ABSTRACT
EDDIE RIPLEY'S account of how he took up the study of Japanese and of his early experiences as a vice-consul in Yokohama shows both his persistence and his sense of humour. His postscript on foreign words in the Japanese language (gairaigo) is a reminder that the Japanese penchant for adopting foreign words often makes Japanese even more difficult for the foreigner, although it has to be said that if you pronounce a foreign word in a Japanese fashion you may be understood. I recall my wife asking me shortly after we arrived in Tokyo together what the Japanese was for ‘cream cracker’. Not having a clue I suggested ‘kureemu kurakka’ and it worked!
