Middle Japanese language

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June 30, 2026

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Middle Japanese refers to the stage of the Japanese language spoken between the 12th and 16th centuries. This period marks a significant transition, as the language began to shed its Old Japanese characteristics and adopt those that would eventually define Modern Japanese.123

Key developments during the Middle Japanese period include changes in phonology, such as the shift of the p sound to h. Grammatically, the distinction between the conclusive form of a word (used to end a sentence) and the noun-modifying form, which was important in Old Japanese, began to deteriorate and was eventually lost, with the noun-modifying form becoming dominant. The characteristic subject-object-verb (SOV) sentence structure of Japanese syntax remained stable throughout this period.12

Written records from this era include important literary works, such as those from the Kamakura period (1192–1333), which saw the rise of samurai culture and a shift in literary focus.4

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Japanese language
Literary history
…Late Old Japanese (9th–11th century), Middle Japanese (12th–16th century), Early Modern Japanese (17th–18th century), and Modern Japanese (19th century to the present).
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…Late Old Japanese (9th–11th century), Middle Japanese (12th–16th century), Early Modern Japanese (17th–18th century), and Modern Japanese (19th century to the present).
Read More