kotonk
Term to describe/address Nisei from the mainland United States, as opposed to buddha head for Hawaii Nisei.
It has several origin stories: "the sound of a mainland Nisei's head hitting the ground after a fight with a buddhahead, "the hollow sound made when a coconut hits the head of a mainland Japanese American, indicating an empty head," "the sound of a thump to a very hard or hollow head," "the sound made by coal being shoveled into pot-bellied stoves by these Mainland Japanese-Americans when they were assigned to housekeeping detachments at Army Posts," "the sound produced by the heads of two Mainland Nisei being knocked together." The term undoubtedly also derives in part from the Japanese language sound effect "koton" for a thumping sound. It is still used today.
It has several origin stories: "the sound of a mainland Nisei's head hitting the ground after a fight with a buddhahead, "the hollow sound made when a coconut hits the head of a mainland Japanese American, indicating an empty head," "the sound of a thump to a very hard or hollow head," "the sound made by coal being shoveled into pot-bellied stoves by these Mainland Japanese-Americans when they were assigned to housekeeping detachments at Army Posts," "the sound produced by the heads of two Mainland Nisei being knocked together." The term undoubtedly also derives in part from the Japanese language sound effect "koton" for a thumping sound. It is still used today.
The kotonks and buddha heads clashed with each other during World War II, but eventually learned to work together.
See where that Japanese boy stay? Drop one nut on his head and it going sound like "kotonk". Dat's wea da kine originate.
See where that Japanese boy stay? Drop one nut on his head and it going sound like "kotonk". Dat's wea da kine originate.
kotonk by Sapphire Eon April 16, 2019
