Anime and manga have undeniably left their mark on global pop culture. These forms of media are the first window many Japanese language learners have into Japanese society and culture.
One key linguistic element in anime and manga is their frequent use of 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo, or "role-specific language." This is a style of speaking that is assigned to a character in order to signal, in just a few words, something about who they are as a person.
For example, a tough, stoic male character might use a masculine and blunt manner of speaking, by using masculine 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo like 俺 transcribed oremeaning I and the sentence final particle ぞ transcribed zo:
In this post, we'll go through 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo associated with all different types of people, and how speech style can signal gender, age, country or city of origin, and social status. Understanding these different speech styles will help you recognize "stock characters" in media, and help you call those characters to mind in real-world conversations.
Let's dive in and uncover the linguistic secrets that help keep anime and manga vibrant!
What is 役割語 [yakuwarigo]?
役割語 transcribed yakuwarigomeaning role specific language is a term used to describe a way of speaking that is used to signal something about who a character is, or the role they play in a story. In Japanese, you'll find this all over anime, manga, and other fictional stories, since it helps a reader or viewer quickly figure out what kind of person a character is.
Though 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo was first brought to attention in academia by Satoshi Kinsui back in 2003. However, the actual 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo has been around for a long time.
We see the same effect even in English. For example, if a character were to use phrases like “narrr”, “me hearties” or “Ahoy!”, you would instantaneously know that the person was a pirate. That is 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo: language that signals a character's role!
How does language show character traits in anime and manga?
Anime and manga are not just entertainment; they are like linguistic textbooks come to life. For learners, they provide an immersive, engaging, and enjoyable experience, offering insights into both the language's intricacies, and cultural and societal norms. In this section, we'll look at how different 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo can signal a character's gender, age, origin, social status, or personality. Let's have a look!
Masculine and feminine language
Anime and manga characters often exhibit speech patterns that align with traditional gender norms. 男言葉 transcribed otoko kotobameaning masculine language is characterized by its assertiveness and is often devoid of the softness or politeness that might be found in its feminine counterpart. On the other hand, 女言葉 transcribed on’na kotobameaning feminine language is typically gentler.
Masculine and feminine language can be expressed at different levels, from a particle, a verb form to a word or a sentence level. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples! A possible context in which the line could be used is provided.
Masculine language: 男言葉 [otoko kotoba]
男言葉 transcribed otoko kotoba can be identified with terms like 俺 transcribed ore for "I" or sentence final particles such as ぜ transcribed ze and ぞ transcribed zo. Let's look at some examples!
Possible context: A group of friends is discussing local rumors. When a tale about a ghost who appears under a bridge at midnight is mentioned, one friend, known for his knowledge of local gossip, expresses surprise and skepticism, having never heard this particular story.
masculine word choicesentence final particle俺はそんな話、聞いたことないぜ。Transcription: Ore wa son’na hanashi, kīta koto nai ze.Translation: I've never heard that kind of story, you know.The sentence final particle ぜ transcribed ze is a colloquial and masculine sentence final particle of emphasis. It adds assertiveness, and sometimes adds an aggressive or rough tone to the statement. In anime and manga, it is often used by male speakers to assert their opinion, to emphasize determination, or to forcefully encourage someone to agree with them. This particle can convey a sense of masculinity, confidence, informality, and casualness.
Possible context: During a sports game, the team captain motivates the team with a pep talk, reminding them of their preparation and urging them to put in their best effort.
sentence final particleよし、やろうぜ。Transcription: Yoshi, yarō ze.Translation: Alright, let’s do it!The particle ぜ is used in everyday conversation in real life by men, and although less frequently, by women, too.Possible context: In a busy dinner service, the head chef, needing a specific ingredient or tool quickly to finish a dish, calls out to a nearby kitchen assistant.
masculine word choiceimperative verb formおい、それ今すぐ、持ってこい。Transcription: Oi, sore ima sugu motte koi.Translation: Hey, bring that over here now.The word おい transcribed oimeaning hey is a masculine attention catcher, and こい transcribed koi is the imperative form of 来る transcribed kurumeaning to come. Both in fiction, and in real life, the word おい transcribed oi and the imperative verb form are more commonly used by men. These forms also tend to be used by men who are higher in social status or older, particularly when speaking to someone junior or younger, like a father addressing his child.
Possible context: After a hard day's work, you and your colleague, who is also a close friend and of the same age, leave the office together. You suggest going out to eat.
masculine word choicesentence final particle腹、減った。飯食いに行こうぜ。Transcription: Hara, hetta. Meshi kui ni ikō ze.Translation: I’m hungry. Let’s go grab some food.Here, the use of 腹 transcribed harameaning stomach instead of a more polite term, お腹 transcribed onaka, gives it a blunt and masculine tone. Similarly, using the word 飯 transcribed meshimeaning meal, instead of ご飯 transcribed gohan, gives a masculine tone.
Feminine language: 女言葉 [on’na kotoba]
Feminine speech is traditionally viewed as polite, gentle, and deferential, characterized by specific sentence endings, pronouns, and vocabulary. Although societal and cultural expectations are changing over time, certain elements of this style, such as its emphasis on a softer tone and less direct speech, are still generally expected of women in Japan.
In anime and manga, feminine language is often exaggerated even further, to distinguish characters from each other and emphasize their femininity.
Like masculine language, feminine language can appear at different levels, from a particle to a sentence. Below, we'll see feminine sentence endings, わ transcribed wa, かしら transcribed kashira, のよ transcribed no yo, and なの transcribed na no, along with the first-person pronoun あたし transcribed atashimeaning I. Let's take a look!
Possible context: As a mother prepares to leave the house and puts on her shoes, she notices her daughter's water bottle on the shoe shelf and, feeling a mix of concern and annoyance, speaks to herself.
sentence final particle嫌だわ、あの子、これ忘れちゃってるけど、大丈夫かしら？Transcription: Iya da wa, ano ko, kore wasurechatteru kedo, daijōbu kashira?Translation: Oh no, that child has forgotten this, I wonder if it's alright?While there are various types of the sentence final particle わ transcribed wa, here it has feminine flavor. Though, in real life, the frequency of the feminine sentence-final particles わ transcribed wa and かしら transcribed kashira is decreasing, they are still used in fiction and are sometimes used by women from older generations.
Possible context: During a discussion about vacation plans, a group of girls agrees on a seaside destination, eager for swimming, but one girl isn't as enthusiastic about it.
feminine word choicesentence final particleあたしね、実は泳げないのよ。Transcription: Atashi ne, jitsu wa oyoge nai no yo.Translation: You know, I actually can’t swim.Unlike the gender-neutral わたし transcribed watashimeaning I, the more feminine あたし transcribed atashi is less common in real life. When it is used, it's typically reserved for informal settings with close friends or family. It's not used in writing, except in dialogue.
Possible context: A girl has a new necklace and asks her friend to comment on it.
sentence final particleこれ、新しいネックレスなの。どう？Transcription: Kore, atarashii nekkuresu na no. Dō?Translation: This is my new necklace. What do you think?
Elderly person’s language: 老人語 [rōjingo]
In anime and manga, elderly characters often speak in a style of speech known as 老人語 transcribed rōjingomeaning elderly person’s language. This style of speech is characterized by an old-fashioned tone that is reminiscent of historical Japan. Often, characters using this speech style will also speak in a heavy dialect, but we'll talk about that further down.
Some examples of non-dialectal 老人語 transcribed rōjingo include the first-person pronoun わし transcribed washimeaning I, sentence-ending particles like じゃ transcribed ja or のう transcribed nō, and negations such as ぬ/ん transcribed nu/n.
Anime and manga creators frequently use 老人語 transcribed rōjingo in the dialogue of elderly characters to make them them sound wise or old-fashioned. But while this speech style is it is commonly given to fictional characters, non-dialect 老人語 transcribed rōjingo is almost never used in real, modern Japanese.
Let's look at some examples!
Possible context: At a family gathering, upon seeing a grandchild after a long time, an elderly man might express surprise at how much they've grown or changed.
sentence final particle孫の成長にはほんとうに驚くばかりじゃよ。Transcription: Mago no seichō ni wa hontō ni odoroku bakari ja yo.Translation: I'm truly amazed at how much my grandchild has grown.〜じゃよ transcribed ja yo would be replaced with 〜ですよ transcribed desu yo or 〜だよ transcribed da yo in standard Japanese.
Possible context: An elderly lady reminisces about the hardships of her youth, possibly during war or post-war times, and seeks to share these experiences with the younger generation.
sentence final particleあの時代は、今とは比べものにならんくらい大変だったのう。Transcription: Ano jidai wa, ima to wa kurabemono ni narankurai taihen datta nō.Translation: That era was incredibly challenging, incomparable to today.〜のう transcribed nō would probably be replaced with 〜ですね transcribed desu ne or だね transcribed da ne in standard Japanese.
Possible context: An elderly man who has been running a family business for decades addresses his grown-up grandson, who has recently graduated and joined the family business. He proposes a radical new approach or a risky investment that goes against the traditional way the business has been run.
elderly word choicenegationsentence final particleわしの言うことが聞けぬというんじゃな。もう勝手にせい。Transcription: Washi no iu koto ga kikenu to iu n ja na. Mō katte ni sei.Translation: You're saying you won't listen to what I have to say? Do as you please then.わし transcribed washi can be replaced with わたし transcribed watashimeaning I. ぬ transcribed nu is a negative form that could be replaced with ない transcribed nai, and せい transcribed sei can be replaced with なさい transcribed nasai or the imperative form of “to do”, しろ transcribed shiro, in standard Japanese.
Chinese/foreigner language: アルヨ言葉 [aruyo kotoba]
The multicultural world of anime doesn't shy away from introducing characters of different nationalities. This means, occasionally, you'll find characters speaking with an accent or using a non-standard type of Japanese specifically selected to indicate that someone is foreign. This type of speech is known asアルヨ言葉 transcribed aruyo kotoba.
アルヨ言葉 transcribed aruyo kotoba is a term derived from the sentence ending アルヨ transcribed aru yo, which is used to give the character's speech a "Chinese" flair.
These days, though, the term is used within manga and anime to refer to any foreign speech style. For example, this is how you might depict English-influenced Japanese.
Dialects: 方言 [Hōgen]
Dialects in manga and anime serve several important purposes in the narrative. For example, dialects can indicate a character's regional background, which can imply something about their likely social status or even their personality traits.
Just like everywhere different regions of Japan are associated with different stereotypes, which writers use to set expectations about a character. In English, a mobster might be given a New York accent. In Japanese, someone who is comedic, straightforward, or down-to-earth could be given a Kansai dialect.
There are over 16 recognized dialects in Japan and even more local variations. The Tokyo dialect, or 東京方言 transcribed Tōkyō hōgen, is typically considered standard Japanese (標準語 transcribed hyōjungo), and is considered something of a neutral dialect in anime and manga.
The second most popular dialect is the distinct and characterful 関西弁 transcribed kansai-ben, or Kansai dialect. Let's look a bit more closely at some of the features of this dialect!
Kansai-ben
The Kansai region, in the southern-central part of Japan's main island, Honshū. "Kansai dialect" is a blanket term, as the Kansai area itself encompasses several prefectures, each with its own unique linguistic quirks.
Historically, characters who speak Kansai dialect have been portrayed as money-conscious. While they might be penny-pinchers, they might also demonstrate considerable business savvy.
In modern anime and manga, characters who speak 関西弁 transcribed kansai-ben are more often depicted as flashy, loud, meddlesome, and overly familiar.
関西弁 transcribed kansai-ben is commonly described as a more casual sounding dialect. It's different from the Tokyo (standard) dialect both in its pronunciation, and its word choice.
Pronunciation-wise, Kansai dialect is different in, pitch, tone, and stress of words. For example, vowels tend to be pronounced clearly, rather long and strong.
The chart below illustrates some differences in word choice between Tokyo Japanese and Kansai Japanese:
| Standard Japanese | Kansai dialect |
|---|---|
ありがとう。 Transcription: Arigatō. Translation: Thank you. | おおきに。 Transcription: Ōkini. |
いくら？ Transcription: ikura? Translation: How much? | なんぼ？ Transcription: Nanbo? |
いけない/だめ。 Transcription: ikenai/dame. Translation: No good. | あかん。 Transcription: akan. |
There are many sentence endings used in 関西弁 transcribed kansai-ban which are different from standard Japanese. Some examples include:
In a spoken statement, だ transcribed da becomes や transcribed ya
これだ！Transcription: Kore da!Translation: This is it!→
これや！Transcription: Kore ya!The sentence-final particle ね transcribed ne becomes な transcribed na
暑いね。Transcription: Atsui ne.Translation: It’s hot.→
暑いな。Transcription: Atsui na.When you negate something, じゃない transcribed janai becomes やない transcribed yanai or ちゃう transcribed chau
冗談じゃない。Transcription: jōdan ja nai.Translation: It’s not a joke.
Are you kidding me.→
冗談やない。Transcription: Jōdan ya nai.冗談ちゃう。Transcription: Jōdan chau.Negating a verb is also different, as ない transcribed nai becomes verb + ん transcribed n or verb + へん transcribed hen
言わない。Transcription: Iwanai.Translation: Don’t say.→
言わん 。Transcription: Iwan.言わへん。Transcription: Iwahen.Expressing probability or inferring something, だろう transcribed darō becomes やろ transcribed yaro
そうだろう。Transcription: Sō darō.Translation: It probably is so.→
そうやろ。Transcription: Sō yaro.
Polite language: 敬語 [Keigo]
Last but certainly not least, the world of anime and manga offers a masterclass in 敬語 transcribed keigomeaning polite language. Respectful speech in Japanese—ranging from the humble to the honorific—is portrayed in anime and manga. Whether it's a servant speaking to their master or a young person addressing an elder, the shifts in tone, vocabulary, and structure in polite language are crucial for anyone serious about mastering Japanese.
敬語 is not just about being polite; it's about recognizing and acknowledging the social standing, age, and relationship of the person one is speaking to. For instance, one might use the most formal level of 敬語, called 尊敬語 transcribed sonkeigomeaning respectful expressions, when addressing someone of higher status, like a company boss or an elder. On the other hand, with friends or those of equal or lower status, one might use タメ口 transcribed tameguchimeaning casual/plain speech.
You may not think about it, but suffixes added to names are a part of the polite language. Common honorifics include 〜さん transcribed -san, 〜ちゃん transcribed -chan, 〜さま transcribed -sama, and 〜くん transcribed -kun. To find out more about how to address people, please check out our post!
To sum up
In this post, we discussed that manga and anime offer an immersive, engaging, and enjoyable way to understand the intricacies of the language. Specifically, we talked about the functions and roles of 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo, specific language and vocabulary used such as masculine and feminine speech elderly person’s language, Chinese/Foreigner language and briefly touched upon dialects, and polite language.
By noting these nuances, you can enrich your vocabulary and grasp Japan's cultural and societal aspects. Just remember that some of 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo in anime and manga may not be used in the real life, or only used in a specific context. It is crucial to understand the implications and nuances of each 役割語 transcribed yakuwarigo, so listen closely in real life conversations to identify which ones are actually used. Embrace this linguistic adventure with an open mind for a deeper appreciation of Japanese language and culture.
To check your understanding, don’t forget to try our exercises! Happy learning!
:quality(75))
:quality(75))
:quality(75))
:quality(75))
:quality(75))
:quality(75))