By David Yamaguchi
The North American Post
In the “Shin-Issei Journal” cartoon of May 26, artist Arisa Nakamura used the Japanese word, “Haikara” as an example of an antiquated Meiji Period (1868 – 1912) term that she has heard in her life here as a recent Japanese immigrant.
Where does haikara come from? Kenkyusha’s dictionary prints it in katakana, identifying it as a foreign loan-word. My guess is that it comes from the English words “high collar,” referring to the highest fashion of the Issei era.
A second old Jinglish word that proofreader Geradline Shu remembers her mother using is “haiton.”
Not listed in Kenkyusha’s, we believe it originates from the English, “high tone.”
Other nearly forgotten Japanese words of the era include katsudo-shashin, suieijou, Shasshi and Rafu (moving pictures, swimming pool, Seattle and Los Angeles). Rafu remains in daily use in the U.S. as the title of that community’s still-in-print Japanese-community newspaper, the “Rafu Shimpo” (Los Angeles New Report).
Another Meiji term that I was surprised to see appear on the Japan Fair menu is “Ramune” (napost.com, June 23). I remember occasionally seeing it in our family store as a child.
Shall we have a Ramune after going to the suiejou?
