Abstract
This paper presents the findings from the Nationwide Survey on Changes in the Japanese Language, an annual survey series conducted by NHK to understand the current status.
[Emerging expressions and usages]
・In terms of the four emerging usages, “Keisotsuni renraku shite kudasai” (“Carelessly contact me” instead of “Feel free to…,” “arubaito wo tobu” (fly from a part-time job, meaning leaving without notice), “isshō sumaho wo ijitteiru” (I forever scroll my phone instead of always), and “hisashiku atta” (met someone in ages instead of for the first time in ages), overall, the majority chose “strange – would not use myself.” Meanwhile, for “Shinpuruni ureshii” (“Simply, I’m glad,” meaning “I’m really glad,” the most common response chose “not strange – would use myself.” The emerging usages of “tobu” and “isshō” showed high approval and frequency of use particularly among young people in their twenties.
[Grammar]
・More people supported the expression“tokoni fusete iru”over“tokoni fusette iru” (bedridden with illness)
・In terms of “a verb plus nikui/zurai,” it is conventionally considered that “zurai” is less common for unintentional actions, but for “wakari nikui/zurai” (difficult to understand) and “mie nikui/zurai” (“difficult to see”), “zurai” was relatively well accepted.
・While “-wo kaiten saseru” (make something rotate), “-wo genshō saseru” (to make something decrease) were preferred over “-wo kaiten suru” (rotate something) and “-wo genshō suru” (decrease something), there was little difference in preference between “-wo zōka saseru” (make something increase) and “-wo zōka suru” (to increase something).
・Regarding “ra nuki kotoba” (‘ra’-dropped words, using “reru” instead of “rareru”), as many as three-quarters of respondents said they “use” “kirenai” (cannot wear) and “taberenai” (cannot eat). However, for these two phrases, the proportion of people who felt it “acceptable to use them in formal situations” was not necessarily high, which suggests that “ra nuki kotoba” is often used selectively depending on the situation, such as being used in daily speech but avoided for formal occasions.
[-sasete itadaku]
・Regarding (a) “Negi wo ire sasete itadaitemo yoroshii desuka?” (would you allow me to add the spring onions?) and (b) “Negi wo oire shitemo yoroshii desuka?” (Is it all right if I add the spring onions?), among respondents aged 30 to 70, support for (a) “ire sasete itadaitemo”—the expression using the “-sasete itadaku” form— increased as age rose, while support for the basic humble expression (b) “oire shitemo” decreased.
