Translation - Osa

One of the names of ancient government officials and clan names. Meaning interpreter, it can also be written as tsuuji. It can also be written as osa, and its origin is thought to be an ancient Korean word derived from clan names of Korean countries such as Baekje. Initially, people from immigrant clans were appointed, such as Kurashukuri no Fukuri, who was the interpreter for Ono no Imoko, the Japanese envoy to Sui, but gradually people with experience studying abroad and other abilities who were fluent in conversation were appointed. It first appeared in the "Nihon Shoki," in the article for the 7th year of the Yūryaku era. In the "Engishiki," translations of the terms used for the envoys to Tang, Silla, and Amami, the envoys to Bohai, and the envoys to Silla, as well as large and small interpreters, can be found. There are also cases where official titles were turned into family names, and the Usagi clan was distributed in Kinai and its surrounding areas, such as Sagara County, Yamashiro Province, Sonokami County, Yamato Province, and Yasu County, Omi Province (Shinsen Shojiroku, etc.).

[Kimio Mori]

"Study of the Balhae Interpreter" by Masashi Sakayori (included in Balhae and Ancient Japan, 2001, Azekura Shobo) "Envoys to the Tang Dynasty and Interpreters" by Junichi Enomoto (included in Tang Dynasty and Ancient Japan, 2008, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代の官職名、氏(うじ)の一つ。通訳の意で、通事(つうじ)とも書く。また曰佐(おさ)とも書き、その語源は百済など朝鮮諸国の氏姓に由来する古代朝鮮語と考えられる。当初は遣隋使小野妹子(おののいもこ)の通事鞍作福利(くらつくりのふくり)のように、渡来系氏族が登用されたが、次第に留学経験者などで会話に堪能な者が登用されるようになった。初見は『日本書紀』雄略7年是歳条。『延喜式』には遣唐使の訳語・新羅訳語・奄美訳語、遣渤海(ぼっかい)使、遣新羅使の訳語や大・小通事が見える。官職名から氏名に転じた例もあり、曰佐氏は山城国相楽(さがらか)郡、大和国添上(そうのかみ)郡、近江国野洲郡など畿内とその周辺に分布した（『新撰姓氏録(しんせんしょうじろく)』など）。

［森　公章］

『酒寄雅志著「渤海通事の研究」（『渤海と古代の日本』所収・2001・校倉書房）』▽『榎本淳一著「遣唐使と通訳」（『唐王朝と古代日本』所収・2008・吉川弘文館）』

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