A song by 青葉市子: tone accent, 漢字, words

Wednesday 12 February 2025

I came across “Asleep Among Endives”, a song by by Japanese folk singer-songwriter 青葉市子 Ichiko Aoba.

When listening to it, it seems to me that many parts of the melody seem to overlap with the tone accent of the words. For example, Aoba sings kurúbushi ... soyókaze ...nigái ... íma ... and many more instances. Interesting.

I was told that in Chinese singing the tones disappear. In Japanese perhaps not necessarily. I suppose that Japanese tone accent is very different in that the tone rises more or less between syllables, not on the syllable itself (unless it’s a long syllable). (Haven’t checked this I might be wrong.)

(Below the lyrics a few comments on 漢字 and words.)

世界のふちで 銀河に耳を澄ませて
そよ風 踝に光るリンドウ
丸めた大地のてのひらに
つつまれたら 甘く苦い

アンディーヴと眠って
いま 世界も目を閉じて
わたしたちを隠して

アンディーヴと眠って
いまは 世界も目を閉じて
わたしたちを隠して

モンカーヴと笑って
いつか 世界を目を醒まして
わたしたちを照らして

The word “ankle” is more commonly spelled くるぶし than 踝. However, while 踝 is “kind of uncommon” [freq], it’s still being used. Not being taught in schools probably? So how do #Japanese people pick up 踝?

The word アンディーヴ - also weird. Apparently it should be エンダイブ but Aoba does indeed sing アンディーヴ /andí:vu/. Does that not cause confusion for even native speakers?

The more common word エンダイブ is closer to English “endive”(/ˈɛndaɪv/). Also closer to Dutch “andijvie” but less so. Except, エンダイブ follows the Dutch stress accent with the tone accent on ダ.

Is アンディーヴ being confused with “Belgian endive” (also known as “witloof chicory”)?

Perversely using 醒ます for 覚ます... Granted, 醒 is much more interesting as a character. The graph 醒 evokes for readers who know how to break it down a lot of imagery: 酉/酒 wine, 星 the stars, perhaps even green plants 生 under the sun 日.

Both her singing and the jazzy chords of the song are enchanting so I guess I can recommend it.