Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/07/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]No, it's a word, meaning unsharp or uncertain. To describe someone a boke is an insult. The verb form, boke-ru, means to go senile. - ----- Original Message ----- From: <shino@ubspainewebber.com> To: "Leica Users Group (LUG)" <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 4:16 AM Subject: [Leica] to all japanese speakers > i was wondering if a japanese speaker can, authoratatively and first-hand, > tell me from whence "bokeh" (or probably "BO KE") derives? is it a shortened > form of some longer word or phrase? > > doing google searches reveals a good many bokeh listings, but the > derivation of the word itself is shakily described, and never by anyone who > appears to be a japanese speaker. i even read somewhere that it was > the way the japanese pronounce "bouquet!" > > the OED lists two obsolete entries for "boke", one to poke, the other > to belch. > > thanks, > > -rei > > p.s. > my mom and dad were from osaka and toyko respectively, but never > taught us kids the language beyond the vocabulary of a 2-year old, plus > a few assorted curses. > >