The differences of connotations between two flowers,
plum and cherry, in classical Japanese poetry, 10th century.
Hilofumi Yamamoto Tokyo Institute of Technology
Introduction
• This project addresses an analysis of connotations of flowers in classical poetry: i. e., ‘ume’ (plum) and ‘sakura’ (cherry) .
• We will identify the characteristics of two flowers by computer modeling.
• Using parallel texts of original texts and contemporary translations of classical Japanese poetry, the Kokinshū, we will clarify
the details of connotations in an objective procedural manner that is not influenced by human observations.
• The aim is to examine whether or not the residual of CT − OP gives information on the non-literal elements of OP .
Problem
1. What is the difference between ume (plum) and sakura (cherry)?
2. What kind of connotations does each flower contain?
3. Which picture is that of cherry flowers?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Methods
Material: Kokinshū
10th century
Field of experience
a.k.a. Kokinwakashū is:
the first anthology compiled by the order of Emperor Daigo
(ca. 905), which contains about 1,111 poems. And 10 sets of
their Contemporary Japanese Translations (CT)
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
write
OP
expert reader
read
com
write
par
e
Sa
e
K ki (
ub 1
ot 958
a )•
(1
96
0)
M
◦⊳
at
O sud
za a
Ta wa (19
6
k (
O eok 197 8)◦
k a 1 ⊳
K um (1 )◦⊳
yū ur 97
K so j a (1 6)◦
om in 9 ⊳
ac (1 78)
hi 97 ◦⊳
ya 9)
(1 ◦⊳
K
98
oj
im
2)
◦⊳
a&
Ar
ai
(1
K
98
at
9)
Yu agir
◦⊳
sa i (
1
(2 99
00 8)
0) ◦⊳
◦
an
ek
o
(1
K
92
an
7)
K ek
◦
ub o
ot (19
a 33
(1 )
93 ◦⊳
5)
◦
K
1930
poet
20th century
Field of experience (expert)
R = CT - OP
CT
where, CT , Contemporary translation Texts; OP , Original classical Poetry texts; R indicates a residual obtained
by subtracting elements of OP from those of CT .
read
novice reader
2000
Fig. 2: Schema of relationship between the
original poem texts (OP ) and the
contemporary translation texts (CT )
based on Schramm (1954).
Fig. 1: Dates of publication of annotations of the Kokinshū: ◦
indicates that it has CT; • indicates that it does not
include CT; ▷ indicates that it is used in this project.
20th century
Field of experience
(novice)
Result
wear in (my)1 hair
1
old age
1
1
1
4
smell.vt.1
1
1
65
1
be.3
fall
hide.vi.1
1
1
spring season
1
2
4
2
1
3
lodge.n
do.1
3
who.1
3
2
3
that
2
1
2
2
sorrow.1
Fukakusa
go over
get dark
smell.vt.1
7
4
daybreak
blame
garden
wear in (my) hair
snow
7
mountain cherry
mist
13
17
moonless night
8
157
14
5
10
sleeve.1
13
plum
8
42
which
hide.vi.2
10
discern
6
18
woven hat
8
10
lingering fragrance
10
7
blame
9
7
get dark
7
5
stop by
daybreak
snow
plum (20/198,3.71): CT cw.>15.5;
non-dist=off; idf=on(2)
Conclusion
5
6
cling
5
compare
love.2
snow
6
7
8
without cease
6
increase
moonless night
scatter.2
4
edge
keep listening.2
hearsay.2
a bit
7
17
Fig. 4: Plum
by CT
go over
17
7
7
number
6
around
7
warbler
6
7
7
9
5
Yoshino.PN
5
sew.2
7
look away
distinction
9
8
5
6
8
break off
wear in (my) hair
only
hide.vi.2
old age
which
discern
17
garden
clearly
4
Kurabu.PN
5
19
13
sew.2
smell.vt.1 distinction
9
7
bloom
7
break off.1
16
33
fragrance.2
10
old6 age
6
17
6
13
how much
11
break off
10
13
16
11
17
7
7
woven hat
40
fragrance.2
8
go over
8
woven hat
fragrance.1
408
4
77
mountain
25
7
65
17
9
48
cherry19blossom
31
60
plum fragrance.2
40
17
10
dark
Kurabu.PN
5
distinction
6
31
4
7
around
65
6
scatter.1
cherry
trail
18
warbler
8
7
7
14
6
10
142
19
7
17
flowerfragrance.1
smell.vt.1
break off
15
200
22
spring haze
27
moonless night
break off.1 8
8
4
clearly
5
lingering fragrance
sew.2
19
6
25
7
Kurabu.PN
look away
hide.vi.2
7
10
which
16
13
33
dark
clearly
8
7
7
mountain
flower
this year
hide.vt
mountain
4
7
7
9
faint
5
warbler
31
plum
13
157
break off.1
7
7
stop by
6
8
42
6
10
around
dark
a bit
5
6
5
5
11
warbler
3
scatter.1 sing.vi
8
4
sleeve.1
6
17
plum (20/20,3.91): OP cw.>5.6;
non-dist=off; idf=on(2)
degree
18
garden discern
dyed inky black
plum (20/198,3.71): OP-5.6-1; CT-15.5-2;
(op(IS)ct)
1
colour
hisakatano.pw
see.3
cling
look away
7
cloud.vi
2
see.1
4
4
3
2
bloom
get dark
7
dark
2
2
5
2
3
7
lingering fragrance
warbler
break
off4
2
4
spring
7
field
13
1
10
2
3
evidence
Fig. 3:
Plum
by OP
break off
31
2
2
fragrance.1
plum
4
daybreak
9
5
2
2
1
in whole area
separate.3
2
4
7
15
Kurabu.PN
1
4
snow
flower
2
dark
1
33
smell.vt.2
3
2
1
plum
42
sleeve.1
sleeve.1
3
2
blame
7
7
6
Fig. 5: Plum
by intersection
of OP and CT
157
go over
a bit
7
stop by
5
degree
flower
14
1
5
6
cling
fragrance.1
1
sew.1
woven hat
4
12
5
5
degree
plum (20/198,3.71): OP-5.6-1; CT-15.5-2;
(op(is)CT)
Fig. 6: Plum
by subtracting OP from CT
• It will be necessary to examine not only common nouns but also the distinctive characters of
proper nouns in order to further examine the connotative associations of poetic vocabulary.
way home
road
4
lodging
Fig. 7: Combined Network Model
of Plum and Cherry
6
village.1
plum-CT-20-198-3.71-15.5 cherry-CT-43-298-3.30-15
• We observed proper nouns such as place names, Kurabu, Tatsuta, Otowa, Yoshino
in the network models of common nouns, and concluded that they seem to strongly influence the associations of poetic vocabulary.
• The relative salience clearly indicates that both ume (plum) and sakura (cherry) share Kurabu yama (Mt. Kurabu), which comprises
a cluster of nodes in the sub-network.
Reference
• Schramm, W. L. 1954. How communication works. The process and effects of mass communication. 3–26. University of Illinois Press.
• Yamamoto, H. 2006. Extraction and Visualisation of the Connotation of Classical Japanese Poetic Vocabulary.
Computer and Humanities, 2006. The information processing society of Japan. Vo. 2006, No. 17, 21–8.
Symposium for