Profanity in the Japanese language can pertain to scatological references or aim to put down the listener by negatively commenting on their ability, intellect, or appearance.[1] Furthermore, there are different levels of Japanese speech that indicate politeness, social standing and respect,[2] referred to, simply, as honorific form (敬語 keigo).[3] Using the incorrect form of Japanese can itself be insulting to the listener.[4]

Language-based profanity

Swearing depicted in cartoon

In Japanese culture, social hierarchy plays a significant role in the way someone speaks to the various people they interact with on a day-to-day basis.[5] Choice on level of speech, politeness, body language and appropriate content is assessed on a situational basis,[6] and intentional misuse of these social cues can be offensive to the listener in conversation.[2]

Pronouns and suffixes

Pronouns are rarely used in Japanese compared to English. Rather, a Japanese speaker would refer to another individual, whether it be in the second person or third person, by their family name. However, when referring to an individual, the use of suffixes on pronouns can be used to indicate levels of politeness.[6]

For example, in English one could say "Excuse me, Ms. Ishiyama, but I cannot hear you. Could you please speak louder?", the following would be an incorrect translation:

(1) 石山先生、すみませんが私はあなたを聞こえません。あなたはもっと大きい声で話してくれませんか？ (Ishiyama-sensei, sumimasen ga watashi wa anata wo kikoemasen. Anata wa motto ōkii koe de hanashitekuremasen ka?)

Japanese exhibits pronoun avoidance, meaning that using pronouns is often too direct in Japanese, and considered offensive or strange.[6] One would not use pronouns for oneself, 私 (watashi, 'I'), or for another, あなた (anata, 'you'), but instead would omit pronouns for oneself, and call the other person by name:

(2) 石山先生、すみませんが、聞こえません。もっと大きい声で話してくれませんか？ (Ishiyama-sensei, sumimasen ga, kikoemasen. Motto ōkii koe de hanashitekuremasen ka?)

The use of 'Ishiyama' (石山) instead of her first name and the use of 'teacher' (先生, sensei) as a suffix indicates recognition of Ms. Ishiyama's superiority in the social hierarchy as one's teacher.

In contrast, if one were to say:

(3) ごめん、聞こえない。もっと大きい声で言って。 (Gomen, kikoenai. Motto ōkii koe de itte.)

to one's teacher, it would be considered incredibly impolite. Ms. Ishiyama's status is not mentioned, indicating that the speaker considers themselves to be of equal or high social standing.

Honorific language

Profanity can be accentuated also through use (or lack) of honorific language (敬語 けいご keigo). Following on from pronouns and suffixes in the example above, the speaker has contracted the words for 'excuse me/sorry' (すみません sumimasen to ごめん gomen), 'I cannot hear you' (聞こえません kikoemasen to 聞こえない kikoenai) and 'can you speak' (話してくれませんか hanashitekuremasenka to 言って itte).

Politeness can be conveyed to the listener by conjugating plain forms (verb stems) of Japanese verbs into what is called the polite form.[7]

Consider the original example. The plain form verb for 'listen' is 聞く kiku. The potential form[8] of this is 聞こえる kikoeru, and the corresponding negative form is 聞こえない kikoenai.[9] The polite conjugation of the negative potential plain form is then 聞こえません kikoemasen, as seen in the example (1). In example (3) the speaker has chosen to use the plain form 聞こえない kikoenai, and this indicates a disregard for the social hierarchical status of Ms Ishiyama over the speaker.

Japanese women dressed in kimono bowing to each other in formal greeting in a tatami room

Bowing

Bowing was introduced into Japanese culture c. 500–800 CE, possibly alongside the introduction of Chinese Buddhism into the country. Bowing when greeting another person has become a large part of Japanese culture and there are specific customs that are followed to show humility and respect in situations including business meetings, formal occasions, and day-to-day interactions.[10] When performing a standing bow (正立 seiritsu) to another Japanese speaker, the individual's back should remain straight, with their hands by their side, and eyes averted to the ground. From sitting, the individual should be seated on their knees (正座 seiza) with their hands forming a triangle on the floor in front of them, and head moving towards the hands.[10] The bow does not need to be held for extended time, however the action should not be rushed either. The speed in which the bow is performed, as a result, can infer levels of politeness or rudeness.

The depth of the bow performed by an individual changes the meaning of the bow. A bow of 15 degrees is considered a casual bow or greeting bow (会釈 eshaku). This sort of bow can be used with someone of equal social hierarchical status such as a colleague or friend's friend. A bow of 30 degrees is considered a polite bow (浅礼 senrei) and should be made from seiza, not from seiritsu. This sort of bow is used in semi-formal situations. A bow of 45 degrees is a respectful bow (敬礼 keirei) and can be done while seated or standing. The respectful bow is used when greeting a superior such as an employer, or in-laws. Finally, a deep bow of greater than 45 degrees is called a reverent bow (最敬礼 saikeirei) and this is reserved either for an audience with the emperor or to communicate a deep reverence or regret.

With regards to profanity, using an overly polite or reverent form of bowing can display sarcasm and disdain, and conversely, choosing an inappropriately familial bow can be offensive to the other party.

Vocabulary

The Japanese media industry self-censors by adopting the Hōsō kinshi yōgo (放送禁止用語), a list of words prohibited from broadcasting.[11] Not all words on the list are profanities, and the list has been accused of excessively limiting freedom of speech by bowing to political correctness (in Japanese, kotobagari). For example, the name of professional wrestler Bobo Brazil has at times been censored because bobo (ボボ), an obscure dialectal term for 'vagina',[12] is on the list.[13]

Sex

Similar to English, profanities that relate to the body tend to refer to the direct words for body parts and may not necessarily be negative words.[1][14]

Male profanities

Female profanities

Neutral profanities

Insults

Common Japanese insults

Stupidity

Personality/people

Racial euphemisms

Japan has managed to preserve its culture, which was highly influenced by Chinese culture, through isolation from other countries. Prior to the World Wars, Japan had unstable relationships with the nations surrounding them, including Korea and China. Following the World Wars, Japanese civilization experienced exposure to Western culture, and this resulted in a range of insults with regards to nationality, race, and place of origin.[15]

Homosexuality

References

  1. ^ a b "What are some Japanese insults and swear-words?". www.sljfaq.org. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  2. ^ a b "What is Japanese respect language?". www.sljfaq.org. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  3. ^ thanasiskaravasilis (21 January 2015). "7 Major Japanese Dialects You Oughta Know | FluentU Japanese". Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  4. ^ by. "The Honorific Form, the Humble Form, and the Polite Form". Wasabi - Learn Japanese Online. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  5. ^ "Japanese: A Heavily Culture-Laden Language". immi.se. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  6. ^ a b c "Japanese Language - Understanding and Intepreting Japanese". The Great Courses Daily. 2017-02-14. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  7. ^ "Japanese Verb Forms". www.coscom.co.jp. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  8. ^ Kim, Tae (2017-10-16). "Potential Form". Learn Japanese. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  9. ^ "Japanese Grammar - Negative Plain Form of Verbs | PuniPuniJapan". 28 December 2013. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  10. ^ a b Suzuki, Mami (2015-10-23). "Bowing in Japan". Tofugu. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  11. ^ 放送禁止用語一覧（2010.01.13版） [List of words banned from broadcasting (01/13/2010 ver.)] (PDF) (in Japanese).
  12. ^ "「ぼぼ」の意味や使い方 わかりやすく解説 Weblio辞書" [Meaning and usage of "bobo" - Simple explanation - Weblio Dictionary]. www.weblio.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  13. ^ "言論・表現の自由はどこに……「放送禁止用語」の厳しすぎる自主規制" [What about freedom of speech and expression...? The very strict self-limitations of the "hōsō kinshi yōgo"]. ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-09-21.
  14. ^ "human reproductive system | Definition, Diagram & Facts". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  15. ^ "Hirohito". HISTORY. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
  16. ^ Tanabe, Shunsuke (2010-08-16). "Japanese Perspectives on "Asia"" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2019-05-17.
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