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“Dema” Does Not Come from “Demakase”

When I hear the Japanese word デマ (dema), I think of false information or a rumor that has spread without anyone checking it. For years, I assumed it was short for 出まかせ (demakase), a Japanese word for saying whatever comes to mind, whether or not it is true.

 

It sounds like a natural explanation. But it is wrong.

 

デマ is shortened from デマゴギー (demagogī), which comes from the German word Demagogie. The word originally referred to political manipulation: using misleading or false claims to stir up public opinion. In everyday Japanese, its meaning has broadened. We now use デマ for false rumors about all kinds of subjects.

 

I find the mistaken connection with 出まかせ interesting. The two words sound related, and their meanings overlap just enough to make the story believable. It is a small reminder that a convincing explanation is still worth checking before we repeat it.

 

That lesson seems especially fitting for a word that means “false information.”