／＼ – repeat last two kana/kanji (often voiced) Spelling Differences ヽ – repeat katakana (ヾ indicates voicing on the repeat) ゝ – repeat hiragana (ゞ indicates voicing on the repeat)
Those, and the following symbols you will have to know for this guide: You may have also noticed two too many symbols in each set, the characters for “wi” and “we”. You can find a more extensive Man’yougana chart with 甲 and 乙 distinctions at the end of this page. Ok, you don’t have to memorize that last one (Man’yougana weren’t strictly standardized), but be aware that reading texts such as the Man’youshuu from source may require you to read or decipher Man’yougana as well as add in voicings based on context. What Do I Need to Know First?įirst make sure you have a basic understanding of Japanese, and make sure you know the Syllabary, Spelling Differences, and be prepared to encounter some Kanji Differences. Superficially, it will impress your professors, and eventually you can ask questions they cannot readily answer. Most irregular grammatical behavior in modern Japanese can be explained by specific rules in classical Japanese, so on a practical level, it can help you remember and better utilize modern Japanese as well. Japanese high school students all study the classics as part of their basic education, and that includes Classical Japanese. Lyrics and poetry often tend to use classical or mock classical language. Most dialects can be explained by a combination of sound changes and varying usage of Classical Japanese. Classical Japanese, apart from being used in official documents and aspects of it tested in the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), grammar based heavily on Classical Japanese will appear in light novels, manga, and even anime. In fact, many classical grammatical structures are used in modern Japanese, just in slightly altered or restricted forms.Īt least a basic understanding of classical Japanese is essential for an advanced understanding of modern Japanese. (Pre-Nara Japanese is sometimes refered to as Ancient Japanese, but while the subject will be lightly touched on, it is not the focus of this guide.) While the Edo period usually marks the ending point of Classical Japanese, language that follows the rules of Classical Japanese is still utilized in written form long afterwards, used either for poetic or official effect, so the line is blurred. What is “Classical Japanese” and Why Should I Study It?Ĭlassical Japanese is an umbrella term referring to the Japanese language as it existed in written form spanning from the Nara period (710-794) to the Edo period (1603-1868).
This guide is sourced by my own experience, Oubunsha’s “10th Edition National Language Dictionary” and its “4th Edition Fully Explained Classical Language Dictionary”, Haruo Shirane’s “Classical Japanese – A Grammar”, and kotobank.jp’s many dictionary sources, and finally ’s ancient language and etymological dictionaries. If you have a specific question, please contact me at my email and I will do my best to answer, as well as make additions to the guide if it can clarify a certain point. I will use, for the most part, real examples written hundreds of years ago, but I cannot guarantee an exhaustive list. Some of my assertions about word structures or origins is disputed, but where discrepancies occur I will do my best to refer to conflicting opinions about a certain topic. It is my aim to make this the most comprehensive and accurate English language guide to “文語/Bungo/Literary Language”, “古文/Kobun/Classical Language”, and its direct influences on spoken and “modern” Japanese, including dialects old and new. ***Everything Under the Bar is from Version 1.0 and Much More Prone to Error*** …and you thought your cursive was hard to read.
0 kommentar(er)
