Katakana Analysis Final

マツモトキヨシ　＝　“マツキヨ”

Matsumoto Kiyoshi Ltd., Co.

Largest ­Drug chain store in Japan

Founder: 松本清（まつもときよし）

·         Name after its founder

Effects katakana has:

·         Brings image of “modern” because Katakana is often used for cultural adaptation of characters which is because Katakana could reflect their modern images well (reflect changes with its usage and meaning) and because it is developed later and is used to describe foreign language

o   Drug store sells modern consumer goods

·         Transfer a name of an individual to a name of brand

o   Famous brands are in Katakana since most of them are from foreign country

o   People easily recognize it as a name of brand when the name is written in Katakana

o   By getting rid of the original Kanji of the founder’s name, the name became closer to everyone, not only as a different person

·         Cool

o   Katakana is just somehow “cooler” to young people.

o   Because Katakana is used to translate foreign language to Japanese

o   Fashionable

·         Easy for graphic design

o   It is easier to make a good looking trademark with Katakana since it is not as complex as Kanji; it has more straight lines and edges compared to Hiragana which has more rounded corners.

·         More focused on the sound

o   Katakana is more about the sound, Hiragana and Kanji are more about the meaning

o   Sound part is more important to a brand name

Why not Hiragana:

·         Looks childish or old

o   Hiragana is the first thing that children learn

o   Has an image of lack of knowledge or seriousness

o   Only some stores which have long history(over hundred years) and want to use it as their appeal point, would use Hiragana for their brand name

Why not Kanji

·         Too formal

o   Make an distance between the brand and customer

o   Drug store sells handy items, so Kanji doesn’t fit

·         Reminds people of the individual

o   Reminds people of the founder himself. In this case, not necessary

Conclusion:

Katagana is better than Hiragana and Kanji in this case, since it is modern, looks good and more easily accepted by young people.

ドキドキ

Doki-doki

Onomatopoeia　(a word for describing sound)

The sound of heart beating

Also, ドキドキする

As a verb, means heart is beating (because of being nervous or in love)

Why Katakana:

·         Describe sound rather than meaning.

·         Make people picture the image rather than understanding because Katakana could multiply dramatic moment by repetition of simpler form than Hiragana and Kanji. The usage of Katakana "sound" result in more powerful than Hiragana because Katakana has edgeness, which means the character is sharper than Hiragana. Also Katakana is more lively than Kanji because Kanji is more formal than Katakana as foreign language learner's perspective.  

      Why each textbook is different in explaining Katakana and why the textbooks explained Katakana in the manners that they did: 

      The explanations are different in each textbook. The main reasons can be what everyone has different point of view.  

      Katakana is used to express loan words. But the language is changed and even created everyday with changing world, so the reflection of Katakana can be changed and created everyday. So the explanation cannot be restricted. 

      Katakana is used to express onomatopoeia. I feel that Katakana is cooler (easily accepted or noticeable), powerful, or lively. However, expression of language is very subjective so everyone has different feeling of the language. Hence, the explanation could be different. 

      Katakana is also used to emphasize words. My Japanese friend said, "Katakana is the most simple character among Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji." I asked him why is that? But he cannot easily explain. Katakana is the most simple one is so ideal to emphasize words. However, the explanation cannot be simple as my Japanese friend cannot answer. That's why each textbook could explain in different ways.