Choice Between the Synonymous Pairs of Sutoppu and Teishi

Abstract

This paper discusses the results of a corpus-based study on the usage and functions of the western loanword sutoppu and its synonymous Sino-Japanese, teishi. Our analyses focus on the following four perspectives: (1) frequency, (2) conjugation types, (3) characteristics of genres used, and (4) collocations. The results show that sutoppu is used mostly in a causative form, implying something compulsory or intentional, whereas teishi is mostly used in its passive form to imply inevitability. In addition, sutoppu emphasizes instantaneity and has the meaning of intentionally stopping something with great resistance. Whereas teishi permits a certain duration of time and describes the state of being stopped.