Tension between the “internal” [uchi] and the “external” [soto] as the forming principle of the Japanese language
| Title in English | Tension between the “internal” (uchi) and the “external” (soto) as the forming principle of the Japanese language |
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| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | In the present talk I will borrow the conceptual dichotomy of uchi and soto (“internal” and “external”), commonly used in anthropological approaches to Japanese culture and society, and I will present the tension between the internal and external pressures as in fact one of the main forming mechanisms leading to the form of the present-day Japanese. I will argue that the effects go far beyond the structural changes within the lexicon or grammar (i.e., the abstract system), as they are to be seen in the area of textual genres as well. Finally, the tension between uchi and soto aspects of language contact includes the language policies and social discourse regarding the position of the Japanese language in the context of its use. |