noun
language of the Emishi
Archaic term for the language spoken by the Emishi people, an ancient ethnic group in northeastern Japan.
See also: 蝦夷
古代の文献には、蝦夷の話す蛮語についての記述が残っている。
Ancient documents contain descriptions of the barbarian language spoken by the Emishi.
noun
nanban languages (Edo period)
Archaic term for European languages encountered during the Edo period, especially Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch, associated with the 'southern barbarians' (南蛮).
See also: 南蛮
江戸時代、南蛮貿易で伝わった蛮語にはポルトガル語やスペイン語があった。
During the Edo period, the barbarian languages introduced through nanban trade included Portuguese and Spanish.
noun
Archaic general term for any foreign language, often with a derogatory nuance of 'barbarian tongue'. Rare in modern usage.
幕末の武士は、蛮語を学ぶことに抵抗を感じる者も多かった。
Many samurai at the end of the Edo period felt resistance to learning foreign languages.
Standard modern term for 'foreign language', neutral and widely used. 蛮語 is archaic and carries a derogatory nuance.
Refers to the 'southern barbarians' (Europeans) in the Edo period; 蛮語 is the language spoken by them.
Ancient ethnic group in northeastern Japan; 蛮語 in sense 1 specifically refers to their language.
Compound of 蛮 (ban, 'barbarian') + 語 (go, 'language'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term reflects pre-modern Japanese attitudes toward foreign peoples.