Japanese Phonetics

Studying another #language, such as #Japanese, involves considering numerous components. These include #phonology, #morphology, #graphology, #syntax, #pragmatics, #deixis, and more. Understanding these components provides a solid foundation for mastering the fundamentals of Japanese conversation. Additionally, this awareness in which language is conveyed grants a deep understanding of how ideas are transmitted on both a surface and underlying level. With so much to explore, it's important to remember that every step you take in your #languageLearning journey is progress in itself.

Today I'd like to discuss some things I've learned about #JapanesePhonetics. Please note that I'm also still learning and plan to update this as I develop my understanding of Japanese. じゃあ、みんな。始めましょう？

Japanese Phonology

Japanese phonetics focuses on the study of sound production in the Japanese language. One noteworthy characteristic of Japanese phonology is its extensive use of Consonant/Vowel pairs, often referred to as C(V) patterns.

According to Wikipedia

In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract.

A vowel is a syllabic speech sound pronounced without any stricture in the vocal tract.

In #English, syllables serve as the fundamental building blocks for phonological structures. However, Japanese differs in this aspect, as it employs a unit called "#mora" as its basic phonological unit. Understanding the distinction between #syllables and mora requires some context on how syllables function.

In brief, syllables in English are combined with stress, which can be seen as a form of emphasis. The placement of stress within a word or sentence can vary between individuals, leading to different accents. On the other hand, Japanese phonetics focuses on timing and pitch. The way pitch descends (known as a #downstep) contributes to the differentiation of accents in Japanese.

While this explanation provides a condensed overview, it highlights the main idea that syllables in English are influenced by stress, emphasizing certain parts, while Japanese phonetics relies on timing and pitch variations, particularly in how the pitch descends, to distinguish accents among speakers.

Sequential Voicing (連濁/Rendaku) is another feature that is commonly found in Japanese. This describes a phenomenon where a compound word causes the non-initial component to become voiced.

Note: #Voiced and #unvoiced consonants refer to whether a consonant is being articulated such that the vocal cords are vibrating

Example:

おり + かみ --> おりがみ 「折り紙」
ori + kami --> origami
とき + とき --> ときどき 「時々」
toki + toki --> tokidoki

When you pronounce /k/ in kami, your vocal chords won't be vibrating, you can test this by gently placing your fingers anywhere near your vocal chords while producing the sound for yourself. /k/'s voiced counterpart is /g/. Performing this test while articulating the /g/ sound will demonstrate the vocal chords vibrating for one's self. Understanding this will also be useful in understanding diacritic marks/dakuten, which will be explained at another time

In Japanese phonetics, vowel and consonant length play a distinctive role. The duration at which a vowel or consonant is pronounced can fundamentally change the intended meaning of a word or phrase. It's important to note that while vowel and consonant length are significant, listeners can often understand the intended message based on contextual information.

#longVowels in Japanese are vowels that occupy two #morae in length. In #writingSystems like #Kana, long vowels are indicated by a special symbol called the chōonpu, which is represented as a line. The orientation of the chōonpu follows the direction of the written text. In horizontally written Japanese, the chōonpu is also written horizontally, while in vertically written Japanese, it is written vertically. It's important to note that the chōonpu is primarily used in #katakana, one of the syllabaries in the Japanese writing system.

katakana long vowel example:

コーヒー
kōhī

In #hiragana, long vowels are typically denoted by including a subsequent vowel #Kana. Though this is true, there are still cases where hiragana uses chōonpu.

hiragana long vowel example:

おばあさん
obaasan

#longConsonants are another distinctive feature found in Japanese, and are also referred to as consonant #geminates. Consonant geminates describes a phenomenon in which a consonant occupies two morae in length. Geminates are denoted by a small "っ" in hiragana, and a small "ッ" in katakana.

In conclusion, this brief introduction has touched upon a few aspects of Japanese phonetics. We've discussed the use of Consonant/Vowel pairs (C(V)), the difference between syllables and mora, and the importance of vowel and consonant length. We've also mentioned Sequential Voicing (Rendaku), the chōonpu symbol for long vowels, and the Kana for consonant gemination. However, it's important to note that this provides a limited overview of Japanese phonetic features. Japanese linguistics is a complex field with much more to explore. I hope this was helpful in furthering or reinforcing your understanding of the intricacies found in Japanese.

If there's interest for more of these types of posts, please let me know. Additionally, if there's anything that requires clarification, I'll do my best to revise/explain where applicable.