fletcher comments

Anybody notice this? This is AN EXACT QUOTE from a Paris judicial ruling. "An appeals court in Paris ruled that “Lockout” had “MASSIVELY borrowed key elements”

One would think that any judicial ruling could state the point more specifically, or that a translator could be bothered to come up with some better expression.

Not sure what your beef is here, 5SpeedRacer5. Totally acceptable use of the word "massively."

Sample definition: "large in scale, amount, or degree: a massive breakdown in communications; massive reductions in spending. 4. solid or substantial; great or imposing: massive erudition"

Note the bit where it says "large in degree."

On board is one word.

It's one word as a modifier according to the AP stylebook. But I think two words is the correct usage here.

But that's beside the point, of course. I'm sorry to hear about this tragedy. May those men rest in peace.

A "guru" is a spiritual teacher. It's a very specific term. It's like saying the pitcher in baseball is the quarterback.

Actually, the definition of "guru" is broader than that. Merriam-Webster, for example, also defines it as: "one who is an acknowledged leader or chief proponent; a person with knowledge or expertise: expert." I'd say those descriptions would apply to Miyazaki.

can anyone explain why English-speakers in Japan always seem to refer to their mobile phones as "keitais"? I can't think of any other everyday objects that we constantly talk about in Japanese.

I'm guessing it's because "keitai" is simply a more efficient expression than the somewhat clumsy "mobile phone."

We should make another list of "wasei-eigo" that has no real equivalent in English, such as "barrier-free"

"Barrier-free" is actually the accepted term in English.

wingeinJapan: The pressure on Japan was massive. Clearly you haven't been following U23 football.

No question about it, soccer is easily more popular in Japan than in the U.S.

Go to any public grade school and you will see loads of kids in Bayern jerseys and Barca jerseys -- heck, even Tottenham jerseys. In the States? Yeah, I didn't think so.

"either you choose success or 6-pack abs"

Really? First of all, health is a form of success. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that health trumps wealth any day.

Second, if we're defining "success" as material riches, I'd argue that people who have the motivation to work hard at their jobs carry that over to their health as well.

"Why "apparently"? that suggests the writer of the article thinks he's lying about his qualifications."

No, it suggests the writer could not confirm whether Mr. Lee is in fact a black belt.

"Er.... you don't get fired because the global economy has gone belly-up. You may get released, made redundant, let go or whatever your HR dept. decide to call it, but not fired. Who writes this stuff?"

"Fire" is in fact an acceptable usage here. It is a neutral term that means "to be dismissed from a position."

Dogs being forced to wear sunglasses is sad. I wish their eccentric schmuck owner would stop doing this year after year.