The Using Hiragana and Katakana of the word “Gomi(garbage)” in Japanese Language A Corpus-based Study

Abstract

This study analyzed using of the word “gomi” written by Hiragana form and Katakana form in Japanese. Japanese Corpus, BCCWJ, was used in collecting actual language usage from various printed sources. The study aims at applying real situation language to research and analyzing rational of using Hiragana form or Katakana form in written language. Frequency of “gomi” appeared in Hiragana form and in Katakana form was counted. The results pointed out that from 11 printed sources appeared in BCCWJ, “gomi” written in Hiragana form outnumbered Katakana form. The only source “gomi” was written in Hiragana form is in government memorandums. Text books, advertisements, official documents, and newspapers were mostly written by Hiragana form. However, books, magazines, poems, yahoo blogs and yahoo answers were likely to be written in Katakana form. It was also implied that government documents tend to use Hiragana form which corresponds to Japanese writing rules. In addition, Japanese writing trend tend to be relatively changed; Katakana form is widely applied to entertainment and public media or uncensored media, e.g. internet.