Abstract
In this paper I address that flexibility and vagueness of mimic word, especially Gitai-go, can provide the communication with tension leading us to the continuous process of meaning construction, focused on the history of Japanese characters as the core of mimic words. I present that Hiragana, as the character for Gitai-go, was started to use by people viewed as of no public authority such as women at that time while Kanji had a position as an official characters. As unofficial character, Hiragana was received and transformed by common people as the character which is more flexible and vague suited to express persons’ experience than Kanji. Most of Gitai-go is written in Hiragana, and people can also create original and personalized one based on their experience. We can be driven by necessity to search the meanings of Gitai-go when we meet unknown one, through its vagueness. This undifferentiated nature and indefinite feature of Gitai-go provide us with tension of communication.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kabashima, T. (1977). Kanji kara romaji made—nihongo hyoki taikei no keisei (From Kanji to Roman alphabet—the formation of orthographic system of Japanese). In A. Sakakura (Ed.), Nihongo no rekishi (The history of Japanese) (pp. 115–154). Tokyo: Taishukanshoten.
Kato, H., & Sakaguchi, M. (1996). A classification of onomatopoeias: a view of syntax. Bulletin of Nara University of Education, Cultural and Social Science, 45(1), 1–12.
Kawabata, Y. (1975). Manyogana no seiritsu to tenso (Establishment and perspective of Manyo-Gana). In M. Ueda (Ed.), Nihon kodai bunka no tankyu—moji (Inquiry of ancient culture of Japan) (pp. 123–184). Tokyo: Shakaisisosha.
Koike, S. (2002). On Japanese mimetic words. Journal of the Faculty of International Studies (Utsunomiya University), 14, 63–70.
Komatsu, K. (2010). How signs function in the process of meaning construction: an exemplification from Gitai-go in the Japanese language. Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science, 44(2).
Kuramochi, Y. (1989). Mimetic and onomatopoeic words in the old tales in Japan. Bulletin of Ibaraki Women’s Junior College, 16, 43–53.
Okamoto, Y., Sugano, S., Shoji, R., Kamei, M., Yagishita, A., Takahashi, C., et al. (2008). Fetal movement as physical touch between fetus and mother: Analysis of onomatopoeia which pregnant women used to express their baby’s movement. Journal of Shohoku College, 29, 29–41 (in Japanese with English abstract).
Sakakura, A. (1989). Kanji to kana no kinou (The function of Kanji and Kana). In K. Sato (Ed.), Kanji to Kana (Kanji and Kana) (pp. 1–13). Tokyo: Meiji-shoin.
Sato, Y. (2006). Ways of writing onomatopoeia (imitative words and mimetic words) using chinese characters in the Meiji Period. Journal of Japanese & Asian Studies, 3, 43–57.
Yamaguchi, N. (2002). Inu ha “Biyo” to naiteita—Nihongo ha gion-go, gitai-go ga omoshiroi (Dogs had howled “Biyo”—It’s interesting to look gion-go and gitai-go in Japanese language). Tokyo: Kobunsha.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hidaka, T. How Japanese Language Has Been Used and Transformed—Focused on Social-cultural Context and the Use in Communication. Integr. psych. behav. 44, 156–161 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-010-9122-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-010-9122-y