Peter Constantine

This book puts the lie to po-faced assertions that "Japanese doesn't have swear words;" some of the terms and phrases used here would make any self-respecting American longshoreman blush. (If you're a male visiting Japan and someone calls you "Mistah Pahkah," don't be flattered...) The chapters are organized by segments of society and, inevitably, generative organs; the book is chock-a-block with fascinating information, such as the fact that the argot of the sushi sellers is so dense that most Japanese themselves don't understand it, or that a "popular Japanese linguist," Kawasaki Shinchi, claimed in his book Nihongo wa Doko Kara Kita ka? ("Where Does Japanese Come From?"), that Japan "was colonized by [ancient] Egyptian adventurers," and that two of the most "prominent words nationwide for the female organ...are of ancient Egyptian provenance" (p. 111). While Japanese Slang: Uncensored is always informative and frequently hilarious, the book's utility is undermined by the lack of an index or bibliography; although there is a 39-paged thesaurus at the back for quick reference to various naughty or shady words: use with caution.… (mehr)