Viscosity/Humidity Hell
I’ve been racking my brains creating this site.
Anyway, there are many subtle expressions related to “viscosity,” “humidity,” and “moisture”.
Just off the top of my head, I can think of the following
KOTTERI こってり
GITTORI ぎっとり
GUSSHARI ぐっしゃり
GUSSHORI ぐっしょり
GUCCHARI ぐっちゃり
GUCCHORI ぐっちょり
SHITTORI しっとり
SHIPPORI しっぽり
JITTORI じっとり
ZUPPURI ずっぷり
ZUPPORI ずっぽり
DOPPURI どっぷり
NECCHIRI ねっちり
NETTORI ねっとり
NECCHARI ねっちゃり
NECCHORI ねっちょり
BITTORI びっとり
BISSHORI びっしょり
BICCHORI びっちょり
BESSHORI べっしょり
BETTARI べったり
BECCHARI べっちゃり
BECCHORI べっちょり
BETTORI べっとり
BOTTARI ぼったり
BOTTORI ぼっとり
PICCHARI ぴっちゃり
PICCHORI ぴっちょり
PITTORI ぴっとり
PETTARI ぺったり
PETTORI ぺっとり
POTTARI ぽったり
POTTSURI ぽっつり
POTTORI ぽっとり
MATTARI まったり
MOTTARI もったり
MOCCHIRI もっちり
Stickiness in gradations from liquids to solids
Gradation from small to large quantities
Multiplication of both.
Too many, right?
Is it because of the hot and humid climate of the country?
The reason why there are so many expressions about humidity and moisture
Japan is a hot and humid country.
I do not disagree.
But why are there also so many expressions about viscosity?
One book says that “The Japanese are a touchy-feely people, and that in the old days, Japanese people were very eager to touch exhibits at overseas expositions”.
I don’t see how “touchy-feely” is so much a national trait as it is a national weather condition.
And I don’t think there’s a national disposition that “doesn’t like to touch things.”
I believe that “touch” to check the freshness of food is a necessary instinct for all human beings.
I am not a researcher, so I don’t know why there are so many expressions related to viscosity and tactile sensation in Japanese onomatopoeia.
Well, we have no choice but to recognize it as such.
Basically uncomfortable
As you can see from the expressions listed above
You will also be surprised at how few positive expressions there are.
SHITTORI しっとり
SHIPPORI しっぽり
MATTARI まったり
MOCCHIRI もっちり
PITTORI ぴっとり
The above expressions may seem neutral or positive.
On the contrary, everything else is basically an expression that includes discomfort.
What exactly does this mean?
A national character that shares discomfort?
The fact that so many expressions of discomfort have developed means that there is a need for different ways to express them in conversation.
In other words, in this hot and humid Japan
We gain sympathy from others by exchanging information about what kind of moisture level we are uncomfortable with.
The Japanese people are a very whiny people.
In a society where cooperation with others is important as an agrarian people, it may be that boasting of unhappiness is more accepted than boasting of happiness.
The same logic can be applied to the fact that people get tired of seeing other people’s rear end through Instagram, Facebook, etc.
Definition of SUKKIRI, ASSARI and SAPPARI
While there are so many expressions of discomfort
There are also very few expressions that express comfort, or the state of “feeling good”.
When something feels “good,” it is usually enough to say “it feels good.
There are also expressions that express refreshment, such as “SUKKIRI” “ASSARI,” and “SAPPARI”.
There are also subtle differences in the meanings of these expressions.
I dare to say that
I believe that “SUKKIRI,” “ASSARI,” and “SAPPARI” can all be defined as
“a state of freedom from viscosity and humidity”.
The state in which we feel good is, in my opinion,
“the state in which there is nothing clinging to one’s body and mind.”
There may be a Buddhist idea of “liberation/Nirvana” from vexations.
We tend to think that we output our thoughts in language.
But it is quite the opposite. We can only think in language, and our emotions and personality are influenced by the language in which we were born and raised.
