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Article published In:
Register Studies
Vol. 2:1 (2020) ► pp.37–71

Regularity and variation in Japanese recipes

A comparative analysis of cookbook, online and user-generated sub-registers

| Old Dominion University
| University of Colorado Boulder

This paper investigates the similarities and differences between three sub-registers of Japanese recipe texts: cookbook recipes, online commercial recipes written/edited by professionals, and online user-generated recipes. Past studies on Japanese recipes do not distinguish different sub-registers, and they tend to focus on a single feature. The present study of the sub-registers examines a group of frequently appearing linguistic features and uncovers functional links between observed features and situational characteristics. The comparative perspective contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of Japanese recipe language as well as universal and language-specific aspects of register variation. Shared traits among the three sub-registers are tied to the common topic of cooking and the central purpose of providing easy-to-follow food preparation instructions. Varied linguistic and textual features are motivated by different production circumstances, mediums, and relations among the participants. Professionally edited cookbook and online commercial recipes show a much higher uniformity in their grammatical features than unedited/self-edited user-generated recipes. Online sub-registers share a role of serving as a repository and reference center for numerous recipes and related information. Relationships among writers, readers, and other participants such as publishers and site organizers differ among all three sub-registers, resulting in some unique linguistic patterns.

Keywords: cooking recipes, Japanese, sub-register comparison, editorial control, offline vs. online medium, writer-reader interaction
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical and analytical framework
  • 3.Data and methods
  • 4.Characteristics of cookbook recipes
    • 4.1Situational characteristics
    • 4.2Vocabulary
      • 4.2.1Lexical diversity and POS categories
      • 4.2.2Frequent words, keywords, and specialized words
    • 4.3Verb types and forms
      • 4.3.1Transitivity
      • 4.3.2Finite forms: Plain vs. polite
      • 4.3.3Medial forms: te vs. i/e
    • 4.4Introduction and tracking of major ingredients
    • 4.5Text structure
    • 4.6Characteristics of cookbook recipes: Summary
  • 5.Online commercial and user-generated recipes
    • 5.1Situational characteristics
    • 5.2Vocabulary
      • 5.2.1Lexical diversity and POS categories
      • 5.2.2Frequent words, keywords, and specialized words
    • 5.3Verb types and forms
      • 5.3.1Transitivity
      • 5.3.2Finite forms: plain vs. polite
      • 5.3.3Medial forms: te, i/e, and tara
    • 5.4Introduction and tracking of major ingredients
    • 5.5Text structure
  • 6.Similarities and differences among the three recipe sub-registers
  • 7.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 10 April 2020
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/rs.18014.kan
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