By Any Other Name

I've written before about the hybrid tongue that rules this country, but didn't give any concrete examples. English is a pirate language that steals lots of terms, so it's only fair that Japanese has turned around and begun doing the same.

This sign with smart calligraphy illustrates an example I learned as a second
-year student. In America, such a plaque would be reserved for, say, an old governor's residence. It's reasonable to expect that the use of this term is equivalent, right?


Wrong. When you look a little higher up, it becomes clear that "mansion" means something very different here. Specifically, it refers to an apartment building with a single, secure entrance and slightly ritzier facilities. Perhaps that's as upscale as most families can get in this tightly packed country.