Evolution of Abstracting Metaphors in Modern Japanese J-pop Lyrics: Analysis of Linguistic Devices

Abstract

This study investigates the use of metaphorical language in the second single by 25ji Nightcord de, focusing on the identification and analysis of different metaphor types and their expressions. Through qualitative descriptive analysis employing listening and recording techniques, combined with a referential pairing method, the study reveals three distinct categories of metaphors. The findings demonstrate a predominant use of abstracting metaphors (18 instances), followed by anthropomorphic metaphors (3 instances), and synesthetic metaphors (1 instance). Analysis of these 22 metaphorical expressions reveals diverse semantic interpretations that contribute to the song’s artistic and emotional depth. The prevalence of abstracting metaphors suggests a tendency toward conceptual abstraction in contemporary songwriting. Future research could explore the evolution of metaphorical patterns across multiple singles or compare metaphorical usage across different musical genres within similar linguistic contexts.