>>> Item number 8503 from WRITERS LOG9302C --- (21 records) ------ <<< Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1993 14:09:28 JST Reply-To: WRITERS Sender: WRITERS From: Mike Barker Subject: Word of the Day Hepburn: konsento pronounced: con-sen-to When I first came to Japan, I wondered why people kept asking about consent - and other people would point them at the wall, then relax. I almost expected that there would be a framed contract or something on the wall, giving permission for whatever these people were asking about. You'll need one for most of the electrical devices, and in most Japanese houses each one is the center of an octopus of extension cords. That's right, this is the electrical outlet or wall socket. Derivation: the dictionary says concentric plug. I've never heard of that term, and I've asked hardware engineers who say they've never heard of it before either.