Baseball English between Japan and the U.S.
Koji Yasui
A FIVE PAGE PAPER
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE OF
SEMINAR 1 (World Englishes)
Kumamoto Gakuen University Foreign Language Department
English Course
SUPERVISOR: Judy Yoneoka
Kumamoto Gakuen University
Oe 2-5-1 Kumamoto
Japan
(01/08/2003)
This paper consists of approx 1134 words.
Registration number 13100258
Baseball English between Japan and the U.S.( Yasui)
1. Introduction
Baseball was born in the U.S. and came to Japan about one hundred years ago,
it is natural that baseball consists of English words and ruleｓ because it was born in
an English speaking country. On the other hand, baseball has been popular in Japan
for a long time and a lot of Japanese has come into it. This paper will show you various
differences of baseball English between both countries.
The differences are divided into four sections. The first section compares
baseball words Japanese people made and correct words in the U.S. The second
section approaches baseball words from a grammatical view. The third section shows
borrowing words from other sports.
2 Baseball words coined in Japan
After baseball has come into Japan, Japanese people faced the word problems.
At that time, there is few English speaking people in Japan and they could not ask
anyone. So they made baseball words lending English. This section gives four typical
examples with explanation.
(1) Guts pause (JP) = He thrusts his first triumphantly. (U.S.)
Most Japanese people think this phrase is correct English, but Robert Whiting says
“Spoken Guts has means like that ‘Courage’ and ‘Spirit’ but the word originally
implies ‘the internal organs’ so American people does not use this word in formal
scene.” (1990,P.27)
(2) Avec homerun (JP) = Back-to-back homers (U.S.)
This is a very multinational phrase. Because it contains three languages. “Avec”,
which Japanese people sometime use as meaning “a couple” actually means “with” in
French. Homerun is used both in the U.S. and Japan.
(3) Dead ball (JP) = Hit by the pitch (U.S.)
Baseball English between Japan and the U.S.( Yasui)
Dead ball expresses the action that a ballplayer hit by a pitch falls down on the field
well, but he has not died.
(4) Basta (JP) = Busted play (U.S.) Busted play means the play that a batter hit a
pitch pretending that he would bunt.
This word has a problem. Whiting (1990, P.26) says “Basta is heard as ‘bastard’
which means ‘bad man’ so when a TV announcer shouted the word, I thought he had
insulted someone on TV.” (1990,P.26-27) There is a hypothesis where this word came
from. The hypothesis is that a Japanese baseball fan misunderstood seeing an
American baseball fan shouting ‘bustard’ when the rival team did a busted play.
Other examples of baseball words coined in Japan are as follows:
Nighter (JP) = Night game (U.S.) This word is made from Japanese journalists. This is
a perfect English word coined in Japan.
Home in (JP) = Getting home (U.S.) In English, ‘home in’ means a conducting of
missile
Over throw (JP) = Overhand throw (U.S.) Wild pitch is right. These words seems
almost same to Japanese people but meanings are very different in the U.S.
Speed ball (JP) = Fast ball (U.S.) This expression is often heard in Japan, but this word
expresses a kind of drug in the U.S. so Japanese people should watch out in using this
word.
Catch ball (JP) = Play catch (U.S.) In English, this word signifies a command.
Back net (JP) = Back stop, or netting (U.S.) The man who made this word combined
the two English words.
Grip end (JP) = Knob (U.S.) Since the parts of bat looks likes a knob of the door.
Camp (JP) = Spring training (U.S.) They do not go to the location for training, not for
camp.
Lucky boy (JP) = He is hot tonight (U.S)
Baseball English between Japan and the U.S.( Yasui)
Next batter’s circle (JP) = On-deck circle (U.S.)
These words are only a part of all the baseball words coined in Japan. Most
Japanese baseball fans still think these words are correct today.
3 Grammar mistakes
This paragraph will show you some phrases which are grammatically different
from the original English but Japanese people use them in general. Phrases are divided
into two types.
(1) Word order reversed
Pass ball (JP) = Passed ball (U.S). “Pass ball” is an imperative phrase.
Left over (JP) = Over the left field (U.S.). Preposition should be front.
Season off (JP) = Off season (U.S.). Adjective should be in front of noun.
Base cover (JP) = Cover base (U.S.). Object should be behind of verb.
Order mistake sometimes leads big meaning difference. Japanese people
should be careful
(2) Grammatical morphemes are missing
Pitcher mound (JP) = Pitcher’s mound (U.S.) Difference is very small but it is wrong in
the U.S.
Relief (JP) = Reliever (U.S.). Relief pitcher or reliever is right.
One hand catch (JP) = One handed catch (U.S.). Japanese does not have past
participle so this mistake is hard to find.
These differences are very small and it is hard to distinguish for Japanese
people but the small differences have each means.
Baseball English between Japan and the U.S.( Yasui)
4 Borrowing words from other sports
This section shows cases where baseball English in Japan is borrowed from
other sports that came into Japan earlier than baseball.
Knock out (JP) = Pitching change (U.S.)
The word is lent from boxing words. In the U.S. this word is not seen in baseball game
Game set (JP) = Game is over. (U.S.)
Game set is used only for the tennis game in MLB. In Japan, tennis has come earlier
than baseball so it was lent to baseball.
Open game (JP) = Exhibition game (U.S.)
This is same case of the last word. It came from tennis game’s ‘opening game’
These mistakes are deeply related with the historical relationship between the
introduction of various foreign sports into Japan
5. Conclusion
This paper shows many differences in baseball English between both
countries but this is a small part of it all. This paper does not say all English words
coined in Japan are wrong. In those words, there are some words that can be
understood by American people and used to speak in the U.S. Today, many Japanese
baseball players play active parts in major league baseball, so many Japanese baseball
fans are going to the U.S. to see major league baseball. If you think all baseball English
in Japan is right in the U.S., please watch out. The Japanese English is not only no
used but can also lead to misunderstanding.
Ｂｉｂｌｉｏｇｒａｐｈｙ
Baseball dictionary. Available
Baseball English between Japan and the U.S.( Yasui)
at;http://www.geocities.co.jp/Heartland-Sumire/8209/yakyuyougo.html (07/01/2002)
English words coined in Japan vs. MLB words.
http://www.baseball.com/waseieigo/wasei.html (11/18/2002)
Available
at
Palm Baseball. Available at; http://homepage1.nifty.com/fdh/palm/index.html
(07/01/2002)
Whiting, Robert (1990) Nitibei Yakyu Masatu (The baseball friction between Japan and
U.S. in Japanese ). Tokyo : Asahi shoten
Baseball English between Japan and the U.S.( Yasui)