METER AND RHYTHM OF JAPANESE VERSE: METHODS OF ANALYSIS

It is shown that the use of modern precise methods of Verse Study helps to get an ex- plicit answer to the question whether morae or syllables are regulated in Japanese verse. Our study proves that these are morae. Other types of calculations are shown which help to describe not only meter (an ideal scheme to which tend to coincide the majority of lines) but also rhythm (actual realization of ideal scheme in particular lines). Also, the distribution of segmentation markers (kireji) in a verse line is studied. They mark ends of lines and within a line — the middle of haiku, that is the middle of the second line. 1000 haiku (3000 lines) of Japanese poet of 17th century Matsuo Basho are studied. Haiku — a three-line poem with 5-7-5 morae in its lines. The number of morae, number of syllables (taking into account diphthongs and taking no diphthongs into account) were calculated (the existence and exact set of diphthongs is a matter of discussion in linguis- tic literature). It turned out that if morae are calculated then more than 85% of haiku has standard structure 5-7-5. If syllables are calculated in any way, only about half of haiku has standard structure 5-7-5 (46,8 % where potential diphthongs are taken into account and 56,2% where no diphthongs are taken into account). The most typical rhythmical variants of Basho haiku are in addition to 5-7-5 also much rarer 6-7-5, 5-8-5, 7-7-5, 6-8-5. Among kireji markers -ya (46,4%) and -kana (25,3%) are the most frequent. They mark ends of any of three lines and when they occur within a line, they prefer the position in the middle of haiku, that is in the middle of a second line.