Linguistic Characteristics of Japanese Teen Slang Mazi-manzi -With Special Reference to Yabai-

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  • 若者ことば「マジ卍」の言語的特徴―「やばい」との比較を中心に―
  • ワカモノコトバ 「 マジマンジ 」 ノ ゲンゴテキ トクチョウ : 「 ヤ バイ 」 ト ノ ヒカク オ チュウシン ニ

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This paper presents a descriptive analysis of Japanese teen slang mazi-manzi “マジ卍” or　manzi “卍” in comparison with yabai “やばい.” One of their significant characteristics is that　they can describe either positive or negative situations: Tesuto goukaku, mazi-manzi! “I passed　the exam, woo-hoo!” （positive） or Ame-ni nure-ta, mazi-manzi. “I got wet in the rain, shoot.”　（negative）, and Kono wan-piisu yabai-yo-ne! “This dress is super cute!” （positive） or Kaoiro　yabai-yo.“ You look so pale.”（ negative）. While yabai has often been discussed in terms of syntax, phonology, semantics, and pragmatics in previous studies （Takeuchi（2007）, Horasawa and Iwata （2009）, Sano （2012）,　Konno（ 2015） etc.）, mazi-manzi has not because of its specificity and temporality. The interpretational similarity given above might lead us to consider that they share the　same or similar linguistic features. A closer look at these two, however, reveals that they are to　be distinguished. In particular, I would like to claim that （i） while yabai shows adjective-like　behavior, mazi-manzi displays adjectival noun-like behavior, （ii） while yabai has adverbial use,　mazi-manzi does not, and （iii） mazi-manzi imposes more burden of inference in the discourse　than yabai.

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