Panel 57: Language at Large: Education, Linguistics, Hybridity

Chair: Naoki Fuse, University of Notre Dame

Panelists

John Peterson, University of Notre Dame, “Japanese Language Ideology through the Analysis of English Loanwords in Domestic Japanese Ramen Advertisement”

This paper examines the use of English loanwords in Japanese through the lens of instant ramen advertising from 1958 to the current day. Ramen itself is a loanword from “lo mein” in Chinese, and was a popular food during the reconstruction period after World War II. Instant ramen was invented in 1958 by Momofuku Ando. Ramen is still a very prominent food in Japan today, and Japanese instant ramen is exported globally. As English loanwords have become a societal phenomenon in Japanese, they are often used for advertisements. Despite the Japanese origins of instant ramen, ramen companies frequently use English loanwords for domestic Japanese audiences. They use loanwords for the name of their ramen, like チキンラーメン/chikin raamen(chicken ramen) in katakana words and “UFO” [jɯ̟βːɸo̞ː] in English script with Japanese pronunciation. In addition to the use of English for the product name, ramen advertisements include the use of English loanwords, with some commercials being themed around the use of English in the Japanese context. Therefore, they make for great data sets to analyze the use of English loanwords in Japanese. The findings show a Japanese language ideology of being of a higher quality through internationalism or an image of America. Moreover, through the use of loanwords, advertisements can be eye-catching when written and unique when heard. It is also possible to use loanwords to appeal to a younger Japanese audience.

Lacey Young, University of Notre Dame, “The Usage of Hawaiian Pidgin English in Asian Americans in Hawai’i”

The multicultural interface of Hawai'i has promoted the development of a Creole language, Hawaiian Pidgin English. The various ethnic groups that reside on the islands of Hawai'i are reflected in Hawaiian Pidgin English. This Creole language incorporates languages from Japan, Korea, China, and the Philippines, which is representative of the large population of Asian Americans currently residing in Hawai'i. This research investigates the correlation between Hawaiian Pidgin English usage influenced by generational lineage and educational progression of individuals in Hawai'i, mainly Asian Americans. Self-report surveys were distributed to current college students and anonymous participants of varying ages, data was collected regarding the type of secondary education, generational lineage in Hawai'i, and Pidgin understanding, usage, and satisfaction. The results show that individuals with a longer familial residency lineage in Hawaii have a higher usage of the Pidgin language, demonstrating a generational continuance. For individuals with primary caregivers who used more Pidgin in the household, Pidgin usage was more prevalent than those whose primary caregivers did not demonstrate a high frequency of usage. This represents the connection between high-frequency exposure and high-frequency usage. The individuals who attended a public high school illustrated a higher level of Pidgin usage than those who went to a private high school, elucidating the correlation between public and private education in Hawai'i and the rate of usage that occurs from it. The study emphasizes the influence of familial lineage, exposure, and education on Hawaiian Pidgin English usage in current Asian-American college students and participants of varying ages.

Naoki Fuse, University of Notre Dame, “Linguistic Theory on Language Education: The Influence of Language-as-Process Theory on Japanese Language Education after WWII (1945–1965)”

This study investigates how a prominent Japanese linguist, Motoki Tokieda 時枝誠記 (1900-1967), influenced the direction of the public Japanese language education in the post-WWII Japan. His ground-breaking works on the linguistic theory called gengo-katei-setsu 言語過程説 (‘language-as-process theory’) in the late 1930s and early 1940s made Tokieda one of the most notable figures in the field of kokugogaku 国語学 (‘Japanese linguistics’) in Japan. Before the war ended, Tokieda focused on the principles of linguistic science and the linguistic features of the Japanese language. After the war, Tokieda shifted his attention to the social and practical aspects of the language including Japanese language education in Japan.

Linguistic ideas in Tokieda’s works have been cited and critically investigated by many scholars in Japan, but much less so in the English-speaking academia. Moreover, few works have been done to reveal how Tokieda used his theory to influence the direction of Japan’s national language education. This study analyzes Tokieda’s application of his own linguistic theory to the methodology of language education. The analysis reveals that in establishing the guiding principles of language education, Tokieda employed his conception of language as social-communicative action and gengo seikatsu 言語生活 (‘the ecological system of language activities’). The study also delineates the ways in which he promoted his ideas to the public through publications as well as serving as a member of Kokugo shingikai 国語審議会 (‘Council on Japanese as National Language’).