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영어

In modern Japanese, the adverb, 'mushiro' and 'isso' are commonly used when you want to compare and choose between the　former and the latter.
Generally speaking, 'mushiro' always seems to refer to the latter rather than the former after comparing the two, but it does not necessarily mean to deny the former.
On the contrary, 'isso', although it is similar to 'mushiro', has a nuance of choosing the extreme.
As mentioned above, 'mushiro' and 'isso' are regarded to be interchangeable.
However, there is no detailed study on the difference of nuance when each of the two adverb are used. This paper reflects the research on the usage and the meaning of the two adverbs through the works of 'Ozaki Koyo', a representative writer in the Meiji era.
In his works, 'mushiro' and 'isso' were used interchangeably when the verb, 'shinu'(die) was modified. But, 'isso' was used more often with the extreme words, such as 'shinu (die)' or 'korosu (kill)'. And, these were switched when used in front of or behind the hypothetical or conditional sentences. Although the adverb 'isso' carried the meaning of selection, it was used only when there was a reason or cause for the selection. And, it had a strong nuance of self-abandonment, carried the meaning of 'giving up', and was accompanied by the particles, 'tomo' and 'demo'.
The adverb, 'mushiro' was used when you emphasized and exaggerated the second one rather than the first one. And it was used together with the words that expressed self-willingness, such as 'omou', 'kangaeru', and 'oboeru'.