Eikei University of Hiroshima (EUH) holds “Evening Lounge” as part of its support for students’ competency and career development. We were honored to have Ms. Anne Crescini, The University of Kitakyushu Associate Professor, Linguist.

Date & Time	Friday, July 17, 2026, 5:10pm – 6:50pm
Participation	EUH students, faculty, staff, and visitors from outside the university
Title of Lecture	The Power of Words to Change Your Life
Speaker	The University of Kitakyushu Associate Professor, Linguist Ms. Anne Crescini

Ms. Anne Crescini gave a talk titled “The Power of Words to Change Your Life.”

In her lecture, she spoke about the fascination of language—such as Japanese-made English (wasei-eigo) and the unique worldview underlying the Japanese language—as well as her personal experiences with culture shock and online abuse in Japan. The session included interactive discussions with the students, who participated actively and enthusiastically throughout.

At the beginning of the lecture, she explained that the Japanese language we use every day contains many expressions that are difficult to translate into English due to underlying Japanese values (such as “tekito”, “bimyo”, and “otsukaresama”), as well as a lot of wasei-eigo terms developed uniquely from loanwords. By exploring the background of these expressions, students learned about the origins of language and cultural differences, discovering the importance of seeing things more objectively through the lens of speakers of other languages.

Furthermore, touching upon her own painful experiences with slander on social media in Japan, Ms. Crescini shared powerful messages: “Because I have experienced discrimination and hardship, I have learned to face people and society with genuine love,” and “What is normal to you is not necessarily normal to others.” She also spoke about the power of words and the importance of “continuing to think for oneself” in the age of social media.

At the end of the lecture, Ms. Crescini offered warm words, saying, “While I usually aim to inspire others in my lectures, today I received so much inspiration from all of you.” She concluded her talk with great expectations for the students who will shape the future of Japan.

Comments from participants:
“I gained new perspectives by learning not only about the fascinating aspects of the Japanese language, but also about the strengths and challenges of Japan.”, “Her words about the bright future of Japan resonated with me the most. Since we are the ones who will build that future, her message felt like a call for us to reflect on what we should do going forward.”, “I want to maintain an open and curious mind, refrain from judging things solely by my own standards, and keep thinking deeply.”

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Ms. Anne Crescini for her valuable lecture.