Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Marriage. According to Google

Google’s search auto-suggest feature provides some despair inducing insights into the nature of Japanese and Chinese matrimony, seemingly encapsulating the institution in disturbing detail…

Firstly, the English language results for Google.com by way of comparison:



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The suggestions for Google Japan in translation:


For “husband” (夫 / otto):
[I want my] husband to die
[I hate my] husband
Husband average pocket money
Husband verbal violence
Husband pocket money
[How to address] husband
Husband death procedure
Husband depression
Husband unemployed
Husband death pension
Very similar results can be found for “danna,” a word typically used by wives to address their husbands.
For “wife” (妻 / tsuma):
Wife birthday present
Wife birthday present ranking
Wife present
Wife hysteria
[How to address] wife
Wife depression
Wife present ranking
Wife kenjougo (a type of humble speech, traditionally used by wives to address husbands)
Wife common law marriage
Wife shochu (a type of rice liquor)
Anyone thinking about marrying a Japanese woman might be well advised to think long and hard about these results…

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Now let's try this on Google China ...


For husband (丈夫):
Husband's responsibility
This 'husband' thing

Husband hepatitis B pregnant
Write husband in English
Husband drinking alcohol's effect on pregnancy
Husband smoking pregnancy
Ways to call husband
Husband of XXX (celebrity?)
Husband of YYY (celebrity?)

Say husband in English
Not bad eh.  The desirability of Chinese man with strong family sense and economical status might catch on in 20-30 years maybe.. 
Surprisingly(?) most of the common terms used to refer to wife (妻/妻子/太太) all have their suggestions censored ... The only one that returned anything was the informal form (老婆):
Mrs. Wife (TV drama name?)
Wife cake
Mrs. Wife episode guide

Mrs. Wife 2
Mrs. Wife summary
Wife, lover, soul mate and the difference
Wife without marriage
Wife lyrics
Yep. Smells censored indeed.  I guess they didn't want people to put in wife and clicking "I'm feeling lucky" all day.

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