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| {{short description|Japanese term for euphemistic speech}} | |||
| ⚫ | '''''Kotobagari''''' |
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| {{italics title}} | |||
| {{One source|date=January 2024}} | |||
| ⚫ | {{nihongo||言葉狩り|'''''Kotobagari'''''|"word hunting"}} is a sardonic term which refers to the reluctance to use words that are considered potentially offensive or ] in the ]. For instance words such as {{nihongo||癩|rai|"]"{{efn|See ]}}}}, {{nihongo||盲|mekura|"blind"}}, {{nihongo||聾|tsunbo|"deaf"}}, {{nihongo||唖|oshi|"deaf-mute"}}, ''kichigai'' ({{lang|ja|気違い}} or {{lang|ja|気狂い}}, "crazy"), {{nihongo||屠殺場|tosatsujō|"slaughterhouse"}}, and {{nihongo||白痴|hakuchi|"moron/retard"}} are currently not used by the majority of Japanese publishing houses; the publishers often refuse to publish writing which includes these words. | ||
| Another example is that a school janitor in Japan used to be called a {{nihongo||小使いさん|kozukai-san|"chore person"}}. Some felt that the word had a derogatory meaning, so it was changed to {{nihongo||用務員|yōmuin|"task person"}}. Now ''yōmuin'' is considered demeaning, so there is a shift to use {{nihongo||校務員|kōmuin|"school task member"}} or {{nihongo||管理作業員|kanrisagyōin|"maintenance member"}} instead. This pattern of change is an example of the linguistic phenomenon known as the "]". | |||
| Other examples of words which have become unacceptable include the replacement of the word {{nihongo||百姓|hyakushō}} for "farmer" with {{nihongo||農家|nōka}}. | |||
| ⚫ | ==Kotobagari and |
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| Kotobagari has lead to a bizarre collection of words that can be highly confusing. | |||
| Since World War II, the word '']'' ({{lang|ja|支那}}) for ] written in ] has been recognized as derogatory, and has been largely superseded by the Japanese pronunciation of the endonym, {{nihongo||中国|Chūgoku}}, or with ''Shina'' written in ] ({{lang|ja|シナ}}). | |||
| ], the Japanese Broadcasting Company runs a ] study program, but the language is called '']'' "Hangul language" to avoid being politically incorrect. This is a result of both the North and South Korean governments demanding that the program be called by the name of one country. ] wanted the show to be called ''Chosen language'' (朝鮮語) taken from its full name, 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 or Democratic People's Republic of Korea. ] wanted ''Kankoku language'' (韓国語) from 大韓民国 or Republic of Korea. As a compromise, ''Hangul'' was selected, but this has led to an amusing usage of non-existent ''Hangul language'' to refer to Korean language. <!--(It can be noted that in English, ''Hangul'' is sometimes similarly used in colloquial speech.) ed: by whom? I've never heard that…--> | |||
| <!--Isn't "hangul" used only in South Korea and not North Korea to refer to the Korean language? And doesn't "Hangul" just mean "the language of South Korea" so that hangul-go would mean "the language of the language of South Korea"? In contemporary spoken Japanese, "hangul" (ハングル) by itself without the "go" (語) part is far more common in my experience.--> | |||
| In the 1960s, the ] word {{nihongo||蒙古|Mōko}} meaning "]" was recognized for its connotation of a "stupid, ignorant, or immature" person (compare the English term "]"), and the ethnic group is now referred to by the katakana term {{nihongo||モンゴル|Mongoru}}.<ref>Bulag, Uradyn E. "Contesting the Words that Wound: Ethnicity and the Politics of Sentiment in China." ''Inner Asia'' 10.1 (2008): 87-111.</ref> | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ⚫ | ==''Kotobagari'' and ideology== | ||
| ] | |||
| {{original research section|date=October 2022}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ''Kotobagari'' has led to some confusing terminology. | |||
| ], the Japanese Broadcasting Company, runs a ] study program, but the language is referred to as "]".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.nhk.or.jp/gogaku/hangeul/|title=ハングルのテレビ番組・ラジオ番組 {{!}} NHKゴガク |author=NHK |website=www2.nhk.or.jp |language=ja |access-date=2017-06-08}}</ref> This is a result of both the North and South Korean governments demanding that the language be called by their respective preferred ] suffixed with "language" ({{lang|ja|語}}). ] wanted the show to be called ''Chōsen-go'' or "''Chōsen'' language" ({{lang|ja|朝鮮語}}), taken from the Japanese pronunciation of the full name of North Korea, {{nihongo||朝鮮民主主義人民共和国|Chōsen Minshu Shugi Jinmin Kyōwakoku}} or "Democratic People's Republic of Korea". ] wanted ''Kankoku-go'' or "''Kankoku'' language" ({{lang|ja|韓国語}}) from {{nihongo||大韓民国|Daikan Minkoku}} or "Republic of Korea". | |||
| As a compromise, "Hangul" was selected and Korean is referred to as "the language on this program" or "this language", but this has led to the use of the neologism "Hangul language" ({{lang|ja|ハングル語}}) to refer to the Korean language, which is technically incorrect since hangul itself is a writing system, not a language. | |||
| == Notes == | |||
| {{notelist}} | |||
| ==References== | |||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| ===Bibliography=== | |||
| * Gottlieb, Nanett (2006). Linguistic stereotyping and minority groups in Japan. Oxon: Routledge. {{ISBN|0415338034}}. | |||
| ] | |||
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Latest revision as of 14:46, 25 October 2024
Japanese term for euphemistic speech
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "Kotobagari" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2024) |
Kotobagari (言葉狩り, "word hunting") is a sardonic term which refers to the reluctance to use words that are considered potentially offensive or politically incorrect in the Japanese language. For instance words such as rai (癩, "leper"), mekura (盲, "blind"), tsunbo (聾, "deaf"), oshi (唖, "deaf-mute"), kichigai (気違い or 気狂い, "crazy"), tosatsujō (屠殺場, "slaughterhouse"), and hakuchi (白痴, "moron/retard") are currently not used by the majority of Japanese publishing houses; the publishers often refuse to publish writing which includes these words.
Another example is that a school janitor in Japan used to be called a kozukai-san (小使いさん, "chore person"). Some felt that the word had a derogatory meaning, so it was changed to yōmuin (用務員, "task person"). Now yōmuin is considered demeaning, so there is a shift to use kōmuin (校務員, "school task member") or kanrisagyōin (管理作業員, "maintenance member") instead. This pattern of change is an example of the linguistic phenomenon known as the "euphemism treadmill".
Other examples of words which have become unacceptable include the replacement of the word hyakushō (百姓) for "farmer" with nōka (農家).
Since World War II, the word Shina (支那) for China written in kanji has been recognized as derogatory, and has been largely superseded by the Japanese pronunciation of the endonym, Chūgoku (中国), or with Shina written in katakana (シナ).
In the 1960s, the Sino-Japanese word Mōko (蒙古) meaning "Mongol" was recognized for its connotation of a "stupid, ignorant, or immature" person (compare the English term "Mongoloid"), and the ethnic group is now referred to by the katakana term Mongoru (モンゴル).
Kotobagari and ideology
 | This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (October 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Kotobagari has led to some confusing terminology.
NHK, the Japanese Broadcasting Company, runs a Korean language study program, but the language is referred to as "Hangul". This is a result of both the North and South Korean governments demanding that the language be called by their respective preferred name of Korea suffixed with "language" (語). North Korea wanted the show to be called Chōsen-go or "Chōsen language" (朝鮮語), taken from the Japanese pronunciation of the full name of North Korea, Chōsen Minshu Shugi Jinmin Kyōwakoku (朝鮮民主主義人民共和国) or "Democratic People's Republic of Korea". South Korea wanted Kankoku-go or "Kankoku language" (韓国語) from Daikan Minkoku (大韓民国) or "Republic of Korea".
As a compromise, "Hangul" was selected and Korean is referred to as "the language on this program" or "this language", but this has led to the use of the neologism "Hangul language" (ハングル語) to refer to the Korean language, which is technically incorrect since hangul itself is a writing system, not a language.
Notes
- See Leprosy in Japan
References
- Bulag, Uradyn E. "Contesting the Words that Wound: Ethnicity and the Politics of Sentiment in China." Inner Asia 10.1 (2008): 87-111.
- NHK. "ハングルのテレビ番組・ラジオ番組 | NHKゴガク". www2.nhk.or.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2017-06-08.
Bibliography
- Gottlieb, Nanett (2006). Linguistic stereotyping and minority groups in Japan. Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 0415338034.