Perceptual and Cultural Implications of Shōga: Music Teaching in Japan
Submitted to CIM04, 31st October 2003
Stella Zhivkova
PhD Candidate, Osaka University, Graduate School of Letters, Department of Study of
Cultural Forms, Faculty of Musicology
stella_tj@yahoo.com
Desired Mode of presentation: talk
Background in Linguistics: J
apanese language is abundant in onomatopoeic words, which enable accurate
descriptions of actions and conditions.(Asano and Kindaichi, 1978) Onomatopoeic words
are studied for the sensory input due to which they clearly outline and portray to the
listener intended meanings.(Suzuki, 1976)
Background in Musicology:
Onomatopoetically employed syllables employed in teaching Japanese musical
instruments convey meaning to the student not only by means of rote memorization of
what they refer to, but also by its phonetic symbolism which Japanese native speakers are
(unconsciously) aware of.
Aims:
I aim at bringing to the fore the relation between onomotaopoeticity of Japanese language
and the musical creativity and imagination of the Japanese. By employing results from
linguistic research on Japanese language I intend to demonstrate that shōga is an efficient
tool facilitating the memorization by virtue of its closeness to spoken language. Vowels
and consonants in Japanese language imply certain mood, course of action or even
physical characteristics of the things whose names are formed by combination of the
sounds mentioned. Thus, memorizing melody by shōga, implies melody’s emotional and
sensational background as well.
Main contribution:
Shōga is a mnemonic device that denotes certain notes or musical sequences called a
“vocal notational system”. Shōga, which does not indicate pitch but rhythmic aspect,
consists of onomatopoetic indicators of notes. For example, in Koto learning a teacher
often “sings” onomatopoetically using standard syllables representing certain playing
techniques or fixed melodic patterns, instead of directly denoting the tones. This system
which is a result of a synergy of sonic and non-sonic spheres is viewed as a clue to the
highly figurative sound/sensory universe of Japanese culture. The rich figurativeness of
Japanese culture is taken as a background of studying onomatopoeic words and shōga
syllables in particular. This research aims at cognitively proper consideration of a notable
teaching technique such as shōga.
Implications:
Revealing the connection between the linguistic phenomenon of onomatopoeia and
Shōga instructions is believed to throw light on the figurativeness which is a feature of
great functional importance to Japanese imagination. Figurativeness is considered a
determining factor in creation of the highly image-ridden and metaphor-rich Japanese art.
References:
Asano T. and Kindaichi S. (1978) Dictionary of Mimetic and Onomatopoeic Words
(Giongo Gitaigo Jiten) Tokyo: Kakugawa Shoten.
Suzuki, T. (1976) Japanese Words and Expressions (Nihongo no Goi to Hyōgen), Tokyo:
Taishukan.
Kikkawa, E. (1973) Shōga no rekishi to genri to kinō: shamisen to koto no shōga wo
chyūshin toshite (History, principles and functions of shōga: with emphasis on those for
shamisen and koto). Musashino Ongaku Daigaku Kiyō (Bulletin of Musashino Academia
Musicae) 7:1-23.
Kawada, J. (1986) Verbal and Non-verbal Sounds: some considerations of the basis of
oral Transmission of Music. In: The Oral and Literate in Muisc Tokumaru, Y. and
Yamaguti O. (eds.) Tokyō, Academia Music.158-173.
Hughes D. W. (2000) No nonsense: the logic and power of acoustic-iconic mnemonic
systems, British Forum for Ethnomusicology, 9/2, 63- 93.
Biography:
Name: Stella Zhivkova
Current position: Third grade Doctoral student of Musicology, Osaka University, Japan.
Main research discipline: ethnomusicology
Main research areas: socio-linguistic implication in Japanese music, pan-cultural
approach to musical phenomena, aesthetics of Koto music.
Relevant qualifications: 1997 Master in Philosophy, Sofia University, Bulgaria.
2000 Granted a scholarship by Japanese Ministry of Education
2000 Research Student Osaka University
2001Doctoral Student Osaka University