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It's listed as being borrowed from English, but even if it were the case that
it had been borrowed from Portuguese, it's still pronounced /ɡwɑɹ/ and not
/ɡɑɹ/. Japanese phonology is also perfectly capable of handling this--it could
have been ジャグアー or even ジャグワー. But in every single instance I've seen, it's
ジャガー. Why did they borrow it like this?
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etymology loanwords phonology
Why Was Jaguar Borrowed as ジャガー?
### Why is there no `/w/` glide in the Japanese?

Currently **unknown**.

I cannot find anything definitive describing this. I can't even find when the
term first entered the Japanese language, though presumably this can be
discovered by spending more time researching. (I _am_ finding tons of pages
about the brand of car...)

### Background

According to Shogakukan's 国語大辞典【こくごだいじてん】, the Japanese term ジャガー ( _jagā_ )
derives specifically from American English. This explains the lack of any
`/j/` glide, as in the British pronunciation `/ˈdʒæɡjuːə/`. The [Japanese
Wikipedia
article](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%82%AC%E3%83%BC)
somewhat incorrectly notes that the term _jaguar_ derived from a South
American language term like _yagā_ , which would explain the lack of any `/w/`
glide -- except the derivation I'm more familiar with is [Old Tupi
_îaûára_](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%C3%AEa%C3%BB%C3%A1ra#Old_Tupi),
which has a `/w/` but no `/ɡ/` at all. The [entry at Merriam-
Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jaguar) (currently seems
to be broken in Chrome; works in FireFox) uses the older spelling _jawára_ ,
also with a `/w/` but no `/ɡ/`, so I think the JA WP article must be mistaken.
It's worth noting that both Spanish and Portuguese have sometimes borrowed
medial `/wa/` sounds as `⟨gua⟩`.

However, all that said, the derivation of the term only deepens ...

... The Mystery of the Missing W!

`<ahem.>`

Depending on the date of initial borrowing, snailplane's mention of the shift
in Japanese from `/ɡwa/` to `/ɡa/` could be our best bet.
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I believe it is because the spelling "グワ" is considered as non-standard
pronunciation in modern Japanese. There is no publicly defined rule book, but
I feel the usage of "グワ" is limited to express noise, yelling or moaning.

For example,

[![クロコダイン](https://i.stack.imgur.com/TV8Oo.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/TV8Oo.png)

from [漫画、アニメキャラ弱さランキング](http://usachannel.info/blog/?no=2815)

[![北斗の拳](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3hCeN.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/3hCeN.png)

from [本日は南風原中で野球の試合です。](http://shurieast5.ti-da.net/index_39.html)

[![Gwashi](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BrYG4.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/BrYG4.png)

[突然ですが！・・・・グワシ検定！！](https://ameblo.jp/ryumajin/entry-10048884957.html)

What comes into my mind when I think of the pronunciation "グワ" as a noun is
"シークワーサー(shi-kwah-sah)" which is a name of a fruit from Okinawa district.
Okinawa historically belonged to a different nation; so they use a different
language. In main land of Japan, the usage of pronunciation クワ/グワ is limited.

[![Citrus
depressa](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HbenZ.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HbenZ.png)

For further information, see [Citrus depressa (シークワーサー shi-kwah-sah
)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrus_depressa)

I cannot remember any other examples than this...

My best guess is that Japanese people used to spell as ジャグワー in old day, ( say
in Edo era or somewhere ) but along with the word was getting popular and
common, people started to avoid the uncommon pronunciation of グワ so it changed
to ジャガー. I cannot find any written evidence of it, but such process of
simplification is often observed in Japanese loan words.

I believe that it is common for Japanese to avoid a specific spelling because
it is not considered as standard pronunciation even if the Japanese spelling
system has an ability to express its original foreign originated pronunciation
of a loan word.

For example, Van Halen is usually spelled as バン・ヘイレン(ban heiren) not as
ヴァン・ヘイレン(van heiren) because ヴ is not considered as a standard pronunciation
and it is supposed to be spelled as ブ. But in the recent ten or twenty yeas,
this situation is gradually changing and people are getting accepting the
spelling ヴ.

Meanwhile ヴ is getting accepted, あ゛is still considered informal.

* * *

## Additional Information about Japanese Loan Words

Japanese loan words are so broad. This time, I have researched for several
hours to write this, but it turned out that most of part is not related with
the answer. I think I am going to leave the information I collected this time
below for people who are interested this topic.

The following explanation is not based on formal study, but I believe this
point of view is shared as a common sense among Japanese people.

## History of Japanese Loan Words

In my opinion, Japanese loan words might be roughly classified by the Japanese
historical eras. Depends of the era when a loan word imported to Japanese
language, different pronunciation conversion rule is applied.

  1. Heian era (794 – 1185)
  2. Muromati era (1336 – 1573)
  3. Edo era (1603 – 1868)
  4. Meiji era (1868 – 1912)
  5. Shohwa era (1926 – 1989)

### Heian era (Kanji)

Japanese imported a great number of loan words from China at Heian era. This
group of loan words are playing very important role in the language; these are
called 漢字 Kanji.

In spite of the fact that Kanjis are actually loan words, most Japanese people
forget about the fact, and consider Kanjis are originated in Japan. I feel
very lucky that Chinese government still have not litigated Japanese
government due to copyright infringement. So please do not tell this to
Japanese people or they will strongly oppose to you.

### Muromati ~ Edo era

In Muromati era, a Spanish Christian preacher Francisco de Xavier came to
Japan and bring the "good news" to Japanese people. In this era, Japanese
government were running trading business between European countries such as
Spanish Portugal and Holland. So loan words that were imported in this era,
are very likely originated in these countries.

See [外来語の出身 ①（ポルトガル語、オランダ語について）](http://e-ivy.jp/blog/1070/)

Portuguese originated loan words :

> オルガン (Organ a music instrument) タバコ/煙草 (Tobacco=cigarette) パン (bread) カルタ
> (Card) カステラ (Sugar Cake) カッパ（合羽）(Rain Coart) キリシタン (Christian) シャボン (Bubble)
> ビードロ (glass)

Holland originated loan words :

> アルカリ(alcaline) レンズ(lens) メス(knife) ビール(beer) ランドセル(school bag) ペンキ (paint)
> ズック(shoes) ブリキ(Tinplate) オルゴール(Music Box) ガラス(glass) カバン(bag) コルク(cork)
> コーヒー(coffee) ゴム(rubber) ポンプ(pump) リュックサック(knapsack) ホース(horse) ペスト(Black
> Death) スポイト(Syringe) ピンセット(tweezers) モルヒネ(morphine) サーベル(saber) コップ(cup=
> Portuguese:copa） レッテル(label)

* * *

### Meiji era

See

  * [明治時代の文学作品における外国語・外来語の使用 アンカ･フォクシェネアヌ ](https://www.jpf.go.jp/j/project/intel/exchange/organize/ceeja/report/09_10/pdf/09_10_04.pdf)
  * [明治時代の外来語について調べたい。](http://crd.ndl.go.jp/reference/modules/d3ndlcrdentry/index.php?page=ref_view&id=1000031713)

At Meiji era, some prominent novelists imported many foreign originated words
into Japanese language.

According to アンカ･フォクシェネアヌ , following words are loan words which are imported
by Yukichi Fukuzawa 福沢諭吉{ふくざわゆきち}.

> ホテル(hotel) ドック(dock) シャンパン(champagne) コップ(cup) マッチ ストーヴ(stove)
> ダンシング(dancing) ガルヴァニ( テレグラフ(telegraph) ガス(gas)（便所の内外ガスの光明）
> エレキトル(electricity) テーブル(table) コンミッション(commission)

Note that since Yukichi Fukuza was official translator of English at the end
of Edo era, the loan words he imported are mainly from American English.

Following words are loan words which are imported by Soseki Natume
夏目漱石{なつめそうせき}.

> 硝子{ガラス} ( glass ) 洋燈{ランプ} ペン (pen) 洋琴{ピアノ・ピヤノ} (piano) 洋杖{ステッキ} stick
> 暖炉{ストーブ} ロッキング・チェア (rocking chair) 敲子{ノッカー} (door knocker) ベル{号鈴} (bell) ポンプ
> (pump) 停車場{大ステーション} station バス bus ローン (lawn) 泥炭{ピート} peat プラットフォーム
> (platform) ガス{瓦斯} gas 絹紐{リボン} (ribbon) マッチ (a box of matches) 自動革砥{オートストロップ}
> ベゴニア(Begonia) 洋盃{コップ} ヴァイオリン (violin) 端艇{ボート} 志{シリング} 印気{インキ} ダイナマイト
> (dynamite ) グラム (gram) 寝床{ ベッド } (bed) ミリメター (millimeter) コスモス(cosmos = a
> name of a flower)

His style of importing is distinctive. He translates the words as Chinese
kanji words, then put a [ruby](https://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-
ruby) to the word. This style is considered stylish and it also work as an
effect to express exotic atmosphere. This technique is still used today in
Japanese comics, too.

### John Manjiro ジョン万次郎

See [Wikipedia John
Manjiro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakahama_Manjir%C5%8D)

In the end of Edo era, he worked as a translator. According to the wikipedia,
he was one of the first Japanese people to visit the United States and an
important translator during the Opening of Japan.

  * [ジョン万次郎とその英語](https://matome.naver.jp/odai/2137658990429451401)
  * [An English Japanese Dictionary which is written by John Banjiro](http://archive.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/bunko08/bunko08_c0734/bunko08_c0734.pdf)

> こーる(cool) わら(water) さんれぃ(Sunday) にゅうよぅ(New York) エンケレセ(English) しゃま(summer)
> キャア(cat) ナイ(night) モヲネン(morning) イヴネン(evening) ウィンダ(winter) コヲル(cold)
> ウヱシツ(west) ゲイ(gate) ネ(net) フワザ(Father) エネ(any) ソレ(sorry) センカ(think) ゼシ(this)
> コシチャン(question) メクダノ(McDonald) ハマチ(How much?) ヤロ(yellow) アー ユー カメン？(Are you
> coming?) アイ アム ゴイン(I am going) イータ イシ エイ ムーン ライト ナイ(It is a moon light
> night.)

His conversion rule of pronunciation is based on the actual pronunciation of
American English, not on its spelling. Some people consider John Manjiro's
rule is easier to comprehend to native English speakers than the current
standard conversion rule, Hepburn's rule.

Later day, Manjiro's conversion rule was disputed by the Japanese government
and the government accepted the Hepburn's rule as standard.

### Hepburn's rule

Hepburn's rule is a method to spell Japanese words by alphabet. Hepburn's rule
was invented [James Curtis
Hepburn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Curtis_Hepburn) in 1886. See
[Romanization of
Japanese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanization_of_Japanese). Japanese
romanization rule is a topic which is so broad. Please read other articles for
further information.

Romanization rule is usually used to convert Japanese to English not English
to Japanese; so strictly speaking, it is slightly off topic here. But it still
have strong influence to the way how to import foreign originated words into
Japanese. It is a good opportunity to have a glance.

[![Romanization
Table](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sOaoj.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/sOaoj.jpg)

[Rakuten「ローマ字
下敷き」の検索結果](https://search.rakuten.co.jp/search/mall/%E3%83%AD%E3%83%BC%E3%83%9E%E5%AD%97+%E4%B8%8B%E6%95%B7%E3%81%8D/)

This is a table Japanese kids are obliged to memorize with nine to nine
Multiplication table. This conversion rule is called ヘボン式.

The pronunciation of the name "ヘボン式" itself is ironically based on another
pronunciation conversion rule; Hepburn is now commonly written as "ヘップバーン" in
modern days, not as "ヘボン". The name "ヘボン式" remains to the old traditional
spelling rule. It turns out that the name itself ironically opposed to the
rule itself.

### Showa and modern era

After the second world war, Japan came under the strong influence of United
States; the most loan words which were made in this era are imported from
United States. The loan words in this group are so broad so I cannot list all
of the words here. Technical terms which are related to IT things belong to
this group. There are MANY.

And as far as I know, there is no authority that makes decision how to form
the rule for importing loan words. This is always the source of a lot of
confusion for Japanese people,too.

I remember that in late 80's there was a controversy about how to pronounce a
computer game "Ultima" . Now it is commonly called "ウルティマ" but in the era of
the dawn of the Japanese computing, there were some people insist Ultima is
supposed to be pronounced as "アルティマ" because according to them アルティマ is more
precisely reflect the actual English pronunciation. After the war, アルティマ was
disputed and it is called ウルティマ till now.

For further information, see the following articles.

  * [ウルティマ・アルティマ論争 (URUTHIMA/ARUTHIMA Controversy)](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%AD%E3%82%B0%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3_\(%E9%9B%91%E8%AA%8C\)#%E3%82%A6%E3%83%AB%E3%83%86%E3%82%A3%E3%83%9E%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%AB%E3%83%86%E3%82%A3%E3%83%9E%E8%AB%96%E4%BA%89)
  * [Oh FM7 「ウルティマ」、「アルティマ」論争(URUTHIMA/ARUTHIMA Controversy)](http://fm-7.com/random_access_memo/02.html)

* * *

## Duplicate Importing

It is very often that different groups import a same word twice as different
words and use them as different situation.

カップ／コップ is a good example. コップ is very likely originated "kop" from Holland.
カップ is very likely originated "cup" in English. They are basically same thing.
In Japan, コップ is usually a glass cup or could be a plastic cup. カップ is usually
made by ceramics. カップ is never made of glass, but could be made of paper.

* * *

## Conclusion

I think it is very complicated and it does not help how you speak Japanese
well. I believe it is best to avoid studying about origin when you came into
learning Japanese. Learning origin just does not work for learning Japanese.

Japanese people often call it as "大人の事情(otona-no-jijoh)" with euphemism.
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The glide **/g w/** may have been preserved in spelling for native vocabulary
until at least the [kana orthography
reforms](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_kana_orthography), but was
completely lost in recent pronunciation. I'm thinking that when the word
_jaguar_ was borrowed into Japanese, **/g w/** was transformed into **/g/** to
fit Japanese pronunciation at that time.

This actually happened to quite a few words (mostly proper nouns):

  * _Paraguay_ , with representations

    * パラグアイ/パラグワイ (common)
    * パラグァイ (Paraguayan Embassy in Japan)
    * 巴拉圭 (probably Chinese, listed in some older Japanese documents)
    * **巴羅[貝]{がい}** (older Kanji representation; note, 貝 here uses a _kun'yomi_ reading)
  * _Uruguay_ , with representations

    * ウルグアイ/ウルグァイ (common)
    * **宇柳[貝]{がい}** (older Kanji representation)
    * 宇柳具 (copying error of 貝)
  * _Guatemala_ , with representations

    * グアテマラ
    * グァテマラ
    * **ガテマラ**
  * _guarana_ (a plant), most commonly spelt as ガラナ

  * _guanaco_ (South American camelid), with representations 
    * グアナコ
    * グァナコ
    * **ガナコ**
    * グワナコ
    * グヮナコ

[外来語の表記](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%96%E6%9D%A5%E8%AA%9E%E3%81%AE%E8%A1%A8%E8%A8%98),
the 1991 National Language Council report on the kana representation of
foreign words, contains the following relevant content:

> ## 「外来語の表記」に用いる仮名と符号の表
>
> [![enter image description
> here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zHxee.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/zHxee.png)
>
>   1. 第1表に示す仮名は,外来語や外国の地名・人名を書き表すのに一般的に用いる仮名とする。
>
>   2. 第2表に示す仮名は,外来語や外国の地名・人名を原音や原つづりになるべく近く書き表そうとする場合に用いる仮名とする。
>
>   3. 第1表・第2表に示す仮名では書き表せないような,特別な音の書き表し方については,ここでは取決めを行わず,自由とする。
>
>   4. 第1表・第2表によって語を書き表す場合には,おおむね留意事項を適用する。
>
>

>
> * * *
>
> ## 外来語の表記 留意事項その2(細則的な事項)
>
>
> 第2表に示す仮名は,原音や原つづりになるべく近く書き表そうとする場合に用いる仮名で,これらの仮名を用いる必要がない場合は,一般的に,第1表に示す仮名の範囲で書き表すことができる。
>
> ...
>
>   4. 「グァ」は,外来音グァに対応する仮名である。
>
> **〔例〕** グァテマラ（地） パラグァイ（地）
>
> **注1** 一般的には,「グア」又は「ガ」と書くことができる。 **〔例〕** グアテマラ（地） パラグアイ（地） ガテマラ（地）
>
> **注2** 「グァ」は,「グヮ」と書く慣用もある。
>
>

Basically, although the orthography _prescribes_ spelling foreign loanwords
originally pronounced with /gw/ with the sequence「グァ/グア/グヮ」, from the
traditional loss of the glide in /gw/ it is valid to not pronounce this glide
at all, reflected in the accepted spelling「ガ」for some of these loanwords and
the use of「[貝]{がい}」in some older kanji representations of these loanwords.
_Jaguar_ was probably borrowed without the /gw/, fitting contemporary Japanese
phonology at the time, and just represented as such as「ジャガー」.
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