あなたのマイブームは何ですか？

Do you understand this question? I just studied a Japanese lesson on learnjapanesepod.com about the katakana English phrase "my boom". You can find it online here: http://learnjapanesepod.com/97-my-boom/

Basically, in English fad has a bit of a negative connotation or feeling. You don't really understand why it is so popular or you don't approve of it's popularity. Whereas boom simply means that something has increased.

Now the Japanese katakana マイブーム (my boom) would NEVER be said by a native speaker. A boom in English is something outside yourself: a population boom, an oil boom, a boom in housing prices, a boom in mini-skirt sales, etc.

If you translate:

あなたのマイブームは何ですか？

literally you get:

What's your my boom?

Which makes no sense, the correct translation would be:

What have you been into recently?

So my boom means a recent increase in interest or activity, lately you have been doing it alot or often. It would be translated as to be into recently or to be getting into recently.

My feeling is that my boom includes the fact that recently you are doing it more, that it is what you are into NOW.

If you want to learn more, please listen to learnjapanesepod's podcast!

Phil