Abstract
In the paper, the difference and sameness of the road images between Japanese and French, German, English are investigated. Many sorts of words of road were picked up from these four languages first, and then the original meaning of the words were inquired from the etimological viewpoint. The road images were discussed and compared by means of these original meanings finally. As a result, the basic road images of Japanese were classified into following six categories. (1) as a orientation indicator (2) as a space for passing (3) as a element to divide and enclose houses (4) as a element of connecting (5) as a thing having long streching form (6) as a way of go and back, former two are pure Japanese images and the latter four are Chinese-Japanese ones. On the other hand, the basic images of French, German and English were classified into nine categories. (1) as a breaked way (2) as a way to reach (3) as a way of paved or unpaved (4) as a space for rambling (5) as a trodden way (6) as a way on wall (7) as a way beside water (8) as a horse riding way (9) as a city boundary element.
