Online debate over new otaku dictionary

Nick's ESL News Lessons

A printable worksheet for news-based English conversation classes.

Date: 2023/11/27

Difficulty: Intermediate B1

PDF: Online debate over new otaku dictionary
YouTube: Online debate over new otaku dictionary

Vocabulary Match

published -   - honor
sparked -   - correctness
criticized -   - understanding
accuracy -   - started
tribute -   - blamed
insight -   - released

Article

On October 23, Sanseido published an "Otaku Dictionary Daigenkai" online, created by Nagoya College students and Japanese literature expert Yoshiko Koide. This dictionary about "otaku" (nerd) culture quickly sparked debate on the internet.

Some web users criticized it for lacking accuracy, arguing it shouldn't be called a "dictionary." The book included terms from the students' lives, like "dōtankyohi," about not sharing a favorite idol, and "meta yomi," guessing a story's plot. Koide, a self-described "light otaku," discovered new aspects of otaku culture through this project.

Initially, the dictionary was self-published at a college festival. Later, Sanseido officially published it. However, the internet had mixed feelings about how it explained certain words. Koide values the dictionary as a tribute to her students' efforts and an insight into young people's language.

Quiz

  1. Who created the Otaku Dictionary?
  2. What is the term "dōtankyohi" about?
  3. Where was the dictionary initially published?
  4. What is Yoshiko Koide's opinion about the dictionary?

Conversation

A: Seen the Otaku Dictionary? 'Kami' is in it!
B: 'Kami'? Like, calling someone a 'god' for being awesome?
A: Exactly! It's cool how old words get new life.
B: So, my grandma is 'kami' at knitting?
A: And 'tate' too, like winning three times in sports.
B: Or losing. Our team lost for the third time in a row!

Discussion

  1. Would you like to buy the Otaku Dictionary?
  2. How do you usually look up the meaning of new words?
  3. Do you know any English slang words?
  4. Do you enjoy anything from otaku culture?

Vocabulary Answers

published → released
sparked → started
criticized → blamed
accuracy → correctness
tribute → honor
insight → understanding

Quiz Answers (examples)

  1. The Otaku Dictionary was created by Nagoya College students and Yoshiko Koide.
  2. The term "dōtankyohi" is about not sharing a favorite idol.
  3. The dictionary was initially published at a college festival.
  4. Yoshiko Koide values the dictionary as a tribute to her students' efforts and an insight into young people's language.

Source Material

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2023/11/27/language/creating-otaku-dictionary-japanese-lexicon/

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