The Japanese Linguistic Study of Utai Densho

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13200
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 02070:Japanese linguistics-related
• Research Institution: Ochanomizu University
• Principal Investigator: Takemura Asuka お茶の水女子大学, 基幹研究院, 准教授 (10712747)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 謡伝書 / 能楽 / 四声 / 日本語音韻史 / 塵芥抄 / 実鑑抄 / 発音 / 金春

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined the utai densho (chanting transmission books) preserved in the Kozan Bunko collection to investigate the descriptions related to pronunciation found in utai densho created from the late Muromachi period to Edo period. As a result, it became clear that the descriptions in the "Jinkaisho" lineage densho were the most widely popular. The "Jikkansho" lineage densho also had significant influence and played a certain role in spreading pronunciation norms.
In utai densho, there were articles that attached sesame marks to auxiliary verbs and iroha poems to indicate accent, as well as articles that described the prenasalization before voiced sounds. It was also discovered that the concept of "shisei" (the theory of four tones) from the "Jinkaisho" lineage had been incorporated into the works of Keichu and Motoori Norinaga. The knowledge accumulated in utai densho was considered a "basis for pronunciation norms" and was widely accepted during Edo period.

Free Research Field

日本語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、従来、近世の版本までしか調査されてこなかった謡伝書の日本語学的研究を写本の領域にまで拡大した点にある。これにより近世の謡伝書の記事は独自性の強いものではなく、それ以前の謡伝書の記事を継承していることが判明した。また、近世期の謡伝書には引き継がれなかった発音規範に関する記述も多数存在することが明らかになった。
社会的意義としては、日本の伝統芸能の一つである能の一領域に一定の貢献をしたことが挙げられる。能の謡は今日も多くの人々が嗜んでいる。中近世の日本人が謡の発音のどのような点に留意していたかを知ることは、今日謡を嗜む人々にとっても有益な情報であり、大きく役立つものと思われる。