How to say IS / ISIS / ISIL / Daesh?


A group that is at war in Syria can be called IS, ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh in
English. In Japanese daily conversation, what is the best name that can be
used for that group?




I'm not sure if it's the _best_ way to refer to the group, which I think would
depend on your motives, but my favorite journalist, [池上]{いけがみ}[彰]{あきら}, uses
「イスラム国{こく}」, and I think that's a pretty clear choice.

You can also use 「[ISIL]{アイシル}」 (which is what [the Japanese Wikipedia
article](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISIL) uses). Since "ISIL" is an
acronym, it is more opaque in that sense, and more likely to not be understood
by someone unfamiliar with the topic. I think the main reason to use this
acronym would be to be in sync with what the American government is calling
the group.

[IS]{アイエス} and [ISIS]{アイシス} are also both in use (possibly more than ISIL),
but I think there isn't much of a reason to use them, since they are opaque,
and if you're looking to be in sync with the American government's naming,
neither is useful.

* * *

**Edit:**

As @naruto points out in the comment section, 「イスラム国」 seems to have become
quite a controversial name to use, at least within the mass media sphere.

In particular, it looks like media uses all sorts of longer expressions since
around early 2015, such as

  * 「過激派組織IS＝イスラミックステート」 (NHK)
  * 「イスラム過激派組織『イスラム国』（IS=Islamic State）」 (The Asahi Shimbun, The Tokyo Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun)
  * 「『イスラム国』を名乗る過激派組織＝ISIL（アイシル）」 (TBS Radio)
  * 「イスラム過激派組織・イスラム国」 (Fuji News Network, Kansai TV)

in order to prevent misunderstandings (such as 「イスラム国」 meaning イスラム教の国), to be
more in line with foreign media, and likely, as a political stance.

Perhaps this means it makes more sense to use an acronym like ISIL to avoid
controversy, but I think 「イスラム国」 is probably still the most conversational way
to refer to it.




I'm not sure if it's the _best_ way to refer to the group, which I think would
depend on your motives, but my favorite journalist, [池上]{いけがみ}[彰]{あきら}, uses
「イスラム国{こく}」, and I think that's a pretty clear choice.

You can also use 「[ISIL]{アイシル}」 (which is what [the Japanese Wikipedia
article](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISIL) uses). Since "ISIL" is an
acronym, it is more opaque in that sense, and more likely to not be understood
by someone unfamiliar with the topic. I think the main reason to use this
acronym would be to be in sync with what the American government is calling
the group.

[IS]{アイエス} and [ISIS]{アイシス} are also both in use (possibly more than ISIL),
but I think there isn't much of a reason to use them, since they are opaque,
and if you're looking to be in sync with the American government's naming,
neither is useful.

* * *

**Edit:**

As @naruto points out in the comment section, 「イスラム国」 seems to have become
quite a controversial name to use, at least within the mass media sphere.

In particular, it looks like media uses all sorts of longer expressions since
around early 2015, such as

  * 「過激派組織IS＝イスラミックステート」 (NHK)
  * 「イスラム過激派組織『イスラム国』（IS=Islamic State）」 (The Asahi Shimbun, The Tokyo Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun)
  * 「『イスラム国』を名乗る過激派組織＝ISIL（アイシル）」 (TBS Radio)
  * 「イスラム過激派組織・イスラム国」 (Fuji News Network, Kansai TV)

in order to prevent misunderstandings (such as 「イスラム国」 meaning イスラム教の国), to be
more in line with foreign media, and likely, as a political stance.

Perhaps this means it makes more sense to use an acronym like ISIL to avoid
controversy, but I think 「イスラム国」 is probably still the most conversational way
to refer to it.

