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= English in Japan =

Nowadays, English is the fastest-spreading and global language of business in the world. Also, there are millions of people studied English as a second language. Without Japanese, English has the supreme status and is still the most studied of all foreign languages of any Japanese schools.

Japan is also called the State of Japan, the meaning of Japan's name with Japanese characters is "sun-origin", so Japan is also referred to as the "Land of the Rising Sun".

Japan was in touch with English as early as the Edo period. And over time, the proportion of English as the loan words became more and more important in Japanese. English changed Japan and help Japan to learn western technology from the Netherlands and Britain. However,  there is not everyone can speak English standardly and fluently with some weird pronunciation.

= History =

The birth of English in Japan
In the early period (Edo period): The Edo period dominated by The Tokugawa shogunate was the last period of feudalism of Japan. Because under the Foreign Policy of Isolationism, the country had the Western civilization which Japan only can contact was the Netherlands, also there was a famous privately owned cram school (the place for learning Dutch) established by Koan Ogata in 1838 named Tekijuku. At that time, Japanese educated for Dutch-based, called "Dutch learning" Those all laid the foundation for learning a new language.

In the early 19th century -- 1808, the British battleship "Phaeton" came to Nagasaki and started arrested Dutch officials, plundered goods and materials until they retreated. Japanese realized "the weak are the prey to the strong". In 1809, The Tokugawa shogunate started to request citizen to learn English. This was Japanese began learning English firstly.

In 1814, the first English - Japanese dictionary named "Angeria gorintaisei " was completed. This dictionary became the first tool to learn English. From 1835, there were many accomplished talents in Tekijuku. Like Fukuzawa Yukichi.

The prevalence of learning English in Japan
In the middle period (Meiji Restoration 1867-1945): Because of Perry Expedition in 1853, Japan realized reform and opening up is the path to a stronger country, so they needed to take example by learning western technology and culture. Under this background, English learning was the most important for making Japan more stronger. After 1860, English became the main course in Japan’s education. In 1870, the goals of learning English were that let the Japanese could read and understood the teaching materials then translated for others.

However, this path was not plain sailing, in 1872, the government published "Kyouikurei (きょういくれい) " and in 1879, the Mikado promulgated "kyougakuseishi (きょうがくせいし) ", the importance of learning English was decreased. This bill was abolished until 1886. Because the government established the complete education system from primary school to college, and it promoted the development of civilian education rapidly.

= Phonetic fusion with English and Japanese = First of all, there are three categories of "Wago (和語)", "Kanji" and "loan words (gairaigo)". "Wago" also means "Yamato Kotoba" which are the words Japanese used to form the beginning. "Kanji" are the words came from ancient China, and the Japanese always use Chinese in handwriting but not the pronunciation. The last one is "loan words". The loan words also recorded and narrated in katakana. All of the three words were used frequently. In one of three words, the proportion of "loan words" got higher gradually.

Acceptance and use with English loan words
Actually, the "loan words" also can classify to three small categories. The first one is the words were not belong to Japanese. Like "encore" and "pickle. The second one is the words which are the special proper noun. Both of those two is necessary and express hard in daily life. The third one is changing the original Japanese words to the corresponding loan words for making some difference with the impression and cognition to the words. It also can suppose that the difference in fashion and old-fashion.

Actually, in a way, the method which used for transforming in katakana makes more convenient to loan words. Also increased the frequency of occurrence of katakana.

On the other hand, compare with katakana, hiragana, and Kanji, Kanji has the hardest pronunciation than the others. And the frequency of occurrence of some Kanji is not enough for all Japanese. So use katakana is the easier way to accept.

Application of English in Japanese daily life


1) phonological change

For example, the word "radio" in English. The sound "di" should change to "ji" like "rajio" in Japanese. Also, the word "ticket", the sound "ti" should change to "chi" in Japanese, the romaji is "chiketo". The same examples also have "si" in English to "shi" in Japanese; "f" to "h"; "zi" to "ji", etc.

There are two main categories in totally 100 Japanese syllables, one is the pure vowel sounds: A E I O U. The others belong to consonant-syllables. And because there are not enough similar sound as English, whatever the vowel or consonant. So the Japanese must find some nearest sound to change.

2) Morphological change

The loan words can be divided into two categories, one is English + English and another is English + Japanese.

For Example, The English words "lay" and "guide" in Japanese means "ticket agency" and sounds like "purei-gaido". And "one" and "piece" in Japanese is one kind of cloth -- dress.

For another example, the English "telephone" in Japanese was translated to "denwa(電話)", and then added the word "box", means telephone box in Japanese. Also, there are "tooth" in Japanese and added "brush" in English, or "morning" in Japanese and added "shampoo" in English, ect.

There also has one situation, some loan words have a different meaning form their original.

= English of modern times in Japan (After 1945) =

After Japan's unconditional surrender in 1945, the U.S. occupied Japan and taking Corresponding Reformational Measures in Japan. Under the influence of the U.S., Japan focused more on English teaching and learning.

In 1956 to 1978, the rate of economic growth in Japan is almost 2.7 times as many as in the United States. It was also had established the status of a huge country in this world.

In 1979, English was one important target of Japan’s higher education selection.

In 1987, Japan came into effect the Program JET. The goal was to focus on foreign language teaching.

By the 1990s, English class started to appear in primary school.

However, oral English communicative competence was a weakness in Japanese. So the government in order to take an interest in learning English for the students, the English textbooks became comic style basically.

= Influence and significance of English in Japan =

Gains within history development
 One notation form 

Before the Meiji Era, the chief of Dutch "" edited a book about English vocabulary, in this book, Motoki used Katakana to write English words which pronunciations were coming from Dutch. This way of notation influenced lots of foreign language textbooks in Japan and it made the foreign language more familiar to Japanese.

 One famous University 

In order to deal with some other countries trade issues and diplomatic matters because of the trade openness. So the Tokugawa Shogunate established a school to learn the Western documents in 1855. At first, the main part is study of Dutch and English had a very small percentage. However, in 1860 one English department was built. In the Meiji Era, this place was called Kaisei School, and finally it was called The university of Tokyo in 1877.

One formal education system

After the World War II, in order to know well English skill as a requirement of entrance examinations, English became an important part and required in Japanese school. It is from these times that English started to develop as an important course which must need to pass the entrance examinations.

 One the Prime Minister's  Commission 

In January 2000, the late prime minister "Keizo Obuchi" established an organization, Nijisseiki Nihon no Koso Kondankai, this committee suggested that let English be the second official language, the goal was encouraged Japanese to use English everyday.

The problem of employment at the present times
In the earlier period, many Japanese companies were faced on the domestic market, lots of them didn't care about the global trend. So in order to let Japanese companies had more competitiveness in the world, there were many leaders became English as the second official language in their workplace. This way also can broaden the scope of employees.

There is another advantage of using English in business, English doesn't have too many restrictions. In Japanese, everyone should pay attention to the superior-subordinate relationship. When the employees have a conviction with a higher-up or the junior talk to the elder, they have to add honorific in every sentence. Hence, English can help to break the rigid culture and hierarchy which greatly improves efficiency.

This decision had to result in two different possibilities, one is good for the employees who has higher English skill, they would get a higher status. And the other one is a piece of bad news for the employees who is worse at English, they would be lost the status where they are or even worse. So it has to start a reorganization of human resources.

= English influenced Japanese music =  Early 

Along with English became more and more significant in many global commercial diplomacies, the knowledge of English was a symbol as "modern". Actually, English had a place in Japan, whatever the modality. Many different forms of Japanese culture contained English. Music among them, and there had one special reason: the strong effect of American culture in Japan after World War II.

Music is one special way of language expression. So the music also can embody their own feature of one culture. In fact, the Japanese could not have a conviction without English loan words in daily life. In other words, some Japanese music may show the influence of English in Japan.

English influenced Japanese music as early as the 19th century, there was an important person named "Izawa  Shûji". In 1875, the Meiji government sent him to a school in America. The main goal was to let him create a blueprint for the teachers in Japanese primary schools. After he went back to Japan, music became one part of study system in all schools even Japanese songs should be sung with Western melodies, and Western instruments. Also in the19th century, the Western churchmans brought their hymns affected the formation of popular vocal music.

 Contemporary music 

Before the World War II that was the first of Jazz's appearance, It was very popular in Tokyo until the War began. After the War and during the period when Japan was occupied by the United States, American music became welcomed again until after 1952 the United States evacuated from Japan.

 J-pop 

J-pop is used to describe the music which has Western features and English elements. Whatever the songs' style, the singer and language were Japanese. Although the main and conspicuous English elements are shown in music titles, group name and loan words in the lyrics.

J-pop is the abbreviation of "Japanese pop". It contains pop, R&B, Blue-Eyed Soul, rock, Hip hop, and Synth-pop, etc. In Western culture, that was Independent genre. There is no denying that J-pop became more and more popular in those years.

 Enka 

Enka is another popular Japanese music genre which decided to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Although Enka borrowed Western tones, it has stronger emotion expression than J-pop. However, the popularity was far below than J-pop.

= Reference =