We invite submissions of Research Articles and Research Notes on the following special feature, which is planned to be published in Volume 30, available online and in print in December, 2026 via J-STAGE. Note that if a manuscript submitted for the special feature is judged to require revisions as a result of the peer review, the revision period will be 30 days, instead of the regular 60 days.
Synchronic Variety in Japanese Sounds and its Methodological Development
Language changes over time. There are many factors that cause changes. Synchronic phonetic variations can be intrapersonal differences, temporary trends, situational distinctions, or a part of diachronic changes. Whatever the factors are, describing the details of these synchronic variations under various factors and documenting the reality of the diversity not only provides a phonetic explanation for the current realizations, but also plays a role in connecting past and future research. The accumulation of such descriptions of phenomena forms the foundation for theoretical development.
Traditionally, phonetic variations in Japanese have been described based on auditory observations, leading to a significant body of knowledge in this field. In recent years, however, advancements in acoustic analysis techniques and articulatory measurement equipment have introduced new research methods. Studies applying these observational techniques have already provided valuable insights. For instance, research on vowel quality and stop voicing through acoustic analysis has shown promising developments in understanding phonetic variety. These studies explored regional and generational variations, but research that examines situational differences from a sociophonetic perspective is also anticipated. Furthermore, research using equipment to observe the articulatory dynamics of phonetic variety or confirmation of phonetic variations through perceptual experiments may also be possible.
As such, this special feature invites submissions of papers (research articles and research notes) that use acoustic methodology or instrumental methods of analysis to investigate the synchronic variety of Japanese sounds.
Here are some examples of the research topics to be addressed in this special feature; however, submissions are not confined to these topics.
-Studies examining geographical or generational variations in speech through acoustic analysis
-Research utilizing equipment to analyze the articulatory dynamics of speech characteristic of regional variety
-Investigations that elucidate differences in speech sounds via corpus analysis
We look forward to collecting insightful papers that can contribute to and enrich future research.
Planned publication: Volume 30, online December 31, 2026 on J-STAGE
Manuscript submission deadline: February 20, 2026
Online submission: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jpsj