Sound alternation in Japanese numerals and classifiers:

A case of 七Natalie Dmytrenko & Rika Ito

Dept. of Asian StudiesSt. Olaf College

dmytrenko@stolaf.eduito@stolaf.edu

Midwest Seminar on Asian AffairsMacalester College

October 28-30, 2011

The issue

Japanese numerals:(1) 一、二、三、四、五、六、七、 八、九、 十 ichi 　 ni 　　 san shi/yo(n) go roku shichi/nana hachi ku/kyuu juu

Japanese classifier system(2) 〜本： slender objects 、〜枚： thin, flat objects(3) 一本、二本、三本　　 i-ppon (*ichi-hon), ni-hon, san-bon(4) 四本　　 yon-hon (*shi- *yo-)(5) shichi-nin or nana-nin

3 layers of Japanese lexicon

Strata Numerals Classifiers Native Japanese hito-, futa- mi- 粒 tsubu

棟 mune羽 wa

Sino-Japanese ichi, ni, san, etc. 番 ban年 nen人 nin

Loanwords wan, tsuu, surii, (extremely rare) メートル meetoru

ページ peejiドル doru

Table 1: 3 strata of Japanese words with the examples of numeralsand classifiers

Dominance of SJ numerals1. ”diachronic transition in the Japanese classifier

system –the native classifier system is being replaced with the Sino classifier system” (Shimojo, 1997, cited in Amazaki 2006: 5).

2. “…some speakers appear to feel uneasy using classifiers collocated with the indigenous numerals above 'four' or 'five,' switching to Sino-Japanese numeral at that point although indigenous forms are available through 'ten’” (cited in Downing, 1996:48).

七： Special case?

"Interestingly, the native numeral nana is interchangeably used as the Chinese numeral shichi in many cases" (Amazaki 2006:4).

“Shi and shichi are in some cases avoided because their similarity in sound may lead to confusion” 　 (Vaccari 1937)

Downing (1996: 47)

Combination of Numeral & classifier

Downing (1996: 47)

“Exceptions”

Treatment in Japanese textbooks

Data & Methodology

• Online survey form (SurveyMonkey)• Distributed to native Japanese speakers who

teach Japanese in North America• Data was collected in early fall of 2011• 50 respondents • Demographic information (such as age,

gender, home town) was collected

Overall Results:

1. SJ is most preferred: 七味 （しちみ）2. NJ = SJ is the highest, (i.e., a mountain like

shape) : １７、７人、７年、７時間3. NJ > SJ >> NJ only >> NJ = SJ >> SJ > NJ >> SJ

only ：７番目、７本、７ヶ月、７分、７羽4. NJ only >> NJ > SJ >> NJ = SJ >> SJ > NJ >> SJ

only ： All others (SJ classifiers such as ７階、７回、 All other NJ classifiers except ７羽、 Loan classifiers)

NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0

10

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80

十七七番七番目七回七階

Figure 1: Pronunciation of 十七、七番、七番目、七回＆七階 (SJ classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages 　

NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

七個七頭七足七人七通

Figure ２ : Pronunciation of 七個、七頭、七足、七人＆七通 (i.e., SJ classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages 　

NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0

10

20

30

40

50

60

七冊七本七年七ヶ月七週間

Figure 3: Pronunciation of 七冊、七本、七年、七ヶ月＆七週 (i.e., SJ classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages 　

NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0

10

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40

50

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70

80

90

七時間七分七味

Figure 4: Pronunciation of 七時間、七分 ＆七味 by 50 native speakers in percentages 　

NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0

10

20

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50

60

70

七部屋七棟七羽七株七粒

Figure 5: Pronunciation of 七部屋、七棟、七羽、七株 ＆七粒　 (i.e., Native classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages 　

NJ only NJ > SJ NJ = SJ SJ > NJ SJ only0

10

20

30

40

50

60

七ポンド七ドル七セント七ページ七メートル

Figure 6: Pronunciation of 七ポンド、七ドル、七セント、七ページ ＆七メートル　 (i.e., Loan classifiers) by 50 native speakers in percentages 　

Findings:

• Nana is preferred over shichi in general• Loan and native classifiers prefer to nana • Handful SJ classifiers allow both nana & shichi

equally ( １７、７人、７年、７時間 )• The results do not really match with the

treatment in the textbooks

Implication to teaching of JPN

• More explanation: – Acknowledgement of complexity of the issue

• Specific ones (17 、７人、７年、７時間） なな／しち

• All others なな (especially at the elementary level)

Future questions

• Beyond 七 ( 四、九、＆ 十）• Regional difference?• Age difference?

Data collection from college students from different regions of Japan (Hokkaido, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyushu, etc.)

• Why do certain classifiers allow nana/shichi equally?

References

Comments from respondents

Context matters:• 「野球の・・・」とくれば四番（よばん）、

三番の次の人、となれば「四番（よんばん）」かな

Never noticed beforeInteresting!