Center versus periphery

Center versus periphery, also known as Hôgen Shûken-ron (方言周圏論), is a theory that attempts to explain the existence of certain words of a language within regions while not in others. The theory may also explain the existence of other cultural aspects or lack therefore in differing regions, though it was specifically created to explain differences in a languages in different regions.

Overview

In general, the theory states that cultural centers create new words, often synonyms, in a language and that over time these words gradually move outward to non-cultural centers in a ripple pattern. Eventually these new words may reach very far, however during their slow progression outwards from the cultural center, new words are also being created and these new words are also gradually moving outwards. In the end, new words may not have the momentum necessary to travel to all distances where the language exists. Usually the farthest distances away from a cultural center will possess only the oldest form of the words and no others, though the new words often still remain active in the culture center where they were created, along with other synonym variations.

Origin

This theory was postulated by Kunio Yanagita to explain the existence of some words in cultural centers, such as the capital of Japan during various stages of the nations history, and the lack of those such words in non-cultural centers. It is not certain if his postulate was the first to describe such cultural patterns in a general sense or merely in a specific language reference.

Example

An example of phenomenon which the theory attempts to explain is the Japanese word for snail, particularly prior to the Meiji period. In Kyoto, the capital of Japan around the time of the Edo period, there were as many as four different words for snail, dedemushi (ででむし), maimai (まいまい), katatsumuri (かたつむり), and tsuburi (つぶり). In the areas North and South of the capital, not all of these words existed. Usually the farther out one went from the cultural center (the capital) the less the frequently each word appeared until finally at the farthest reaches of Japan in the North and the South, usually only one word for snail existed. Coincidentally often the same single word existed in both places (in this case tsuburi つぶり), despite the each regions being at completely opposite ends of the map and great distances apart. Some linguists have taken this existence of some words in the farthest regions from cultural centers as an indication of the age of certain these words.

References