Naohiro_cellphonemessage

Ke Peng| Student’s Presentations for Languages & Cultures of East Asia

Writing in Cell Pone Text Messages among Young People in Japan By Naohiro Horie University of Arizona

Why cell phone text messages is used instead of phone call Price
Convenience
Writers do not need to worry about bothering the receiver
Opportunity to revise a message


What is the features in cell phone text messages in Japan Non-standard script choices.
Non-standard letter choices
Use of e-moji (picture letters), Kao-moji (facial letters), and Garu-moji (teenage girl letters)


Non--standard script choices Non Different impressions of Japanese writing system in text messages
Hiragana あいうえお - softness and smoothness
Katakana アイウエオ - straight and angular
Kanji 阿伊宇江於 - educated and smart
Romaji a i u e o - western and exotic

Non--standard script choices Non Hiragana is used in order to make the impression softer.
Hiragana instead of Katakana はっぴいだよ ハッピーだよ (Happy)
Hiragana instead of Kanji きょうは 今日は (Today) Katakana is used in order to emphasize it.
Katakana instead of Hiragana ゴメンね ごめんね (I’m sorry)
Katakana instead of Kanji リョーカイです 了解です (All right)

Non--standard script choices Non Romaji is used in order to make the Impression western or exotic.
Romaji instead of Hiragana いいyo いいよ (Happy)
Romaji instead of Katakana Thank you サンキュ(Today)

Non--standard letter choices Non Use of small letter makes a sentence kawaii (cute).
Used among young women. 1. Reducing the size of normal letters ありがとう ありがとぅ 2. Adding a small letter to lengthen the preceding vowel おやすみ おやすみぃ


What is EE-moji? E-moji (picture character) is logographic letter.
E-moji is widely used among not only young people but also relatively older people.
Icons are built into cell phone.


What is EE-moji? (Cont.)

E-moji

Facial signs

Object signs

Symbols

What is KaoKao-moji? Kao-moji (facial character) is emoticon.
Kao-moji is used among young people.
Icons is built into cell phone, but people can create own Kao-moji and store them in cell phone.


(^_-) (^o^)/ (^_^)V (;_;) m(_ _)m (-.-;)y-~~~

What is GyaruGyaru-moji? Gyaru-moji (gal’s character) is distorted character.
Gyaru-moji is popular among high school and junior high school girls.


What is GyaruGyaru-moji? (Cont.) How to create Gyaru-moji Example 1 ) Hiragana け レナ (Katakana re and na) Ｉナ (Capital i and Katakana na) († (open parenthesis and dagger)




What is GyaruGyaru-moji? (Cont.) Example 2 ) Katakana セ 世 (Kanji) チ 千 (Kanji) Example 3) Kanji 好 (Kanji for like) and child)

女子 (Kanji for woman

Reasons new logographic letters are accepted to Japanese people 1.

Complication of Japanese writing system. Hiragana and Katakana are syllabic. Kanji is logographic. Romaji is alphabetic. Japanese people are accustomed to use a variety of writing systems in a sentence.

Reasons new logographic letters are accepted to Japanese people

Effects of EE-moji, KaoKao-moji, and Gyarumoji Expressing emotions or feelings
Make a message soft and cute.
Giving an friendly impression.
Giving the impression that more work done for a message.


1. Expressing emotions or feelings Since text messages is difficult to express emotion, facial signs of E-moji (Picture character) and Kaomoji (face character) are used. Ex) おはよう Ohayou ‘Good morning’ Plane おはよう。 E-moji おはよう Kao-moji おはよう(^_^)/


2. Making an impression of cuteness Since the plain text message may give a cold impression, objective signs of E-moji (Picture character) is used in order to make a sentence soft and cute. Ex) おはよう。いまから学校だよ。


おはよう

いまから

だよ

Controversial Issues Disadvantages 1. Giving an impression of less seriousness. ex) Not appropriate for apologizing. When using Kao-moji, E-moji, and Gyaru-moji, people need to decide whether or not those letters are acceptable, depending on a situation.

Controversial Issues 2.

3.

Giving an impression of less politeness - Not appropriate to use E-moji, Kaomoji, and Gyaru-moji to older people. Non-standard script choices and nonstandard letter choices are against the conventional orthography.

References Kataoka, Kuniyoshi. “Affect and letter-writing: Unconventional conventions in casual writing by young Japanese women.” Language in Society 26.1 (1997): 103-106. Katsuno, Hirofumi, and Christine R. Yano. “FACE TO FACE: ON-LINE SUBJECTIVITY IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN.” Asian Studies Review 26.2 (2002): 205-231. Miyake, Kazuko. “How Young Japanese Express Their Emotions Visually in Mobile Phone Messages: A Sociolinguistic Analysis.” Japanese Studies 27.1 (2007): 53-70.