kotobagari
Sign in to saveAlso known as kotoba-gari, word hunt, word hunting
is a sardonic term which refers to the reluctance to use words that are considered potentially offensive or politically incorrect in the Japanese language. For instance words such as , , , , kichigai ( or , "crazy"), , and are currently not used by the majority of Japanese publishing houses; the publishers often refuse to publish writing which includes these words.
~3 min read
Article
4 sectionsContents
- ''Kotobagari'' and ideology
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
is a sardonic term which refers to the reluctance to use words that are considered potentially offensive or politically incorrect in the Japanese language. For instance words such as , , , , kichigai ( or , "crazy"), , and are currently not used by the majority of Japanese publishing houses; the publishers often refuse to publish writing which includes these words.
Another example is that a school janitor in Japan used to be called a . Some felt that the word had a derogatory meaning, so it was changed to . Now yōmuin is considered demeaning, so there is a shift to use or instead. This pattern of change is an example of the linguistic phenomenon known as the "euphemism treadmill".