Loanwords in Japan

要旨

This chapter provides an overview of the background to, and the current situation of, the debates on the use of loanwords in Japan. Today, the number of English-based gairaigo used in Japanese is increasing at a rapid pace. From a lexicographic point of view, gairaigo is part of the Japanese language, constituting one of the three main vocabulary groups: native words ( wago ), Sino-Japanese words ( kango ), and Western loans ( gairaigo ). However, the use of loanwords remains a source of fierce debate in public and academic arenas alike. On one hand, there are those who believe loanwords to be a source of linguistic corruption, and on the other are those who believe their use is a sign of linguistic enrichment, and yet many others have more nuanced opinions that fall somewhere in between. They all, however, actively express their ideas about loanwords in an animated manner. Through the examination of various opinions on the use of Western loanwords, the chapter raises some important questions: How can one define the Japanese language? What constitutes a ‘correct’ or ‘beautiful’ language? Why has the discussion of loanwords been so animated in Japan? The goal of the book is to answer these questions with a particular focus on the relation between language and identity. The chapter thus acclimatises readers to the key questions and the main focus of the book.

主題