New Code NLP School : Overtone structure of Japanese language(1) “Words with only vowels”

Japanese is a language pronounced with “vowels only” or “consonants + vowels”. In Japanese, consonants are always paired with vowels, and there are no words with only consonants. Below are some specific examples of words pronounced with vowels only.

(1)Examples of words pronounced with vowels only

◎Words with one vowel

　・a: 亜 (next, second)　

　・i: 井 (well)、意 (thought, meaning)、胃 (stomach)　

　・u: 卯 (rabbit)、鵜 (cormorant)、雨 (rain)　

　・e: 絵 (painting)、柄 (haft, stalk)、江 (cove)　

　・o: 尾 (tail)、緒 (cord)、雄 (male)

◎Words with two vowels

　・ai: 愛 (love)、相 (other person, the other side)、藍 (indigo)
　・au: 合う (fit)、会う (meet)
　・ao: 青 (blue)
　・iu: 言う(say)
　・ie: 家 (house)
　・ue: 上 (top)
　・uo: 魚 (fish)
　・oi: 甥 (nephew)、老い (old age)
　・ou: 王 (king)、負う(bear, undertake)、追う (pursue)

◎Words with three vowels

　・aoi: 青い (blue)、葵 (hollyhock)
　・iie: いいえ (no)
　・iou: 硫黄 (sulfur)
　・oui: 王位 (throne)、王威 (royalty)
　・ouu: 奥羽 (Ouu :a place-name in Japan)
　・ooi: 多い (many)
　・oou: 覆う(to cover)

◎Words with four vowels

　・iiau: 言い合う (to say/talk to each other)
　・iiie: 良い家 (good house)
　・oioi: 追々 (afterwards)
　・aioi: 相生 (Aioi :a place-name in Japan)

(2)Pronunciation practice on Japanese vowels

Pronounce the following Japanese words, firstly in monotone, and then with inflection, intensity and articulation. This shows how Japanese vowels contain rich overtones to convey their meanings.

* Articulation is a technique of musical performance in which the form of a sound is arranged, and a melody is classified by adding various strengths/weaknesses and expressions to the connection between notes.

　・老いた王が青い葵を植える。
　　oita ou ga aoi aoi o ueru.
　　The old king plants blue hollyhocks.

　・大分の甥が青い魚を和える。
　　ooita no oi ga aoi uo o aeru.
　　A nephew in Oita dresses blue fish.

　・家の上は硫黄が覆う。
　　ie no ue wa iou ga oou
　　Sulfer covers the house.

　・御家を負う甥を追う。
　　oie o ou oi o ou.
　　Pursue the nephew who bears the responsibility of the family.

(3)Considerations of Japanese vowels

The Japanese language produces a variety of sounds by subtly changing the overtones of vowels, thereby differentiating the meanings of words and giving them expressions in accordance with feelings. Thus, Japanese is a language in which vowels are the main component, and by changing the overtones, the words as a whole can have a variety of expressive power.