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The Language of Food in Japanese: Cognitive perspectives and beyond
Edited by Kiyoko Toratani
[Converging Evidence in Language and Communication Research 25] 2022
► pp. 27–52

Chapter 1
The language of food in Japanese through a linguistic lens

| Indiana University

Communication by language and nourishment by food are among the few things that indispensably shape our daily life. These two critical elements of human life may not appear to hold reciprocal relationships, but language indeed plays a vital role in our food culture in ways that are not always obvious. In rich and creative descriptions of our food experiences, for instance, how, where, and by whom taste expressions are used can reflect upon issues of linguistic analysis. This chapter overviews the ways in which investigations of the language of food, when viewed through a linguistic lens, can make a significant contribution towards a better understanding of Japanese language, culture, and society.

Keywords: communication, culture, identity, perception, society
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Linguistic concepts and mechanisms in the language of food
    • 2.1Sound-symbolism and mimetics
    • 2.2Morphological regularities and innovations
    • 2.3Lexicalization and metaphors
      • 2.3.1Semantic dissection and lexicalization
      • 2.3.2Taste descriptions by metaphors
    • 2.4Sociolinguistic context
      • 2.4.1Regional variation
      • 2.4.2Language of social groups
  • 3.Identity construct and sociocultural perception
  • 4.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 9 February 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/celcr.25.01tsu
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