Science, ideas & the artsMyths & disputes

anime

Anime is a round trip: English animation went to Japan as animēshon, was clipped to anime in the 1970s, and came back to English in the 1980s meaning Japanese animation in particular. TV dubs then carried the word to Italy, France, Brazil, the Arab world, Russia and Israel.

Weakest linkCertain

The story you may have heard

That anime comes from French dessin animé or animé. Japanese dictionaries derive it from English animation, and Wiktionary notes it is not directly related to the French word.

The road to English

From Japanese to Italian

From Japanese to French

From Japanese to Brazilian Portuguese

From English to Spanish

From English to German

From English to Russian

From English to Arabic

From English to Modern Hebrew

50 BCELatin

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.

The road to English

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