Knowledge Bank

This study reports a case study of how Ano, a female Japanese artist, constructs a unique identity through two linguistic choices: her distinctive voice quality and the use of the masculine first-person pronoun boku instead of traditional feminine pronouns like watashi or atashi. By analyzing her TV program episodes, interviews, live broadcasts, and song lyrics, the study shows that Ano adopts a cute and childlike tone and uses boku to create a unique persona that represents who she is. The motivations behind these choices include her struggle with public speaking anxiety and a desire to avoid feminine connotations associated with traditional pronouns. The study highlights the role of language choices in shaping identity within the entertainment industry.