Love, ai, sarang : a comparison of English loanwords across Japanese and Korean popular music

Abstract

The study seeks to identify types of English loanwords used and investigate patterns and role of its use in the Japanese language through the analysis of Japanese popular music. 498 Japanese songs from 2005 to 2014 and 50 Korean songs from 2010 to 2014 were analyzed, using Antconc, to examine the use of English loanwords in these languages. The study considers the history of language borrowing in Japan, as well as the status and use of English in Japan. The study identified types of loanwords used in each word class, and trends in the use of orthographic scripts and functions of English loanwords in Japanese popular music. Trends identified include the ease of borrowing of emotive loanwords in the Japanese language, evident from the types of loanwords most frequently used, and the use of English loanwords for expressions of pleasant imagery as opposed to the use of English loanwords as expressions of self and creativity in Korean popular music. The study proposes that the analysis illustrates the use and role of English in Japanese lyrics and foreign language learning methods could be improved upon in addition to proffering new insight into the study of English in Asian popular music.