Old Japanese language

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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Old Japanese, spoken up to the 8th century, is the earliest recorded stage of the Japanese language. Its written records, such as the Kojiki (712 CE), were influenced by Chinese characters, which were adapted to represent Japanese sounds and grammar, creating a complex writing system.12

Key characteristics of Old Japanese include:
* Phonology: It is believed to have had eight vowels, including three that are not present in modern Japanese.1
* Grammar: While Old Japanese grammar has remained relatively stable over time, distinctions existed between conclusive and noun-modifying forms of predicates that are no longer present in modern Japanese.34
* Vocabulary: The language's vocabulary has been enriched by loanwords, initially from Chinese and later from European languages.4

The transition from Old Japanese to Middle Japanese occurred between the 12th and 16th centuries, marking a significant shift in the language's characteristics.13

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Japanese language
Literary history
…language shed most of its Old Japanese characteristics and acquired those of the modern language. It is common, however, to divide the 1,200-year history into four or five periods; Old Japanese (up to the 8th century), Late Old Japanese (9th–11th century), Middle Japanese (12th–16th century), Early Modern Japanese (17th–18th century),…
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…language shed most of its Old Japanese characteristics and acquired those of the modern language. It is common, however, to divide the 1,200-year history into four or five periods; Old Japanese (up to the 8th century), Late Old Japanese (9th–11th century), Middle Japanese (12th–16th century), Early Modern Japanese (17th–18th century),…
Read More