Emirhan bought me some craft glue the other day, and I was intrigued by the design on the package. Specifically I inquired what the sumo wrestler was about. Emirhan shrugged and said it was probably about the Japanese thing. Er, what Japanese thing? Well, it turns out that in Turkey, most household-type glue is referred to as “Japanese glue.” I have no idea why, and Emirhan said he didn’t know either, only that it was commonly held that Japanese glue was higher in quality than glue from other places. I’d never heard this before. We certainly don’t call it “Japanese glue” in the United States. Is anyone else familiar with this term outside of Turkey?
It reminded me of the time, soon after I moved to the UK, when I discovered that the Brits refer to “the wave” (that rippling stand-up-and-raise-your-arms thing people do in stadiums) as “the Mexican wave.” This made me laugh heartily— what on earth could the wave possibly have to do with Mexico? As with the Japanese glue, no one could tell me the origin of the term, and it’s still a mystery. I’m still referring to these things as “glue” and “the wave” respectively, like a normal person.
Dear Melissa,
The story is something like my article about “American salad” at http://istanbulian.blogspot.com/2007/05/cold-war-in-kitchen-after-french.html
So it means it’s called “Japanese” only in Turkey. But this time, the reason is not ideological. It is said that these kind of strong glues was being selled in Japanese Bazaar in 1970s Istanbul.
By the way… I guess it’s called Shunkan Secchakuzai in Japanese…
Dear Melissa,
The story is something like my article about “American salad” at http://istanbulian.blogspot.com/2007/05/cold-war-in-kitchen-after-french.html
So it means it’s called “Japanese” only in Turkey. But this time, the reason is not ideological. It is said that these kind of strong glues was being selled in Japanese Bazaar in 1970s Istanbul.
By the way… I guess it’s called Shunkan Secchakuzai in Japanese…
Dear Melissa
what is your definition of ‘normal’?
There are many people who refer vacuum cleaners as hoover.
Dear Melissa
what is your definition of ‘normal’?
There are many people who refer vacuum cleaners as hoover.
Emre: I’m not sure that it’s only in Turkey, but Turkey’s the only place I’ve heard it.
Incidentally, where is that Japanese Bazaar? I’d be very interested in seeing that.
Emre: I’m not sure that it’s only in Turkey, but Turkey’s the only place I’ve heard it.
Incidentally, where is that Japanese Bazaar? I’d be very interested in seeing that.
Great post, Melissa! But did you also know that Super Glue is NOT from Superman’s home planet of Krypton! ;^)
Great post, Melissa! But did you also know that Super Glue is NOT from Superman’s home planet of Krypton! ;^)
@Gulay: but my point is that while you can see why vacuum cleaners might be called hoover (because Hoover is a brand of vacuum cleaner and the connection is obvious), I don’t see any connection whatsoever between Japan and glue or Mexico and the wave. You see what I mean?
Using a brand name to describe an entire category of items (hoover, xerox, kleenex, q-tip) is quite common and easily traceable, so that’s a completely different thing. I’m talking about slapping a nationality on an object that as far as I can tell has no special relationship to that country or its people. It’s like if we suddenly started calling macaroni with cheese “Bolivian macaroni” for no reason at all.
@Gulay: but my point is that while you can see why vacuum cleaners might be called hoover (because Hoover is a brand of vacuum cleaner and the connection is obvious), I don’t see any connection whatsoever between Japan and glue or Mexico and the wave. You see what I mean?
Using a brand name to describe an entire category of items (hoover, xerox, kleenex, q-tip) is quite common and easily traceable, so that’s a completely different thing. I’m talking about slapping a nationality on an object that as far as I can tell has no special relationship to that country or its people. It’s like if we suddenly started calling macaroni with cheese “Bolivian macaroni” for no reason at all.
They call it Mexico wave because it is first done in Mexico FIFA World Cup on 1986.
They call it Mexico wave because it is first done in Mexico FIFA World Cup on 1986.
Sorry, now I saw that I had typed Istanbul. Actually Japanese Bazaar is at an Ankara district called Sihhiye.
20 years ago, it was interesting because it was one of the few places that you can buy any kind of import products. Nowadays I don’t think that you might find it interesting. I’m not even sure if it still exists as I haven’t been there for years.
Sorry, now I saw that I had typed Istanbul. Actually Japanese Bazaar is at an Ankara district called Sihhiye.
20 years ago, it was interesting because it was one of the few places that you can buy any kind of import products. Nowadays I don’t think that you might find it interesting. I’m not even sure if it still exists as I haven’t been there for years.
OK, I know what you mean. Perhaps at some point someone imported glue from Japan and they turned out to be good so the name stuck with people.
OK, I know what you mean. Perhaps at some point someone imported glue from Japan and they turned out to be good so the name stuck with people.
They call it the Mexican wave in Australia too.
Americans also call items by their brand name rather than the items actual proper name.
Photocopiers are called ‘Xerox’.
Tissues are called ‘Kleenex’.
When you can get the public to call items by their brand name, marketing companies have achieved their desired end for the producers of these items.
They call it the Mexican wave in Australia too.
Americans also call items by their brand name rather than the items actual proper name.
Photocopiers are called ‘Xerox’.
Tissues are called ‘Kleenex’.
When you can get the public to call items by their brand name, marketing companies have achieved their desired end for the producers of these items.
@Sadettin: Ah, at last a real answer from someone who knows! Thanks for that. 😀
@Sadettin: Ah, at last a real answer from someone who knows! Thanks for that. 😀
@Emre: Ah, I see. That explains Emirhan’s confusion when I told him I wanted to see the Japanese bazaar in Istanbul. I’ll have to ask around next time I’m in Ankara.
@Emre: Ah, I see. That explains Emirhan’s confusion when I told him I wanted to see the Japanese bazaar in Istanbul. I’ll have to ask around next time I’m in Ankara.
@Ardent: Yeah, I’d mentioned Xerox and Kleenex in an earlier comment. But it’s not just Americans that do that – the British (and probably Australians as well?) call their vacuum cleaners “Hoovers,” which I had to get used to when I moved to England. There are a few more like that, but I can’t remember them offhand. But it’s definitely not just the Americans.
@Ardent: Yeah, I’d mentioned Xerox and Kleenex in an earlier comment. But it’s not just Americans that do that – the British (and probably Australians as well?) call their vacuum cleaners “Hoovers,” which I had to get used to when I moved to England. There are a few more like that, but I can’t remember them offhand. But it’s definitely not just the Americans.
Japanese glue….well, in the 1980’s, when the term first appeared, the household glue was a relatively new thing, and it might have been that the first samples were imported from Japan. Also the Japanese Bazaar was a name known to be given to shops selling electronic appliances, toys and chinaware which are somehow associated with Japan (or Far East in general) and here’s the (often true) belief that Japanese goods are “hi-tech” and “high quality”
Japanese glue….well, in the 1980’s, when the term first appeared, the household glue was a relatively new thing, and it might have been that the first samples were imported from Japan. Also the Japanese Bazaar was a name known to be given to shops selling electronic appliances, toys and chinaware which are somehow associated with Japan (or Far East in general) and here’s the (often true) belief that Japanese goods are “hi-tech” and “high quality”