Programme: accepted abstracts

Abstract ID: 1216

Part of Session 161: Commercialism and language use (Other abstracts in this session)

The history of Japanese Commercial call

Authors: Tanabe, Kazuko
Submitted by: Tanabe, Kazuko (Japan Women's University, Japan)

In Japan the commercialism has created the wide variety of culture. The traditonal commercialism began to develop from the late of 16th century, the Edo peirod. Omi- merchants are said to be the originators of the Japanese traditional business system. Omi means one of the areas of Kansai district(the west part of Japan). As the trade business was growing, the local personal commercial activitiies also became higly activised.

The commercial callling, which sellers adopt in order to draw the attention of the customers in the town. They called loudly the name of their goods by the characteristic tune or intonation. Depending on the goods, it has thier own style of callings.

The calls of "goldfish" " bamboo" "stone-steamed sweetpotato" are very fa -mous. Based on these commercial conventions, a sort of business greeting "Irassyaimase"(welcom to my shop) are nasalized in order to express their identity strongly. This presentation analyzes the distribution of the distinctive cry of the shopkeepers across area, goods, target generation and the training for the new sellers.

Sociolinguistics Symposium 19

Programme: accepted abstracts

The history of Japanese Commercial call