Roujin, Koureisha ataukah Otoshiyori ? Menimbang Istilah yang Tepat untuk Penyebutan Lansia dalam Bahasa Jepang

Abstract

            The purpose of this research is to understand the differences for using the words of roujin, koureisha, and otoshiyori in Japanese language. These three words have a synonymy meaning relation, but there are differences in their usage. As a learner of Japanese language and culture, for smooth communication and better understanding across cultures, this topic is very significant to be researched. Given also that the topic of the elderly is the subject of a current problem in Japan society, the use of these three words will be very often encountered by learners of Japanese language and culture these days.

            The theory used is related to the relationship between the meaning of words and the relationship between language and social aspects (society). There is a sense of value (connotation) of a word, which arises from the relation of associative and affective meanings. The differences in the words roujin, koureisha, and otoshiyori are also analyzed through the use of language in communicating by the speaking community, in terms of three things, namely field, tenor, and mode.

As a result, from those three words, the word otoshiyori is most often used in everyday life both in oral written and spoken language, because it has a positive connotation. The word roujin is basically used for oral and written forms (legal texts, and scientific works). However, it is rarely used in spoken language as it has negative connotations. The word koureisha is used in official written languages, with a neutral word value.