is a linguistic theory put forward by Japanese folklorist
Yanagita Kunio explaining the usage of certain words in a language used in some regions while not in others. The theory may also explain the existence of other
cultural
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human Society, societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, and habits of the ...
features, or lack thereof, in differing regions; though it was specifically created to address linguistic differences.
Overview
In general, the theory states that new words, often
synonyms
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
, are created in influential areas and cultural centers. Over time, these words gradually move outward to less culturally influential areas in a
ripple pattern. Over time, the new words may travel a great distance. However, during their slow progression outwards from the cultural center, new words are also being created and gradually moving outwards. New words may not have the "momentum" necessary to propagate to all areas where the language is used. Typically, areas that are farthest away from a cultural center will possess only the oldest form of a word and no others, though the new words often still remain active in the cultural center where they were created, along with other synonym variations.
Origin
This theory was postulated by
Yanagita Kunio to explain the existence of some words in cultural centers, such as the capital of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, during various stages of the nation's history, and the lack of those such words in non-cultural centers. It is not certain if his postulate was the first to describe such cultural patterns in general; or merely with respect to language.
Example
One phenomenon the theory attempts to explain, for example, is the
Japanese word for
snail, particularly prior to the
Meiji period. In
Kyoto, the capital of Japan around the time of the
Edo period, there were as many as four different words for snail: ''dedemushi'' (ででむし), ''maimai'' (まいまい), ''katatsumuri'' (かたつむり), and ''tsuburi'' (つぶり). In the areas outside the capital, not all of these words existed. As one traveled farther from the capital, the number of synonyms employed decreased. In the farthest reaches of Japan in the North and the South, typically only one word for "snail" was used.
Coincidentally, often the same single word existed in both places (in this case ''tsuburi'' (つぶり)), despite the great distance between the regions. Some
linguists
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
have taken this existence of some words in the farthest regions from cultural centers as an indication of the age of certain of these words.
See also
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Dialects of Japanese
The dialects of the Japanese language fall into two primary clades, Eastern (including Tokyo) and Western (including Kyoto), with the dialects of Kyushu and Hachijō Island often distinguished as additional branches, the latter perhaps the most di ...
*
Topolect
*
Fangyan
*
American English regional vocabulary
References
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Sociolinguistics
Historical linguistics
Japanese language
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