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Essay

Word of the year

Every year, I look forward to the moment the head priest of Kiyomizu Temple walks out on that sprawling veranda overlooking Kyoto and picks up a huge brush to masterfully write the word of the year on a big sheet of Japanese paper. That word always condenses the year's weaknesses and successes into a single, potent image.

For 2012, the word was kin, meaning gold or money. The word was chosen by a survey of the general public conducted by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation. The character is rich in allusions and meanings that encapsulate the events of the past year and look forward to this one. The previous year's word, kizuna, or bond, was the perfect word to describe the suffering and reconnections following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear radiation disasters of 2011.

On the positive side, the 2012 word of the year referred to many things: the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine by Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka, the record 38 medals won by Japanese athletes at the London Olympic Games, and the opening of the Tokyo Skytree.

However, on the negative side, the word also referred to the weak economy, ongoing debates about taxes, and the money scandals throughout the year. The scandals at companies like Nomura Securities, AIJ Investment Advisors and Olympus all revolved around accounting frauds, insider trading, rate-rigging and other financial misdeeds — in short, around money.

The word pointed to the country's pride and problems. The 2012 word, though, wasn't a recommendation to get rich, but an encouragement to find true value in life. Because the word was chosen by a survey of the public, the word wasn't a lesson from the temple monks, but more of a concern on everyone's mind.

A single word, no matter whether that word is spelled by an alphabet or drawn as an ideograph, can mean so much. Language can express concepts and ideas but also can suggest new ways of thinking. It is easy to forget that all words carry a rich pool of associated connotations, implied values and complex meanings. Language is highly complex, but it is also a practical tool to help reflect on past mistakes and steer us in positive directions for the new year.

At the start of a new year, I like having a single word to contemplate, even though there are a lot of other words available! The annual photo of the monk drawing the character at the temple always gets me thinking. The word of the year is a powerful reminder that a single word, if reconsidered and reconnected to important meanings, can really change our attitude for the coming year.

Shukan ST: JANUARY 11, 2013

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Essay Word of the year By Michael Pronko Every year, I look forward to the moment the head priest of Kiyomizu Temple walks out on that sprawling veranda overlooking Kyoto and picks up a huge brush to masterfully write the word of the year on a big sheet of Japanese paper. That word always condenses the year's weaknesses and successes into a single, potent image. For 2012, the word was kin, meaning gold or money. The word was chosen by a survey of the general public conducted by the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation. The character is rich in allusions and meanings that encapsulate the events of the past year and look forward to this one. The previous year's word, kizuna, or bond, was the perfect word to describe the suffering and reconnections following the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear radiation disasters of 2011. On the positive side, the 2012 word of the year referred to many things: the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine by Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka, the record 38 medals won by Japanese athletes at the London Olympic Games, and the opening of the Tokyo Skytree. However, on the negative side, the word also referred to the weak economy, ongoing debates about taxes, and the money scandals throughout the year. The scandals at companies like Nomura Securities, AIJ Investment Advisors and Olympus all revolved around accounting frauds, insider trading, rate-rigging and other financial misdeeds — in short, around money. The word pointed to the country's pride and problems. The 2012 word, though, wasn't a recommendation to get rich, but an encouragement to find true value in life. Because the word was chosen by a survey of the public, the word wasn't a lesson from the temple monks, but more of a concern on everyone's mind. A single word, no matter whether that word is spelled by an alphabet or drawn as an ideograph, can mean so much. Language can express concepts and ideas but also can suggest new ways of thinking. It is easy to forget that all words carry a rich pool of associated connotations, implied values and complex meanings. Language is highly complex, but it is also a practical tool to help reflect on past mistakes and steer us in positive directions for the new year. At the start of a new year, I like having a single word to contemplate, even though there are a lot of other words available! The annual photo of the monk drawing the character at the temple always gets me thinking. The word of the year is a powerful reminder that a single word, if reconsidered and reconnected to important meanings, can really change our attitude for the coming year. Shukan ST: JANUARY 11, 2013 (C) All rights reserved