The Popularity of the Japanese Language
Nowadays, it is not surprising to hear people from other countries say Japanese words such as Konnichiwa, Sushi, and Samurai. According to the New York based Institute of International Education, the number of people who study Japanese outside Japan is said to be 3 million, increased by 3 times compared to 1990 (Newcomb 4). Although Japan is an island country which had not had much connection with the world till a few hundred years ago and the number of people who actually speak the language is not so big, if compared with English and Chinese, more and more people are now trying to acquire Japanese as their second or third language. It can be clearly said that Japanese language itself is one of most popular aspects of Japanese culture, due to people’s increased interest in Japan, curiosity about its uniqueness, and attention to anime and manga.
First, people’s interest in Japan, which was caused by closer relationships among countries, has played an important role in the popularity of the language. As society has been globalized, more Japanese goods are exported to other countries, including electronics, music, foods, clothing and anime. Some words have become widely known overseas, along with these various Japanese products that people have regularly have access to these days. Many teens outside Japan who are addicted to Japanese cute fashion or to Hello Kitty, for example, now use the word kawaii (cute). Now that people have a lot of chances to get information about Japan through advanced media technology, it is an undeniable fact that people now pay more attention to the country. Many Japanese characteristics have been innovative to Western countries, in their unique oriental and artistic ways. For example, the Japanese lifestyle, including the use of shoji (a paper-made sliding screen) and the custom of tea ceremony, is often introduced to other countries as a new and interesting way of living. Consumers in...