Abbreviations (etc.)


As I slowly try to learn more grammar and less "1001 survival phrases in
Japanese FREE!," I started wondering about **abbreviations** in the language.

From what I have read so far, contractions and word-shortening happens in a
much different way than it does in English. It seems long words almost become
portmanteaus? I wasn't able to find any information on how common things such
as **高校** (for 高等学校) or **スマホ** (for スマートフォン) are used/when they are
appropriate.

This question started with me wondering whether Japanese has anything similar
to the English "cont." or "cont'd"

(I'm from Canada so I'm not sure how these abbreviations are done in
U.S/EU)... but then I also started wondering about "Mrs." and "can't/won't"
and well... "etc." :)




I think there is no formal research about abbreviation of Japanese
vocabularies; however some people who are involved into Japanese language
education for non-native speakers seem to have tried to explain how Japanese
native speakers make abbreviations for Japanese words.

I found some articles:

  * [日本語{にほんご}の短縮形{たんしゅくけい}について](http://blog.livedoor.jp/takeshielsas/archives/30047896.html)
  * [短縮形{たんしゅくけい} ウィキペディア](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%95%A5%E8%AA%9E)
  * [Japanese abbreviated and contracted words](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_abbreviated_and_contracted_words)

Please read them for further information.

The following description is merely an explanation from my personal
observation so there should be some points to be corrected.

Usually Japanese words are abbreviated into four syllables. If it is
impossible to abbreviate into four syllables by some reason, then try three
syllables. Finally if it is also impossible to abbreviate into three
syllables, then abbreviated it into two syllables.

I listed up some examples below :

  * **Words which are abbreviated into four syllables**

    * 吉野家{よしのや}の牛丼{ぎゅうどん} → よしぎゅう
    * ポケット・モンスター → ポケモン
    * 鋼{はがね}の錬金術師{れんきんじゅつし} → ハガレン
    * こちら葛飾区{かつしかく} 亀有{かめあり} 公園前{こうえんまえ} 派出所{はしゅつじょ} → こち亀{かめ}
    * ベルサイユのバラ → ベルバラ
    * 魔法少女{まほうしょうじょ}まどか☆マギカ → まどマギ
    * 黒子{くろこ}のバスケ → 黒{くろ}バス
    * 魔女{まじょ}の宅急便{たっきゅうびん} → 魔女宅{まじょたく}
    * 東京電力{とうきょうでんりょく} → 東電{とうでん}
  * **Words which are abbreviated into three syllables**

    * アイスコーヒー → アイコ
    * コストパフォーマンス → コスパ
    * 軍用手袋{ぐんようてぶくろ} → 軍手{ぐんて}
    * マクドナルド → マック
  * **Words which are abbreviated into two syllables**

    * 新世紀{しんせいき}エヴァンゲリオン → エヴァ
    * リプライ → リプ

Note that yo:on 拗音{ようおん} ( a kana letter which is followed by a small kana
letter such as じゃ／じゅ／じょ) are considered as one syllable.

As you can notice, most words are abbreviated into four syllables. It is
unclear even for me when it should be abbreviated into three or two syllables
and why. (I am actually a native Tokyo dialect speaker but I also cannot tell
why and how).

The way how to decide four, three or two syllables to abbreviate may be out of
social coincidental occurrence or it has some benefits when they make rhyming
catch phrase etc. which reason is not clearly defined.

For example, マクドナルド(McDonald) could be abbreviated into four; it could be
マクドナ, but there is no one to call it like that. In fact, マクドナルド is abbreviated
into three in 関西(West Japan) districts as マクド. In Tokyo, it is usually
abbreviated as マック.

Generally the words which consist two or more clauses are get abbreviated by
taking two syllables from each word's head and bring them into the abbreviated
word. For example:

  1. ポケットモンスター
  2. ポケット モンスター
  3. ポケ モン
  4. ポケモン

There are a lot of exceptions in it: for example, the word サラリーマン has two
parts of clauses as サラリー／マン , but it does not come into サラマン or something, it
is usually abbreviated as リーマン which forms an irregular abbreviation.

But in most case, I think it is enough to know the way how four syllable
abbreviations are achieved.

