What is loanwords/borrowings? (外来語 in Japanese)
Integrated code-switches; main criteria are frequency and distribution of use.
Why is there abundant amount of borrowings in Japanese?
(i) Linguistic reason
- lack of nominal inflection.
- no marking for gender, person or number on nouns
- cases are indicated by separate particles
=> Loanword can be inserted at any position without morphological readjustments
(ii) Sociocultural reason
- Japan has adopted many features from certain western nations
Historical Contact between Japanese and other languages
- Chinese contact : 9-13th century (Buddhist impact)
- European contact :
- early 16th century: Christianity, including Portuguese
(about 200 words remain, mainly cultural items of food
and clothing)
- 17-18th century: Isolation period
Some Dutch - used as language of external diplomacy
Dutch was also "carrier" for items from other languages.
Many loanwords about physical objects.
- 18th century: increase in scientific loanwords, especially in medicine
- 19th century: English, German, Russian, French
French: military terms, now associated with fashion,
food, art, etc.
Russian: military and political terms
German: medicine, mountaineering, academic study
- English contact
- ~1900s
- Before 1850s, extremely restricted
- 1853 - 1868 : opening to the west, modernisation and dissemination of
western knowledge
Commencement of English teaching and arrival of European
and Americans in various occupations
- 1868 - 1912 : Recruitment of European and American advisers and teachers
Development of English-Speaking elite
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