Description
Book SynopsisMany studies on the language of food examine English or adopt discourse analysis. This volume makes a fresh attempt to analyze Japanese, focusing on non-discursive units. It offers state-of-the-art data-oriented studies, including methods of analysis in line with Cognitive Linguistics. It orchestrates relatable and intriguing topics, from sound-symbolism in rice cracker naming to meanings of aesthetic sake taste terms. The chapters show that the language of food in Japanese is multifaceted: for instance, expressivity is enhanced by ideophones, as sensory words iconically depicting perceptual experiences and as nuanced words flexibly participating in neologization; context-sensitivity is exemplified by words deeply imbued with socio-cultural constructs; creativity is portrayed by imaginative expressions grounded in embodied experience. The volume will be a valuable resource for students and researchers, not only in linguistics but also in neighboring disciplines, who seek deeper insights into how language interacts with food in Japanese or any other language.
Trade ReviewMuch of the work on the linguistics of food has been conducted on the English language. This book makes a strong contribution to the field by providing an in-depth analysis of the language of food in Japanese. This analysis reveals innovative linguistic patterns and uses. For example, Japanese binomial adjectives (Chapter 4) are a novel ideophone construction that can be used in creative descriptions of food. Not only does the study of Japanese add to the field in terms of generalizability, but it also opens up fascinating new directions of research, by highlighting unique aspects of the Japanese language in relation to food. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and look forward to follow-up research that will no doubt emerge from this volume. -- Laura Speed, Radboud University
