Resumen de Beyond bilingualism in Japan: Examining the translingual trends of a “monolingual” nation

Blake Turnbull

• Aims and Objectives/Purpose/Research Questions:

  Japan has traditionally been thought of as a linguistically homogenous and therefore monolingual society. Consequently, very few Japanese people consider themselves bilingual, let alone translingual; however, the reality of Japanese society would suggest otherwise. This paper’s objective was to shed light on the largely unrecognized translanguaging practices prevalent throughout Japanese society. It also attempts to address the question of why Japanese people largely fail to recognize their own translingual status despite their ability to live and act in an increasingly translingual society with few communicative issues.

  Design/Methodology/Approach:

  This paper takes a visual ethnography approach to examine an assortment of concrete photographic materials collected by the researcher. A descriptive qualitative framework was employed whereby written explanations and interpretation consolidate visual photographic representations to provide an insight into the translingual practices of Japanese society.

  Data and Analysis:

  Based on a descriptive qualitative framework, in which emphasis was placed on understanding the identified phenomena in their own right through analysis of emergent descriptions rather than predetermined options, 10 instances of translanguaging practices were analyzed in depth throughout this paper under six different themes: simple translation, intersentential practices, intrasentential, practices interlexical practices, intralexical practices, and semiotic-reliant practices.

  Findings/Conclusions:

  The findings provide concrete evidence of intersentential, intrasentential, interlexical, intralexical, and semiotic-reliant translingual practices working together to create a linguistically rich Japanese society that is undeniably deserving of a translingual accreditation.

  Originality:

  This is the first study that has looked at the translanguaging practices of Japanese society and identified it as being deserving of a translingual accreditation.

  Significance/Implications:

  This paper contributes toward an epistemological shift away from the erroneous notion that Japan is a monolingual nation, and brings about awareness to celebrate the underlying translingualism that runs prevalent throughout modern Japanese society.