Description and Categorization of "Transfer from Non-Basic Vocabulary to Basic Vocabulary" Phenomenon in Modern Japanese Vocabulary

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26370529
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese linguistics
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: KIM Eran 広島大学, 教育学研究科, 講師 (90466227)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 基本語彙 / 基本語化 / 近現代日本語 / 語彙・意味 / コーパス / 書き言葉 / 類義語・類義体系 / 語種

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research aims to construct a highly generic methodology for unified explanation and theoretical description "Transfer from non-basic vocabulary to basic vocabulary" in modern written Japanese.
We examined from the quantitative and qualitative aspects of phenomenon, using case about "basic descriptive vocabulary", of Kango(words of Chinese origin) in modern magazines and loanwords / Wago(words of Japanese origin) in the second half of 20'th century newspapers. As a main result, we clarified that indices such as level classification of vocabulary by cumulative usage rate, increasing trend coefficient, logarithmic specialized coefficient scattering degree, etc. are effective for extraction of basicized words. Furthermore, we found that we need to pay attention that in order to elucidate the process and factors of phenomenon, the word to be basicized is closely related to existing basic words (synonyms ) , and to changes in written Japanese style that cause such movements.

Free Research Field

語彙論・意味論