Index

Author: Edutraveller
Date written: 04/18/2003 07:33:55 PM
Last edited: 2003/05/25 16:53:17
Keywords: Japanese language, Studying Japanese, Japanese language today, Modern Japanese, Regional dialects

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The Japanese language

This is a new section of the homepage that will cover the origins and development of the Japanese language. Please feel free to contribute any ideas or comments. The following articles are being written; please suggest any more you think would be useful.

Origin and development of the Japanese language

This page explains some of the known facts about the origins of the Japanese language, and some of the controversy that surrounds the subject (and reasons for that controversy). The problem is that the origins are not clear, as Japanese really is unique among modern languages. The relationships between Japanese and other regional languages is explained, as far as the present theories allow.

Structure of Japanese

A brief look at the structure of the language. Japanese is a SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) ordered language, unlike the Indo-European languages which are all SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) languages. While this is a fundamental difference, the main problem it presents for language learners coming from SVO backgrounds is to change their way of thinking more than anything.

The Japanese writing system

Japanese has one of the most complex writing systems, using three sets of symbols (two syllabic scripts and one pictorial script). Originally written with just one script, the Chinese characters copied nearly 1400 years ago from the mainland, Japanese has adapted to the new script and adapted the script to Japanese, evolving hiragana and katakana scripts along the way.

The future of Japanese

It has been suggested that several times in the history of Japan that Japanese should be replaced with English, or French, or other (usually European) languages. We take a look at each event and the controversy, and also examine why.

Regional dialects

One of the things that bothers language learners the most is regional dialects. While regional dialects in Japanese are still alive and well, and used in everyday life in many parts of the country, the variation between dialects is not nearly as strong as one may think. Also, in general, Japanese will tend to use standard language (Tokyo dialect) when dealing with foreigners (although this is not always true, particularly with older people).

However, the language learner does not need to fear regional dialects. You can be sure that whatever accredited school you study at, teachers will be speaking and teaching standard Japanese.

References and reading list

Roy Andrew Miller. "The Japanese language in Contemporary Japan." AEI-Hoover Policy Studies 22, 1977.
This short text (102 pages) provides a good (if academic) presentation of the Japanese understanding of their language. The non-academic reader who knows nothing of Japan may find it difficult to comprehend on first reading, but it is well worth the effort if you are looking to grasp how the Japanese see themselves and how they perceive their language - central to understanding Japanese culture.

Roy Andrew Miller. "The Japanese Language." Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1967.
A detailed text that while old still provides a wide-ranging and scholarly account of the language, from origins and structure to the dialects of today.

J. Marshall Unger. "Literary and script reform in Occupation Japan." Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.
Professor Unger provides a summary of the events surrounding the reforms that took place shortly after the end of World War Two, using new archive materials. Despite a provocative writing style, the text provides a detailed coverage of the events, and denies the suggestion that SCAP wanted to force romanisation on the Japanese government.

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