Abstract
This paper reports the results of the 2021 Nationwide Survey on Changes in the Japanese Language. Based on the results, the author points out the following.
– “Jibungoto” (one's own issue): the majority of respondents “have heard of this expression and do not find it incorrect.” The older, the higher percentage this response gets.
– “羽根布団” (feather duvet): the highest percentage of respondents (around 40%) pronounce it as “hane-buton” but write it as “羽根ふとん (hane-futon),” showing a mismatch between pronunciation and writing.
– “他人事” (somebody else's business): about two thirds of respondents pronounce it as “tanningoto.”
– “一段落”: “ichidanraku” (conventional pronunciation) and “hitodanraku” (newly emerged pronunciation) had almost the same numbers of supporters, which, however, showed a clear generation gap: the younger, the more people pronounce it as “hitodanraku.”
– “Ōku no katagata ni kite kudasai mashita” and “Ōku no katagata ga kite itadaki mashita” (We are happy that many people visiting us): both are grammatically incorrect, but more than 30%, respectively, do not find it incorrect.
– “Jōkyaku no nakani keganin wa arimasen deshita” (None of the passengers were injured): Almost half of the respondent were comfortable with this.
