Katakana Analysis (final)

One interesting usage of カタカナ can be found in the branding of the Japanese clothing store chain Uniqlo. At first read, the reason for the use of カタカナ in Uniqlo's logo and name, ユニクロ, may appear to simply be the use of a loanword. ユニクロ seems to be a kind of combination of "unique" and "clothes". However, this reading does not adequately explain the entire depth of meaning behind the brand's choice to write in カタカナ. Uniqlo is a Japan- based, Western-style clothing store with a selection of mainly basic graphic tees and jeans. Thus, the use of カタカナ may be a reflection of the brand's desire to associate itself with more of a Western appeal. The trend in Japan toward the Western as the cool also cannot be overlooked. The use of カタカナ in the branding undoubtedly ups Uniqlo's cool factor, and thus its desirability and sales.

Another interesting use of カタカナ with complicated reasoning behind it is the title of one of サカナクション's songs. サカナクション is a band from Sapporo, Hokkaido whose music ranges from alternative rock to electronic to dance pop. Of course, the very title of the band is an interesting case of カタカナ usage. The band name is a combination of a Japanese word and an English word, sakana (fish) and action, and could have been written as a combination of kanji and romaji. However, the combination seems to merit the use of カタカナ. First, I have been told that people tend to use カタカナwhen coining new terms. Also, as the band name is neither wholly Japanese nor wholly English, but rather something in between, カタカナ is a perfect fit as a kind of in between cultures writing system.

But this is a digression. My main interest is in a song title off their most recent album: "モノクロトウキョー". Translated into English, this song is "Monochrome Tokyo". Here again, as seen in the very name of the band, is a combination of an English word and a Japanese word. However, whereas the Japanese word in the name of the band was　さかな written in カタカナ, the Japanese word in the title of this song is とうきょう. The writing of the name of the nation's capital in カタカナ can be read in many different ways. One of the more negative readings could be a kind of corruption of the symbol of Japan, taking it and making it foreign. However, I see this not as an insult to Japan, but rather as a reflection of the singer's personal state. The song is about wandering the streets of Tokyo and feeling as though walking in a strange land. The lyrics are laden with a sense of isolation and loneliness, as though the singer is disconnected from Tokyo. With this reading in mind, the writing of the Japanese capital in カタカナ effectively conveys the feeling that this city, so familiar and central to the nation, is somehow a foreign land to the singer.

Textbook Analysis: All four textbooks give the basic definition of katakana as a purely phonetic representation system used for loan words and onomatopoeia. Three out of the four textbooks devote about one line to the explanation of katakana, and this is probably because those three textbook excerpts are focused on not katakana alone, but all three writing systems. It makes sense that katakana is defined that way because those two usages, loan words and onomatopoeia, are the most common, and in an introduction to all three writing systems the textbooks want the most basic definition. The last excerpt goes into more detail about katakana, such as its history and other, less common usages, because it is devoted solely to explaining katakana. It is important to note that all four excerpts compare katakana to hiragana. This is probably so that the student has a better idea of how katakana is a unique writing system.