Japanese English: Weird English or Creative Japanese? How Understanding Language Can Change Your Perspective

Please note: This lecture will be held in person in room 555 Weiser Hall and virtually via Zoom. This webinar is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Once you've registered, the joining information will be sent to your email. Register for the Zoom webinar at: https://myumi.ch/egG5V

English-inspired vocabulary permeates the Japanese language. These words look and sound like English but are not used and often not understood by native English speakers. In this talk, we will explore why these words exist and what they can teach us about language, culture, worldview, and even ourselves.

Anne Crescini is an Associate Professor at the University of Kitakyushu in Fukuoka, Japan. Originally from Wytheville, Virginia, she has been living and working in Japan for 24 years. In addition to teaching and researching language, she has her own radio program, appears as a TV commentator, and has a regular column in a local newspaper. She has written 19 books and numerous academic papers and gives lectures all over Japan on various topics related to language and culture. She also reached her dream of being a TEDx speaker, appearing on the stage at TEDxFukuoka in 2018 and 2020.

This lecture is made possible with the generous support of the U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant.

If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at umcjs@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.