Japanese Words for "Funeral" : the Formation of Dialectical Distribution and Related Societal Factors

Abstract

In this paper, by specifically focusing on the word for "funeral" out of the many words related to folk rituals, the author seeks to clarify how societal factors such as the way funeral rites are conducted and the concept of "phase" (iso, 位相) relate to the formation of dialectical distribution. First, data on the dialectical variants of the word "funeral" was collected from nation-wide surveys. Then, using this data in combination with literary history, the author reconstructed the history of the word "funeral" while keeping an eye out for controversial or problematic points. By considering these points in conjunction with changes in funeral rites, the author was able to resolve areas of doubt and arrive at a conclusion, namely that the terms names "okuri," "dabi," "sorei," "soren," "tomurai," "jambon," and "soshiki" for "funeral" found in a dialectical distribution survey, developed in a way that corresponds to three stages of change in ordinary people's funeral rites, and this is reflected in the formation of the dialectical distribution itself. Moreover, it became clear that the diffusion of these terms, which transcended the bounds of "phase", is linked to dialect formation.