［研究論文］世界諸英語の未来と日本語─異文化理解の前提としての自文化理解に向けて

抄録

  Today, there are languages that are disappearing around the world, and English is becoming increasingly more of a lingua franca. In this situation, it is important for the preservation of ethnicity and nationality that people do not lose their native language. However, because Japanese people have never experienced losing their native language, they have a weak awareness of their mother tongue and do not seem to recognize its value. Nevertheless, intercultural understanding is based on knowing oneself.

  In this paper, as an attempt to understand one’s own culture, the aim is to understand and become aware of Japanese culture, mainly from the perspective of language. If we follow Sapir-Whorf’s hypothesis, language also affects the way we think, and the tatamiser effect of the Japanese language has the effect of softening confrontational attitudes. We have delved into the mechanisms of the Japanese language and the Japanese culture behind it by drawing on various cultural phenomena. This can be seen in several contexts, such as in films and ukiyo-e prints. In a globalized world, as the value of World Englishes as a means of communication declines with the advent of AI translation, the phatic aspects of Japanese can have great value. Understanding your own culture and interacting with other cultures is the first step towards true multiculturalism.