In: Oxford scholarship online
This title offers a comprehensive sociolinguistic overview of the linguistic situation in Japan. Contemporary Japan displays rich linguistic diversity, particularly in urban areas, but the true extent of this diversity has often been overlooked. The contributors to this volume provide a new perspective, with detailed accounts of the wide range of languages spoken in different contexts and by different communities across the Japanese archipelago. Each chapter focuses on a specific language community, and systematically explores the history of the variety in Japanese culture and the current sociolinguistic situation. The first part explores the indigenous languages of Japan, including the multiple dialects of Japanese itself and the lesser-known Ryukyan and Ainu languages.
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the rich linguistic diversity in Japan. Each chapter explores the history and current status of a specific language community, including indigenous languages such as Ryukyan, community languages such as Chinese and Portuguese, and languages of modernization and culture, such as English and French.
Problem melden