"Galapagos": Sharp Picks Japanese Buzzword as E-Reader Name
“Galapagos,” the name of the South American chain of islands where Charles Darwin observed the wondrous creatures that helped formulate his theory of evolution, has taken on new meaning in Japan.
Shortened from the phrase “Galapagos syndrome,” “Galapagos” is used as an umbrella adjective in Japan to describe the country’s growing isolation from the rest of the world. It is also tinged with the negative connotation of a country which sees itself in decline.
Need a word to describe the inability of many Japanese people to speak English well? Galapagos. How about the root cause for young Japanese workers not wanting to be sent abroad? Galapagos.
