When to use words derived from foreign words or the native words for the same things?


A lot of things have Japanese words in more than two versions to call them. I
can appreciate there are often many ways to call the same thing in any
particular language.

Nevertheless, I'm somewhat perplexed by the difference in usage between
Japanese words derived from foreign words and those of kanji for the same
things?

With the first example below, it is straightforward to me. ホテル is
accommodation of western style while 旅館 is accommodation of Japanese style.
The same applies to the second example I suppose, the western lunch and
Japanese or even Asian lunch respectively. If I'm wrong, please point out.
However the rest are not clear to me.

When to use which?

Would someone care to comment!

Examples:

  * ホテル - 旅館

  * ランチ - 昼ご飯

  * ミーティング - 会議

  * ショッピング - 買物

  * デスク - 机

  * カフェ - 喫茶店

  * クラス - 授業

  * テスト - 試験

  * ストリート - 街路, 通り, 道路

  * テクニック - 技術




You don't really use ランチ and ショッピング beside specific goods labled so or
component of specific words like ショッピングカート.

ミーティング mainly means briefing while 会議 is, as the preceding answer said, larger
one with interactive oppinions that discusses over some agenda and tries to
decide something.

You don't use デスク except specific goods labed so, beside, it can be a title
for vice chief of editors in some publishers.

Difference between カフェ and 喫茶店 seems that of licenses permited by
administration. I don't know for details.

クラス is 学級, i.e. a unit of organisation that students belong to.

テスト is just synonymous to 試験.

You don't use ストリート except for categories in skateboard or apparel, or
component of specific words like street-basketball.

テクニック means individual's skill, while 技術 is a generic word that includes the
former, technic, technology or art（技法）. (Incidentally, アート means creation of
aesthetic products.)

