Shojo and Adult Women: a Linguistic Analysis of Gender Identity in Manga (Japanese Comics)

Shojo and Adult Women: A Linguistic Analysis of Gender Identity in Manga (Japanese Comics) Junko Ueno
Abstract: This study analyzes the linguistic behavior of female characters in shoJo (girls) and ladies (women) manga (Japanese comics) and discusses the portrayal of female gender identities in the context of popular print media. Considering the great impact that Japanese print media has had over Japanese women's speech patterns throughout history, a linguistic analysis of female characters' speech patterns in shojo and ladies manga may reveal the kinds of representations of language and gender in manga and how these representations may affect Japanese women's gender identity today. Based on data collected through quantitative and qualitative approaches, the discussion focuses on the gender identities of shojo and adult women in shojo and ladies manga. These findings are based on the actual speech of Japanese women and/or their self-report on their language use. No systematic studies, however, have previously investigated how Japanese women are linguistically depicted in contemporary print media. Print media has greatly influenced Japanese women's speech in the past. Sentence final expressions, which are typical of Japanese women's language were originally constructed in popular print media, specifically the genre of domestic novels in late Meiji period (late nineteenth century) (Inoue, 2002). In that period, women began to use feminine linguistic forms from domestic novels, and they became prominent in women's speech. At the same time, the ideological meanings behind these forms, ryosai kenbo (good wife, wise mother), also became widespread. Therefore, popular print media can infiuence one's speech choice and the social identity associated with it. Manga are an extremely popular pastime among Japanese people regardless of sex, age, education, occupation, and social classes (lto, 2000). It is most cotnmonly published in a magazine form that normally contains about

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APPENDIX A Classiflcation of gendered linguistic forms Strongly feminine forms The particle wa and its variants wane. wayo, wayone The particle kashira The particle no after a noun or naadjective The particle yo after a noun or naadjective The particle no followed by ne or yone or yo Others Strongly feminine forms The particle wa and its variants wane. wayo, wayone The particle kashira The particle no after a noun or naadjective The particle yo after a noun or naadjective The particle no followed by ne or Moderately feminine forms The particle no after a plain form of a verb or i-adjective The auxiliary deshoo The auxiliary desho The particle ne after a noun or a plain form of adjective The particle ne after /e form of a verb Others Strongly masculine forms The particle zo The particle ze The command form, or the command form and the particle yo The phonological change of a adjective from ai toee The particle kayo that shows anger or criticism Others Moderately masculine forms The particle > 'O after a plain form of a verb or I-adjective The auxiliary da after a noun or naadjective and its variants dayo. dane, dayone The auxiliary nda and its variants ndane. ndayo, ndayone The auxiliary daro. daroo Others Neutral forms The plain form of a verb, i-adjective The plain form of a naadjective, noun The particle kana The particley 'an -^eformof a verb Others yoneoryo Others Women and Language, Vol. 29, No. 1, Pg. 25