広島大学文学部紀要 48 巻
1989-01-31 発行

「龍蹄」小考 : 漢語受容史研究の一問題として

On the Word "ryōtei" in the Heike-Monogatari
山本 真吾
全文
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HUSFL_48_25.pdf
Abstract
In the Heike-Monogatari (平家物語) some of Sino-Japanese words was used in the Japanized meaning, and not in the original meaning in Ancient Chinese.

We may take the word "ryōtei (龍蹄)" as an example. "Ryōtei" in Ancient Chinese originally meant hoofs of a dragon and a kind of melons. In our country this word meant an excellent horse.

Traditionally, it has been understood that the Heike-Monogatari was written in the wabun-style (a style based mainly upon Japanese), the kambun-kundoku-style (a style influenced by Chinese), the hentai-kambun-style (a style based mainly upon Japanized Chinese), and the daily colloquial language in the Kamakura period.

However, in this paper I argue that the word "ryōtei" in the Heike-Monogatari did not originate in these four styles.

I reach the conclusion that it originated in a different style, ie. that it came originally from the Japanized Chinese poetry and prose.