Language contact between Japanese and Portuguese is not a recent phenomenon. During Japan’s “Christian Era” between 1549 and 1639, the introduction of foreign culture by Portuguese missionaries and merchants influenced not only such fields as religion, technology and art, but also the Japanese language. The language contact continued over the past centuries and reached a further peak at the beginning of the twentieth century. Up to this point, there still is a quite vivid interaction between Brazilians and Japanese for several reasons, which will be presented in the third chapter. Besides, the number of Brazilian residents in Japan and vice versa is so high nowadays that the contact between those two languages is practically inevitable.
The history of Portuguese-Japanese language contact is divided into three stages. These aforesaid stages will be discussed as follows: The first chapter deals with the first stage of language contact, which occurred in the sixteenth century in Japan. Chapter two is about the second stage of Portuguese-Japanese language contact, which occurred in Brazil at the beginning of the twentieth century. The third chapter deals with the third and last stage of Japanese-Portuguese language contact that began at the end of the twentieth century and still continues. This chapter is followed by a conclusion, a list of references and a declaration about the authenticity of the term paper. Although this subject is quite complex, the purpose of this term paper is to give a short overview about the sociolinguistic and historical significance of the Japanese- Portuguese language contact. Japanese terms are always written in rōmaji. For a better understanding, Portuguese terms, as well as Japanese terms, are always translated into English.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- 1. Language Contact in the Sixteenth Century in Japan.
- 1.1 Historical Context and Reasons for Language Contact.
- 1.2 Loanwords in Japanese and Portuguese through Language Contact.
- 2. Language Contact at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century in Brazil
- 2.1 Historical Context and Reasons for Language Contact.
- 2.2 Loanwords in Japanese and Portuguese through Language Contact.
- 3. Language Contact since the End of the Twentieth Century
- 3.1 Historical Context and Reasons for Language Contact.
- 3.2 Code-Switching and Loanwords in the Speech of Brazilians Living in Japan.
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
This term paper aims to provide a brief overview of the sociolinguistic and historical significance of Portuguese-Japanese language contact, spanning three distinct periods. The paper explores the linguistic features and socio-cultural impact of language contact, shedding light on the historical context and motivations behind the interactions between Japanese and Portuguese speakers.
- Historical Development of Portuguese-Japanese Language Contact
- Linguistic Features of Language Contact: Loanwords and Code-Switching
- Socio-Cultural Impact of Language Contact
- Reasons and Motivations for Language Contact
- The Significance of Language Contact for the Japanese and Portuguese Languages
Chapter Summaries
The first chapter delves into the initial stage of Portuguese-Japanese language contact during the sixteenth century in Japan. It explores the historical context, including the arrival of Portuguese traders and missionaries, and analyzes the reasons behind the language contact, highlighting the influence of religion, trade, and cultural exchange. The chapter also examines the impact of loanwords from Japanese to Portuguese, focusing on cultural borrowings and terms related to Japanese objects and customs.
Chapter two examines the second phase of Portuguese-Japanese language contact at the beginning of the twentieth century in Brazil. It explores the historical context and motivations for language contact, highlighting the growing Brazilian population in Japan. The chapter also examines the linguistic features of this phase, including the borrowing of words from both languages and the impact of code-switching on the languages.
Keywords
This term paper focuses on the interaction between Portuguese and Japanese, examining the historical development of language contact, the linguistic features of the contact, and the socio-cultural impact of the interactions. The paper emphasizes the exchange of loanwords, code-switching, cultural borrowing, and the influence of religious and economic factors on the relationship between these two languages.
- Quote paper
- M. A. Yasmin Barrachini-Haß (Author), 2013, Portuguese-Japanese Language Contact. History, Linguistic Features and Socio-Cultural Impact, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/320535
