En språkvetenskaplig analys av produktnamn för miyagegashi i Japan

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the 97 names of the Japanese miyagegashi, souvenir sweets. An identification of vocabulary strata has been conducted from where wago is the one that is appearing the most. A closer analysis with 13 out of the 97 miyagegashi, from three different regions has been researched through naming, stories, ingredients and material for a visual text. Through every presentated part, semiotic concepts and multimodal analysis are being used to create a meaningful and intelligible understanding of the text. Cultural values are being considered. There are names in the souvenir sweets with foreign origin or having names build on stories. Some ingredients are, in one way or another, connected to the respective regions. In consideration for the material of the visual text, several things are being presentated. How something or someone is being packaged from a linguistic point of view and which history and validity that is hiding behind the introduced pictures is being researched. In conclusion, the proliferation of souvenir sweets through export is not all about how the name is being translated, a consideration of cultural aspects are also required.