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Historical Sociolinguistic analysis of Politeness in Japanese language

Research Project

Project/Area Number 21K00510
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Review Section Basic Section 02060:Linguistics-related
Research InstitutionJapan Women's University

Principal Investigator

TANABE Kazuko  日本女子大学, 文学部, 教授 (60188357)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) 井上 史雄  東京外国語大学, その他部局等, 名誉教授 (40011332)
柳村 裕  国際医療福祉大学, 国際交流センター, 助教 (50748275)
Project Period (FY) 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2023)
Budget Amount *help
¥3,380,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥780,000)
Fiscal Year 2023: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Fiscal Year 2022: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000)
Fiscal Year 2021: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
Keywords丁寧体 / 「です」 / 「ます」 / 対者敬語 / 省略体 / 「っす」 / 言語的合理性 / 新丁寧語 / 連用形 / 終止形 / 性差 / 世代差 / 敬語 / 丁寧語 / 謙譲語 / 歴史社会言語学 / ポライトネス
Outline of Research at the Start

本研究の研究テーマは、丁寧語の助動詞「ます」が衰退し、「です」「っす」の進出が進んでいる現代語の敬語の変化を、歴史社会言語学的見地から考察するものである。話題の人の地位が高いことで敬語を使う「素材敬語」から、聞き手を意識した「対者敬語」への移行は、10世紀以来の日本語の敬語の変化の傾向である。謙譲語から丁寧語が創出され、ある程度の期間使用された後、使い古されて行く循環は、日本語史上、繰り返されている。いわば、丁寧語の創造と消費の循環ともいえるだろう。本研究は、日本語の待遇表現の変化の特徴を歴史社会言語学の視点をふまえて捉え直すことを目的としている。

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined the expanded use of the simplified form '-ssu'of the polite form of 'desu'from quesionnaires and the internet. The results showed that men in their 20s were highly receptive to the ungrammatical form 'verb+ssu'(eg.iku-ssu(to go),(taberu-ssu(to eat))as well as 'adjective +ssu'(eg.ii-ssu(to be good), yasui-ssu(to be cheap)), 'noun+ssu'(eg.gakusei-ssu (to be a student), ninjin-ssu(to be a carrot))which are grammatically correct.The growing use of 'verb+ssu'indicates the decline of the polite form'masu', which is to be connected to a verb conugated form. Among women in their 20s, the use of 'verb+desu'can be seen on the internet and elsewhere. This is a case of trying to express familiarity and closeness towards one' seniors'senpai'. Thus, the transfer from 'masu' to 'desu'could be inferred as a sign of change in the Japanese language.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、長期的視野に立って日本語の変化を社会言語学的観点から考察することを目的とする。言語変化から社会の変化を理解し、日本の未来像を考える貴重な材料となる。言語変化の大きな特徴としては、言語的合理性の追求が挙げられる。より無駄のないように、言葉の言語形態が整えられていく過程が考察できる。このような通時的言語研究は、共時的言語研究では得られない、言語の本質を探求できる学術的意義は大きい。

Report

(4 results)
  • 2023 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2022 Research-status Report
  • 2021 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (11 results)

All 2023 2022 2021

All Journal Article (3 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 1 results,  Peer Reviewed: 1 results) Presentation (7 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 7 results) Book (1 results)

  • [Journal Article] On the use of de+irassharu and de+orareru in Spoken Japanese2023

    • Author(s)
      Kazuko Tanabe
    • Journal Title

      Practicing Japan.35 Years of Japanese Studies in Poznan and Krakow

      Volume: 1 Pages: 147-164

    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
  • [Journal Article] 「~でいらっしゃる/ おられる」の使用における混合研究法による分析2022

    • Author(s)
      田邊和子・小池恵子
    • Journal Title

      国文目白

      Volume: 61 Pages: 26-40

    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
  • [Journal Article] An Attempt to Observe Changes in Speech by Utilizing the Yahoo Search Engine2022

    • Author(s)
      田邊和子
    • Journal Title

      日本女子大学文学部紀要

      Volume: 71

    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
  • [Presentation] Diversification and leveling in the end of sentence expression -ssu as a new honorific in Japanese2023

    • Author(s)
      Kazuko Tanabe
    • Organizer
      International Pragmatics Association
    • Related Report
      2023 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] The Observation of the change of the politeness form in Japanese2022

    • Author(s)
      Kazuko Tanabe
    • Organizer
      Sociolinguistics symposium 24
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] 新敬語「っす」にみられる多様化と平準化2022

    • Author(s)
      Kazuko Tanabe
    • Organizer
      第19回 国際都市言語学会
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] リレー作文から考察する日本語の特徴:日本語上級学習者と日本語母語話者の協働作業の例から2022

    • Author(s)
      田邊和子
    • Organizer
      American Association of Teachers of Japanese
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] 「名詞+でいらっしゃる・おられる」の使用実態調査と分析2022

    • Author(s)
      Kazuko Tanabe
    • Organizer
      Practicing Japan-35 years of Japanese Studies in Poznan and Krakow
    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] The simplification of Honorific Language in Japanese in the globalized age2021

    • Author(s)
      Kazuko Tanabe
    • Organizer
      17th International Pragmatic conference 2021
    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Presentation] Mutual learning between Japanese native speakers and second learners through collaborative writing2021

    • Author(s)
      Kazuko Tanabe
    • Organizer
      World Congress of Applied Linguistics
    • Related Report
      2021 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research
  • [Book] 社会言語学の枠組み2022

    • Author(s)
      井上 史雄、田邊 和子
    • Total Pages
      224
    • Publisher
      くろしお出版
    • ISBN
      9784874249192
    • Related Report
      2022 Research-status Report

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Published: 2021-04-28   Modified: 2025-01-30  

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