from the languages of Asia. Barely scratching the surface, we have from Japan skosh, tycoon, tsunami, origami, yen, kimono, futon, and karaoke. From Chinese comes yen, kowtow, gung ho, and...
Leo, a scientIst in Tucson, Arizona, used to live in Japan, where he often heard Japanese speakers using English that wasn’t quite correct. For example, one Japanese friend described someone “full of worry” as scareful. Another...
Eric in Plano, Texas, asks about skosh, his father’s word for a small amount, as in just a skosh more tea. The word comes from Japanese sukoshi, meaning small or little. English speakers often heard the first vowel as nearly silent and shortened...
