Languages have always been in contact with other languages. Much has been written about language contact among Indo-European languages. Thus, this paper aims to shed some light in the direction of a so-called exotic language: Japanese. For many it is still a language considered to be unaffected by outer influences due to its grammatical complexity and geographical origin. But quite the opposite is the case. Japanese culture and language comprise an abundance of English or foreign expressions respectively which gives rise to take a closer look, first of all what borrowing means in theory, and then how this can be applied on the subject of Japanese borrowings in particular, in terms of how much is borrowed, especially from the English language, and how the borrowings are integrated into the native Japanese language system.
Table of Contents
I Introduction to Borrowing
II The Japanese Language in Contact
III Integrating Borrowings into Japanese
IV Final Remark
V References
VI Appendices
Objectives & Core Topics
This coursework aims to analyze the mechanisms and consequences of language contact between English and Japanese, specifically focusing on how English loanwords are adapted, integrated, and utilized within the Japanese linguistic and cultural framework.
- The theoretical foundations of linguistic borrowing and contact situations.
- The historical development of contact between the Japanese language and foreign tongues.
- Phonological and morphological integration processes of English loanwords in Japanese.
- The role of mass media and advertising as drivers for linguistic innovation and "Japenglish."
Excerpt from the Book
Motivations for Lexical Borrowing
The most apparent presumption about motivation for borrowing is need.
"If the speakers of a given language take over new cultural items, new technical, religious concepts, or references to foreign locations, fauna, flora, there obviously is a need for vocabulary to express these concepts or references" (Hock 1996:271).
All speech communities want to keep their vocabulary up to date to compete in developments in science and technology. This, for instance, is what motivated much of the borrowings from Chinese into Japanese in the Middle Ages. Other borrowings may be motivated by prestige or fashion. The spread of English loanwords into many languages around the world may have attributed to these two factors. Although, in bilingual contact situations the reasons for borrowing are not as easy to determine, because the motivations are based on a complex mixture of notions related to 'intensity of contact', 'cultural pressure' and 'language attitude' (Winford 2003:38). Once again, mostly borrowing takes place from a more prestigious into a socially subordinate language, since the borrowed words from the higher esteemed language carry the notion of social and economic advancement, employment or educational opportunities. As it comes to Japanese, the motive for the immense amount of borrowings is that English words seem to have a more sophisticated air to them, especially the English loanwords in Japanese advertising. The borrowed words display the products in a new light that appeals to the customers.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction to Borrowing: This chapter defines the theoretical framework of language contact, explaining concepts such as language maintenance, shift, and the nature of lexical versus structural borrowing.
The Japanese Language in Contact: This section provides a historical overview of foreign language influence on Japanese, from Chinese Kanji to Portuguese trade and the intensive post-WWII Americanization.
Integrating Borrowings into Japanese: This chapter examines the practical methods of how loanwords are phonologically and morphologically nativized into Japanese, particularly through the use of Katakana and specific syllabic adaptations.
Final Remark: The author concludes that English influence is a permanent, advertising-driven phenomenon that often results in unique, artificial "Japenglish" formations that differ significantly from their source terms.
Keywords
Linguistic borrowing, Japanese language, English influence, language contact, Katakana, Japenglish, phonological adaptation, morphological integration, advertising language, sociolinguistics, loanwords, language prestige, linguistic economy, cultural diffusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary objective of this work?
The work aims to investigate how and why the Japanese language incorporates English loanwords and how these borrowings are transformed by Japanese phonological and morphological rules.
Which theoretical framework does the author use?
The author draws upon established linguistic concepts, specifically citing research by Winford, Hock, and Haarmann regarding contact linguistics, borrowing scales, and prestige functions.
How does the Japanese language handle foreign loanwords?
Japanese primarily uses Katakana for transcription, adapting foreign words to a CV (consonant-vowel) structure and often shortening them or combining them with native Japanese suffixes.
What role does advertising play in this process?
Advertising is presented as a major driving force for linguistic innovation in Japan, responsible for the rapid, often artificial introduction of English-based terms to make products sound more sophisticated or modern.
What is "Japenglish"?
Coined by Haarmann, this term describes the use of "un-English" English in Japan, where hybrid forms are created that retain the phonetic sound or partial form of an English word but acquire new, unique meanings in Japanese.
Does the work address structural borrowing?
Yes, the text distinguishes between lexical borrowing (which is common) and structural borrowing (which is rarer), explaining that Japanese displays a strong tendency to adapt foreign content while fitting it into its own grammatical patterns.
What is the significance of the "borrowing scale" mentioned?
The borrowing scale is used to categorize the intensity of contact between languages, suggesting that certain features are more likely to be borrowed than others based on the level of social and cultural pressure.
How do Japanese speakers perceive these English borrowings?
While the mass media and advertising promote these terms, the text notes that Japanese speakers might actually feel a sense of national pride or even disapproval toward the excessive intrusion of foreign vocabulary.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2004, The English Influence on the Japanese Language - Borrowing as a Trend, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/46956
