This study analyzed phonetic variations in the pronunciation of modern Japanese loanwords based on a nationwide recording survey of 201 respondents. The study found two main types of loanword pronunciation - a "newer type" that more closely approximates the original pronunciation, and an "older type" that retains more Japanese phonetic characteristics. The "newer type" was used more by younger generations, males, and in the Kanto region, while the "older type" reflected regional dialects and was used where sounds were difficult for Japanese speakers. The study provided insight into how loanword pronunciation is changing over time and generations to become more similar to the original.

1. Study on Phonetic
Variation of Modern
Japanese Loanwords
Keiichi Takamaru and Akemi Yamashita

2. Aim of this study
• To analyze the variants of pronunciation
of loanwords as seen in a nationwide
recording survey.
• To elucidate the differences in the
pronunciation of loanword according to
generation and region.
2
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3. Loanwords in Japanese
• Loanwords are written by katakana.
• Katakana is a syllable-based phonetic writing
system of Japanese language.
• Loanwords are basically pronounced according
to the katakana notation.
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1
49%2
34%
loanwords
9%
4
8%
(NINJAL 2006:38)
Gairaigo (loanwords):
European origin after the
arrival of Christian
missionaries in the 16th
century

4. Writing of loanwords in Katakana
• The katakana notation of loanwords
have some variations.
• Example: violin
• Common notation of katakana:
バイオリン (ba-i-o-ɾi-N)
• Another notation:
ヴァイオリン (va-i-o-ɾi-N)
• Both notations are accepted.
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5. Pronunciation of Loanwords
• The pronunciation can also vary.
• Pronunciation of original language can
influence pronunciation of loanwords.
• Japanese has dialectal differences within
its phonological system.
• It may influence pronunciation of
loanwords.
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6. Nationwide recording survey
• Illustrations or Katakana of loanwords
are shown to respondents.
• The respondents would pronounce
the loanwords in their usual way.
• Pronunciation is recorded
with IC recorders.
• There were 32 target loanwords.
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7. • Illustrations or Katakana of loanwords
are shown to respondents.
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632．What do you call this?
You use this when you sleep
in the Western style room.
(beddo, betto)
(translated words in English)
11 words
32 words
Nationwide recording survey

8. • Illustrations or Katakana of loanwords
are shown to respondents.
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･･･
(fight)
(film)
(office)
(fence)
(folk dance)
(gesture)
21 words
32 words
Nationwide recording survey

9. The respondents
• The Number of respondents are 201.
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10. 6
3
3
11
3
2
3
3
7
3
4
3
5
3
7
35
3
3
3
3
33
3
32
4
3
3
5
2
3
7
3
25
3 3
4 36
3
3 0
3
0
6
4
6
5
4
3
2
1
area
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Hokkaido & Tohoku region
Kanto region
Chubu region
Kinki region
Chugoku & Shikoku region
Kyushu & Okinawa region

11. Analyzing the recorded speeches
• Two or more researchers listened to speech
samples under the same conditions.
• Praat* was used for analyzing sounds to
confirm the results when there was
disagreement on the listening observation.
• Loanwords are classified into 2 groups:
1. Showed a newer type of pronunciation
2. Showed a older type of pronunciation
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*Praat http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/

12. Overview of the analysis
• Group 1: Showed newer pronunciation
• 3 typical variations:
1. ʃiː → siː
2. tsɯː → tɯː
3. tʃi → ti
• Approaching to original pronunciation
• Ratio of newer pronunciation is not so high.
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waɴ tsɯːsɯriː waɴ tɯːɵɯriː
tsɯːrisɯto tɯːrisɯto
eː biː ʃiː eː biː siː
bitamiɴ ʃiː bitamiɴ siː
ʃiɴgaː siɴgaː
pɯras(ɯ)tʃikk(ɯ) pɯlas(ɯ)tikk(ɯ)

13. Group 1: newer type of pronunciation
• By region
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East West

14. Group 1: newer type of pronunciation
• By gender
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15. Group 1: newer type of pronunciation
• By generation
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16. Overview of the analysis
• Group 2: Showed older type of pronunciation
• 6 typical variations:
1. diː → deː
tiː → teː
2. fV → ɸɯV
3. fo → ho
4. wi → ɯi
we → ɯe
5. dʒe → dze
6. devoicing of word-final voiced double consonant
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keːdeːdeː keːdiːdiː
aidea aidia
ɸɯaito faito
ɸɯirɯmɯ firɯmɯ
ɸɯens(ɯ) fens(ɯ)
hoːkɯ foːkɯ
ɯis(ɯ)kiː wis(ɯ)kiː
ɯedeɴg(ɯ) wediɴg(ɯ)
eɴdzerɯ eɴdʒerɯ
dzes(ɯ)tʃaː dʒes(ɯ)tʃaː
dzeː aːrɯ dʒeː aːrɯ
bakk(ɯ) bagg(ɯ)
betto beddo
enɯ teːteː enɯ tiːtiː
piː teː eː piː tiː eː
ʃiteːkaɴkak(ɯ) ʃitiːkaɴkak(ɯ)
ais(ɯ) teː ais(ɯ) tiː

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Correspondence analysis

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Western
Part
Eastern
Part
Correspondence analysis
[1] Senior
fV → ɸɯV and so on
[2] Eastern Part
devoicing
wV → ɯV
[3] Eastern & Senior
diː → deː
tiː → teː

19. • /ɸɯV/ is used by Senior.
• ɸɯirɯmɯ (film), oɸɯisɯ (office),
ɸɯens(ɯ) (fence), ɸɯaito (fight)
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20. • Largely observed in Eastern part of Japan
• ɯis(ɯ)kiː, ɯedeɴg(ɯ)
• bakk(ɯ), betto
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East West

21. • /diː/→ /deː/ and /tiː/→ /teː/ are used by
Senior in eastern part of Japan
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22. Conclusions
• Newer-type Pronunciation:
• Frequently in capital region, male, middle-aged
• Phonemes which are difficult to articulate are
not adopted even by young people.
• Older-type pronunciation:
• Not difficult to articulate for Japanese
• Changed (or changing) approaching to original
• Lexicalization of old-type loanwords
• Dialectal characteristics
• Difficulty of articulation of the phoneme
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23. References
• Inoue, Fumio (2010) “P.T.A. no chi, te, thi, henka” Kotoba no sanpomichi
146. Nihongo-gaku Vol.28-9.Meiji shoin
• Hayano, Shingo (1996) “Gairaigo hatsuon no henka–/ti/, /di/ ni tsuite–”
Shutoken no gengoseitai–Kanto.
• Housou Yougo Iinkai (2012, 2015) “gairaigo no hyouki ni tsuite” housou
kenkyu to chousa
• National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics (2006) “Loanword
and modern society”, Shin Kotoba shiriizu 19.
• Okada, Shohei (2014) “How is “Twitter” rendered in katakana?: When
Japanese speakers make loanwords, which do they make much of the
original pronunciation and of Japanese Pronunciation” Bulletin of the
Faculty of Education. Humanities and Social Sciences, Niigata University.
• Ozaki, Yoshimitsu (2010) “Gairaion wa genzai donokurai fukyu
shiteiruka?” Takakuteki Approach niyoru gendai nihongo no dotai no
kaimei kenkyukai.
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24. Loanwords shown by illustrations
• (355) bed
• (356) ink
• (357) whisky
• (358) wedding cake
• (359) plastic
• (360) handbag
• (361) idea
• (362) JR (Japan Railway)
• (363) violin
• (364-1) KDD (Kokusai Denshin Dewa Corporation)
• (364-2) NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
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(translated words in English)
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25. Loanwords shown by Katakana
• (278) ABC
• (279) fight
• (280) film
• (281) office
• (282) fence
• (283) folk dance
• (284) gesture
• (285) angel
• (286) producer
• (287) one, two, three
• (289) iced tea
• (290) PTA
• (291) weak team
• (292) (sense of) city
• (293) (a big) shepherd
• (294) blue sheet
• (295) blue seat
• (296) blue seal
• (297) (for) tourist
• (298) (best) singer
• (299) vitamin C
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(translated words in English)
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