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During the Edo Period, people living in the southern and northern areas of Japan were unable to communicate with each other because they spoke very different dialects; but, when Western colonization of Asia compelled Japan to open its doors to the world in the late 19th century, that changed. Needing to build a strong, centralized nation capable of competing against Western forces, Japanese was standardized. This Standard Japanese was used in education, broadcasting and other communication media; thus it spread quickly and widely. As a result, Japanese people now have no difficulty communicating with one another. Although the benefits are obvious, there is a concern that many people consider Standard Japanese proper Japanese and avoid speaking their own dialects. Of course, foreigners should learn standard Japanese, but one cannot say that standard Japanese is right and the dialects are wrong. Language is more than a tool for communication; it is also a fundamental part of culture. For that reason, language should not be judged solely for its efficiency nor should standard or non-standard Japanese should be considered improper.
Unfortunately, when comparing standard Japanese to local dialects, standard Japanese often seems to be superior. Why? Standard Japanese has been widely used in "sophisticated" and "important" venues such as broadcasting, literature, science, and education, whereas the dialects are used locally and in informal settings. Just as the brain atrophies without stimulation, a language also ceases to develop without continuous stimulation. The lack of effort to extend individual dialects has led to their recent decline (or, monotony of Japanese language), and also to the decline of local cultures (monotony of Japanese culture).
The relationship between English and various other languages in today's global environment is similar to the one between standard Japanese and its dialects. There is a narrowly focused concentration on America. Already the norm in science, North American English is becoming the world standard. Even in Japan there are institutions, such as BSI, that use English as their official language. In the near future it is possible that all presentations given at domestic conferences will be in English. In addition, English is the preferred language when applying for research grants and for lectures at universities in Japan. In this environment, the ability to use English should dramatically improve in Japan and help reduce the language barrier in science. This may also reduce the hierarchy and excessive modesty associated with the Japanese language, enabling open discussions such as those common in the United States. Scientific communities in Japan today are moving in this direction. In this dramatic move towards English in science, we must be extremely careful not to let the Japanese language follow the same fate as its dialects for the sake of short-term efficiency. We should not let Japanese become an "inferior" language used only for daily life. Many Japanese scientists are struggling to negotiate the differences between Japanese and English when conducting scientific research. Yet, in those gaps there is an opportunity for Japanese scientists to produce original and unique scientific research that could not emerge out of Western culture alone.
English is often considered a logical language; however, that is not because logic is an inherent feature of the language. That trait was cultivated and nurtured as England and the United States of America extended their global presence. Present-day Japanese does not rival English in science; but we should not stop using Japanese when conducting scientific research. It is important to patiently cultivate and improve Japanese to create a more logical language, even if this appears to be hard. It may seem like a detour, but it will eventually lead to original scientific research in Japan.
We should reflect again on the Meiji Period phrase "Wakon Yosai" (Japanese spirit and Western knowledge). |
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