A study of language variation and change in the corpus of Japanese laws and local ordinances

与以往探讨语言与法律关系的研究不同，本文以日本法律文本为语料，通过分析语言的变异和变化，探讨法律作为语料的可能性和局限性。我们分析了变化的动词变位的sahen动词，这一现象已经吸引了一些先前的研究。一些sahen动词显示sahen和godan类型的变化之间的交替（例如，zokus-inai/zokus-anai“不结合”），而其它的显示Sahen-和Kamiichidan-型结合之间的交替（例如，ronz-uru/ronz-iru "讨论“）。对14个高频动词的分析表明，不仅不同法律之间存在差异，同一年颁布的法律之间甚至同一法律内部也存在差异。因此，结果最优雅地表明，这种变化远低于立法者和官僚的意识（即，变低）。使用一个法律数据库，追溯修订历史，我们还表明，一些sahen动词在过去10年中显示出明显的变化。至于内部因素控制的变化，它被发现，至少sahen和godan型共轭之间的交替很好地限制在相同的方式已经在以前的研究报告。

Unlike preceding inquiries into the relationship between language and law, we used the text of Japanese law as language data or corpus, and analyzed the linguistic variation and change exhibited to explore the possibilities and limitations of law as language data. We analyzed alternations in the verbal conjugation of sahen verbs, a phenomenon which has already drawn a number of preceding studies. Some sahen verbs show alternation between sahen- and godan-type conjugation (e.g., zokus-inai/zokus-anai `do not belong'), while others show alternation between sahen- and kamiichidan-type conjugation (e.g., ronz-uru/ronz-iru `to discuss'). An analysis of 14 high-frequency verbs showed that, not only does the variation exist among different laws, it also exists between laws promulgated in the same year and even within the very same law. As such, the result most elegantly demonstrates that the variation is well below the consciousness of the lawmakers and bureaucrats (i.e., change from be low). Using a law database that traces revision histories, we also demonstrated that some of the sahen verbs show a clear change over the past 10 years. As for internal factors controlling the variation, it was found that at least the alternation between sahen and godan-type conjugation is constrained nicely in the same way as has been reported in the previous studies.