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Complexity trade-off in morphosyntactic module: suggestions from Japanese dialects

  • Wenchao Li EMAIL logo and Haitao Liu
Published/Copyright: May 9, 2024

Abstract

Using the GiNZA v4 natural language processing library, this study examines the case marking richness and word order flexibility in Japanese dialects across 47 regions to investigate the dynamic self-adaptation within the language subsystem, specifically morphology and syntax. Case marking richness is evaluated using the moving-average mean size of paradigm, while word order flexibility is assessed through entropy. The findings reveal a positive correlation between case marking richness and word order flexibility, providing empirical support for the “complexity trade-off hypothesis”. Leveraging the distinct morphosyntactic features inherent in dialects, this study proposes a hypothesis for categorizing Japanese dialects.


Corresponding author: Wenchao Li, Department of Japanese Studies, University of Zhejiang, Hangzhou, China, E-mail:

Funding source: National Foundation of Social Sciences

Award Identifier / Grant number: 22BYY186

Acknowledgment

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the reviewer(s) for their invaluable feedback. Their insightful comments have significantly enhanced the quality of the manuscript.

  1. Research funding: This paper is based on work that was supported by the National Foundation of Social Sciences (22BYY186) to Wenchao Li.

Appendix

Data

Locations Code Recording year Audio length Text words Male participants Female participants
Hokkaido, Toyokoro Hokkaidoo 1978 0:37:16 17,696 1 2
Aomori, Kitatsugaru Aomori_K 1979 0:17:04 11,217 2 4
Aomori, Hirosaki Aomori_H 1978, 1980 0:30:59 10,710 2 0
Iwate, Tono Iwate 1980 0:46:59 22,877 1 1
Miyagi, Sendai Miyagi 1977 0:33:50 15,118 4 0
Akita, Yuzawa Akita 1977 0:25:52 10,989 1 2
Yamagata, Kushibiki Yamagata 1980 0:26:51 12,752 2 2
Fukushima, Aidzutakada Fukushima_K Unknown 0:35:28 8,910 5 1
Fukushima, Showa Fukushima_S 1982 0:41:36 15,034 4 2
Ibaraki, Takahagi Ibaraki_T 1982 0:32:05 14,603 4 0
Ibaraki, Mito Ibaraki_M 1982 0:38:54 15,406 2 1
Tochigi, Nikko Tochigi 1979 0:34:44 13,531 2 2
Gunma, Maebashi Gunma_M 1983 0:39:34 19,109 2 2
Gunma, Shimonita Gunma_S 1983 0:42:18 12,165 2 2
Saitama, Kamisato Saitama 1981 0:37:57 11,567 2 1
Chiba, Inzai Chiba_I 1978 0:31:00 12,224 2 0
Chiba, Chosei Chiba_N 1977 0:37:56 16,662 2 1
Tokyo, Taito Tokyo_T 1982 0:44:37 24,132 2 3
Tokyo, Hinohara Tokyo_H 1979, 1980 0:44:55 19,083 4 3
Kanagawa, Odawara Kanagawa 1983 0:30:40 12,781 3 1
Niigata, Itoigawa Niigata 1980 0:36:44 16,361 4 1
Toyama, Toyama Toyama_T 1981 0:32:34 19,500 2 2
Toyama, Tonami Toyama_Ton 1981 0:22:01 10,907 1 2
Ishikawa, Oshimizu Ishikawa 1977 0:21:31 8,484 2 1
Fukui, Awara Fukui_S 1983 0:35:48 14,066 1 2
Fukui, Katsuyama Fukui_K 1982 0:23:12 12,257 2 2
Yamanashi, Shioyama Yamanashi 1978 0:26:37 12,095 3 2
Nagano, Kaida Nagano 1978 1:00:43 19,161 4 2
Gifu, Nakatsugawa Gifu_N 1979 0:14:09 4,486 2 1
Gifu, Gifu Gifu_G 1979 0:38:44 14,375 3 1
Shizuoka, Shizuoka Shizuoka 1979 0:23:48 11,554 3 1
Aichi, Tokoname Aichi 1981, 1982 1:28:24 12,578 6 3
Mie, Ago Mie 1981 0:40:15 16,212 4 1
Shiga, Koka Shiga 1981 0:39:33 15,512 4 1
Kyoto, Kyoto Kyoto 1983, 1984 1:40:44 14,566 7 14
Osaka, Takatsuki Osaka_T 1977 0:06:47 3,529 4 1
Osaka, Osaka Osaka_O 1979 0:30:45 15,183 3 0
Osaka, Kawachi-Nagano Osaka_K 1977 0:30:38 14,557 4 2
Hyogo, Aioi Hyogo_A 1985 0:30:35 16,541 1 1
Hyogo, Sumoto Hyogo_S 1985 0:28:32 10,541 3 1
Nara, Gojo Nara 1981 0:33:57 12,653 1 1
Wakayama, Tanabe Wakayama 1981 0:31:43 14,717 2 2
Tottori, Yonago Tottori 1984 0:05:28 2,231 1 1
Shimane, Nita Shimane 1980 0:35:19 12,761 1 2
Okayama, Yakage Okayama 1979 0:27:42 14,970 1 1
Hiroshima, Hiroshima Hiroshima 1977 0:38:13 15,404 2 4
Yamaguchi, Toyohoku Yamaguchi 1978 0:37:17 18,683 4 2
Tokushima, Anan Tokushima 1981 0:36:50 15,043 2 2
Kagawa, Kannonji Kagawa 1978 0:36:05 16,986 1 2
Ehime, Matsuyama Ehime 1981 0:32:56 15,652 1 1
Kochi, Kochi Koochi 1977 0:33:47 17,843 1 1
Fukuoka, Kitakyushu Fukuoka_K 1981 1:01:07 25,940 3 0
Saga, Saga Saga 1978 0:20:58 12,579 1 2
Nagasaki, Hirado Nagasaki 1983 0:24:36 7,777 1 1
Kumamoto, Kumamoto Kumamoto_K 1980, 1981 0:40:52 19,028 1 5
Kumamoto, Nishiki Kumamoto_N 1980 0:21:11 9,558 2 1
Oita, USA Oita_U 1978 0:31:22 8,542 2 0
Oita, Hasama Oita_O 1979 0:31:00 10,419 3 0
Miyazaki, Miyazaki Miyazaki 1981 0:22:39 9,731 1 1
Kagoshima, Eicho Kagoshima 1977 0:34:37 12,712 2 1
Okinawa, Nakijin Okinawa_N 1978 0:18:28 9,127 1 1
Okinawa, Hirara Okinawa_H 1978 0:12:02 5,609 1 2
Okinawa, Yonaguni Okinawa_Y 1979 0:32:52 18,361 0 3

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Received: 2023-07-16
Accepted: 2024-02-05
Published Online: 2024-05-09
Published in Print: 2024-06-25

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