死語

• Reading: しご
• Romaji: shigo
• Kanji breakdown: 死 (shi) — death, dead; 語 (go) — language, word
• Pronunciation: /ɕi.ɡo/

Meaning

Dead language; extinct language. Also refers to words or expressions that have fallen out of common use.

A noun used in two senses: (1) a language no longer spoken by any living community (e.g. Latin, Sanskrit), and (2) colloquially, slang or catchphrases that were once trendy but are now outdated. The second usage is extremely common in everyday Japanese, often said humorously: それはもう死語だよ (that phrase is already dead). Frequently encountered in discussions about generational language gaps.

Examples

1. ラテン語は死語だが、医学や法律の用語に今も残っている。 Latin is a dead language, but it still lives on in medical and legal terminology.
2. ナウいという言葉はもう完全に死語になった。 The word 'nau-i' has become completely outdated slang.
3. 若者に通じない表現を使うと死語扱いされる。 If you use expressions that young people don't understand, you'll be accused of using dead words.

Usage Guide

Context: linguistics, casual conversation, pop culture

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 死 (shi, death/dead) + 語 (go, language/word). Literally 'dead language/word' — a straightforward compound describing language that is no longer living or current.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal