Katakana Analysis

Katakana Analysis

Katakana is one of the three kinds of characters in Japanese: hiragana ひらがな, katakana カタカナ and kanji 漢字. All three types of characters can be used together in the same sentence without any concrete grammar rules. However, there is a convention in written Japanese regarding how to use each specific type of characters. In this blog, we will talk only about katakana.

There is a consensus in many Japanese language textbooks that katakana will be used for representing sound (onomatopoeia), loanwords and foreign names (which are three majors uses of katakana). 

Start off with foreign names.Foreign names can come from any origin except the ones already existed in Japanese. 
For example,
My name: Chatarin Wangsanuwat (Thai origin)　    チャタリン (cha-ta-ri-n)　ワンサヌワット (wan-sa-nu-wat-to)                  
                  Smith (English origin)                                    スミス (su-mi-su)
Japanese origin names are written in kanji               上田    (u-e-da)

The next one is loanwords.Words that are from any other origins except Japanese's.For example, pizza     ピザ (pi-za)

- ブラザーフッズミーティング, Brotherhood meeting, sign 

The last one is to represent sound. 

- ズム、Boom, Manga "Vinland Saga"

Nevertheless, there are some katakanas presented not according to this convention.
For example, 

- ゴミをすてないで！、　Don't trash, Street sign

From here, you might notice that the word ゴミ (go-mi) is not quite familiar to the English speakers as any of English words. According to aforementioned convention, go-mi or "trash" should be written in hiragana ごみ (also go-mi) . [Note トリーさん pointed out in the draft's comment that go-mi is usually written in katakana. Thank you for the information!] 

- イカの炙り焼き　(Ika no Aburiyaki), Grilled Squid, Japanese menu

From this Japanese menu, イカの炙り焼き　(Ika no Aburiyaki). I-ka is written in katakana meaning Squid, instead of in kanji 烏賊 (also i-ka). Notice that in this same menu, saba, Mackerel fish, is written in katakana as サバ　instead of hiragana さば　as well. 

- ニッポン、　Japan, Street/advertisement sign

For the last example, towards the bottom of the sign, though there are some kanjis and hiraganas presented, ni-hon (meaning "Japan") is written in katakana ニッポン instead of the more common kanji　日本　（ni-hon or nip-pon）[Note N.K. Suzukisan also pointed out that both pronunciations are correct and widely used. Thank you for the information!].

From these examples, one assumption can be made. The writer decide to use some katakanas not following the convention in order to emphasize the words. In English, apart from bold, italics and underline, we can use capital letter to emphasize the word, indicating emotion attaches to the words (such as shouting)

For example,Please don't leave the trash on the floor, THANKS! (This "THANKS!" indicates writer shouting)The party was NOT fun AT ALL. (The writer emphasize the word "NOT" and "AT ALL").

However, we cannot use capital for Japanese characters.Consider this sentence,私は　昨日　日本のレストランで　とんかつと　チャーハンを　食べました。 There are all three types of Japanese characters in the sentence. The usage of each follows the convention.Therefore, if the writer use katakana instead of kanji or hiragana aka not following the convention, he can emphasize that word.From example above,  ゴミをすてないで！ The writer emphasize the word "trash" (ゴミ)　by using katakana. 

Therefore, there is flexibility within the characters used. Exposing to Japanese reading and writing will definitely help you understand more and become more comfortable using types of characters not following the convention.