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Sound alternation in Japanese numerals and classifiers:
A case of 七Natalie Dmytrenko & Rika Ito
Dept. of Asian StudiesSt. Olaf College
[email protected]@stolaf.edu
Midwest Seminar on Asian AffairsMacalester College
October 28-30, 2011
The issue
Japanese numerals:(1) 一、二、三、四、五、六、七、 八、九、 十 ichi ni san shi/yo(n) go roku shichi/nana hachi ku/kyuu juu
Japanese classifier system(2) 〜本: slender objects 、〜枚: thin, flat objects(3) 一本、二本、三本 i-ppon (*ichi-hon), ni-hon, san-bon(4) 四本 yon-hon (*shi- *yo-)(5) shichi-nin or nana-nin
3 layers of Japanese lexicon
Strata Numerals Classifiers Native Japanese hito-, futa- mi- 粒 tsubu
棟 mune羽 wa
Sino-Japanese ichi, ni, san, etc. 番 ban年 nen人 nin
Loanwords wan, tsuu, surii, (extremely rare) メートル meetoru
ページ peejiドル doru
Table 1: 3 strata of Japanese words with the examples of numeralsand classifiers
Dominance of SJ numerals1. ”diachronic transition in the Japanese classifier
system –the native classifier system is being replaced with the Sino classifier system” (Shimojo, 1997, cited in Amazaki 2006: 5).
2. “…some speakers appear to feel uneasy using classifiers collocated with the indigenous numerals above 'four' or 'five,' switching to Sino-Japanese numeral at that point although indigenous forms are available through 'ten’” (cited in Downing, 1996:48).
七: Special case?
"Interestingly, the native numeral nana is interchangeably used as the Chinese numeral shichi in many cases" (Amazaki 2006:4).
“Shi and shichi are in some cases avoided because their similarity in sound may lead to confusion” (Vaccari 1937)
Downing (1996: 47)
Combination of Numeral & classifier
Downing (1996: 47)
“Exceptions”
Treatment in Japanese textbooks
Data & Methodology
• Online survey form (SurveyMonkey)• Distributed to native Japanese speakers who
teach Japanese in North America• Data was collected in early fall of 2011• 50 respondents • Demographic information (such as age,
gender, home town) was collected
Overall Results:
1. SJ is most preferred: 七味 (しちみ)2. NJ = SJ is the highest, (i.e., a mountain like
shape) : 17、7人、7年、7時間3. NJ > SJ >> NJ only >> NJ = SJ >> SJ > NJ >> SJ
only :7番目、7本、7ヶ月、7分、7羽4. NJ only >> NJ > SJ >> NJ = SJ >> SJ > NJ >> SJ
only : All others (SJ classifiers such as 7階、7回、 All other NJ classifiers except 7羽、 Loan classifiers)
NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
十七七番七番目七回七階
Figure 1: Pronunciation of 十七、七番、七番目、七回&七階 (SJ classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages
NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
七個七頭七足七人七通
Figure 2 : Pronunciation of 七個、七頭、七足、七人&七通 (i.e., SJ classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages
NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0
10
20
30
40
50
60
七冊七本七年七ヶ月七週間
Figure 3: Pronunciation of 七冊、七本、七年、七ヶ月&七週 (i.e., SJ classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages
NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
七時間七分七味
Figure 4: Pronunciation of 七時間、七分 &七味 by 50 native speakers in percentages
NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
七部屋七棟七羽七株七粒
Figure 5: Pronunciation of 七部屋、七棟、七羽、七株 &七粒 (i.e., Native classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages
NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0
10
20
30
40
50
60
七ポンド七ドル七セント七ページ七メートル
Figure 6: Pronunciation of 七ポンド、七ドル、七セント、七ページ &七メートル (i.e., Loan classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages
Findings:
• Nana is preferred over shichi in general• Loan and native classifiers prefer to nana • Handful SJ classifiers allow both nana & shichi
equally ( 17、7人、7年、7時間 )• The results do not really match with the
treatment in the textbooks
Implication to teaching of JPN
• More explanation: – Acknowledgement of complexity of the issue
• Specific ones (17 、7人、7年、7時間) なな/しち
• All others なな (especially at the elementary level)
Future questions
• Beyond 七 ( 四、九、& 十)• Regional difference?• Age difference?
Data collection from college students from different regions of Japan (Hokkaido, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyushu, etc.)
• Why do certain classifiers allow nana/shichi equally?
References
Comments from respondents
Context matters:• 「野球の・・・」とくれば四番(よばん)、
三番の次の人、となれば「四番(よんばん)」かな
Never noticed beforeInteresting!