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Originally Posted by hyl
Sombrero might be a originally based off a spanish word but the hat that we are talking about originates from Mexico. So it doesn't matter if it's just any hat in Spain, the hat that we associate with somebrero is based off the version from Mexico.
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I'm sure in Mexico it also simply means "hat". Mexicans wear more types of hats then what we consider "sombreros". I'm not an authority on Mexico, but I'm sure they call all hats sombreros. They speak spanish there too you know
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Baguette simply means stick. The bread is called like that because of it's shape, so it's just a name and i would not call it a different meaning. It's the same for croissant though, because that bread has also it's name originated from it's shape.
The dessert mousse is simply a name based of the original french word because of it's shape and texture.
Those food examples are in my opinion just names rather than words that are misused from their original meaning.
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Same logic can apply to shonen. Shonen in Japanese means "boy". It also means a type of Manga (meant for "boys"). Now the english community isn't about to coopt the original meaning (much like we didn't for baguette or mousse), but we will coopt it for that culturally specific meaning.
In english, there's no point in using shonen in it's original meaning, because we already have a word for that (boy). We don't have a word for the specific japanese genre, however.
In fact, the word "anime itself" is just such an example. In Japan, Anime applies to
all animation, Japanese or otherwise (EG
The Little Mermaid is considered Anime, by the Japanese). In English, the word has taken on a more specific meaning, it's not used to refer to animation in general, but only to Japanese animation
in particular. In fact, in Japan, when they want to refer to Japanese animation, they often use words like "Japanimation"
I'm not coming down on either side of this terminology debate, but that the Japanese use the word one way is not particularly relevant, because most if not all loan words end out being used in a manner very different from the original language.
If you flip it around, the Japanese often use English words in circumstances that would not be correct in English. For instance a lot
of these.
Examples: Daburu, a type of jacket, from english Double (a double breasted jacket). The etymology makes sense, but in English we mean multiply by 2. Very confusing.
Fashonherruse (fashion health), a type of brothel.
Furonto (Front): Reception Desk (IE "front desk")
Jusu (juice): Soda or Energy Drinks (regardless of if it contains any actual juice)
Manshon (Mansion): A modern concrete apartment/condo , NOT a very very large house.
Rodosho (roadshow): Premiere, particularly of Films.
Vaikingu (Viking): A Buffet.
Compared to some of those, appropriating Shonen to use as a word for a genre of manga/anime is quite mild.