The Japanese language prefers even numbers to odd numbers… (2)
The Japanese language prefers even numbers to odd numbers… (2)
Take other examples from Haiku. Consider:「古池や 蛙飛び込む 水の音」. What number of moras is this Haiku composed of? Well, almost all Japanese people would say “five-seven-five,” right? But from a purely linguistic point of view, it is erroneous! It comprises, strictly speaking, “eight-eight-eight”!!!—“What?!?!?!?!?!?! (interrobangs!!! ^^)” you should probably say, I presume.
OK. Let me explain. For clarity, let us indicate a mora「１拍」as「⚪︎」or「●」（, where「●」＝ 無音、ポーズ but still「１拍」）.
Almost all Japanese people’s analysis: 「古池や⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎ / 蛙飛び込む⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎ / 水の音⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎」
“five-seven-five” (all odd numbers)
The linguist’s analysis: 「古池や⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎●●● / 蛙飛び込む●⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎ / 水の音⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎●●●」
“eight-eight-eight”!!! (all even numbers)
(In passing, in the Japanese language and culture,「間（ま）」＝「●」＝ 無音、ポーズ is vitally important, so that ‘lacking’「間（ま）」is deemed to be「間抜け a simpleton」!)
Another example:「赤信号 みんなで渡れば 怖くない」. This case should be even more striking in that it contains「字余り」, the concept which in linguistics deserves ‘no special treatment’ at all!
Most Japanese people’s analysis: 「赤信号⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎（字余り）/ みんなで渡れば⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎ （字余り）/ 怖くない⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎」
“six-eight-five” (as opposed to regular “five-seven-five,” so that「字余り」are said to result)
The linguist’s analysis: 「赤信号⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎●● / みんなで渡れば⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎ / 怖くない⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎⚪︎●●●」
“eight-eight-eight”!!! (all even numbers)
