'Only One' in Japanese? Many cases of thoughtless use of words made by Japan

Former National Assembly Library Investigator So Junseop Publishes <Strange English Dictionary> Criticizing 'Japanese-style English'
Calls for Media and Politicians to Reflect on Overuse of Japanese-style English Like 'One-point' Talks

So Junseop, Ph.D. in International Relations, former investigator at the National Assembly Library.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Yunjin Kim] Dr. So Joonseop, who earned his master's and doctoral degrees at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and served as an associate professor at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, worked for a long time as a China specialist investigator at the National Assembly Library. Since his days as a student at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, he was involved in student activism and wrote the pamphlet "Prospects of Student Movements," which greatly influenced the student movements of the 1980s. Through the , which can be considered the original source material for Hwang Sok-yong’s , he was the first to document the realities of the Gwangju Democratization Movement.

Dr. So, who has been regarded as a "China expert" after publishing several China-related books such as , , and , has a reason for releasing his latest book (Sidaeui Chang). He believes that English expressions whose original meanings have been erased by Japan’s arbitrary interpretations have penetrated our daily language environment today and exert significant influence. He has consistently raised his voice against the overuse of so-called Japanese-style "Wasei-eigo" (和製英語). In this book, Dr. So thoroughly examines the "strange Japanese-style English" embedded in Korean language across various fields, from everyday life to media, politics, and academia.

For example, the expression "one point" frequently used in politics, such as in "one-point talks," is Japanese-style English. In the media, "one point" is commonly understood to mean "a temporary single meeting held urgently to resolve an important agenda," but this expression does not exist in actual English. "Only one" first appeared in Japanese popular song lyrics and is used colloquially to mean a unique existence. However, the word itself in English simply means "the only one" and does not inherently imply "special."

Dr. So points out that the media and broadcasting’s uncritical adoption of Wasei-eigo expressions without reviewing their meanings is a major cause of the spread of "strange English" that does not work in English-speaking countries. Since language is a social contract and the basis of communication among members of society, he argues that the problems of Japanese-style English must be highlighted and incorrect language use corrected.

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