What is the correct reading of 黙然?


黙然 has two different readings which are もくねん and もくぜん. I am fairly confident
in saying that もくぜん is the more common of the two and that もくねん is some sort
of outdated reading. Is this interpretation correct?




黙然 is an uncommon word and I cannot say which is more common from my personal
experience, but according to ふりがな文庫, もくねん was much more common roughly 100
years ago. And I see no reason to believe this ratio changed greatly after
this period.

<https://furigana.info/w/%E9%BB%99%E7%84%B6>

Note that ふりがな文庫's data are based on explicit furigana in relatively old
novels, so rare, nonstandard or creative readings tend to appear more common
(だんまり should be an example of this). Still, I think the figures are meaningful
regarding もくぜん vs もくねん.

