Language Choice and use among foreigners in a multilingual environment: Focusing on Pakistanis in Japan

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26370522
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics
• Principal Investigator: FUKUNAGA YUKA 大学共同利用機関法人人間文化研究機構国立国語研究所, 日本語教育研究領域, 研究員 (40311146)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 在日パキスタン人 / 多言語使用 / 場面・状況別言語使用 / 言語使用/選択要因 / 混合法研究デザイン / 質的調査 / 量的調査

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examines language choice, use, and the state of Japanese-language learning among foreigners in Japan, focusing on Pakistanis. Although small in number, the Pakistani community is an ethnic group that pursues a proactive approach to social activities. The study employed a questionnaire-based survey and conducted interviews to analyze the language preferences of this community. The results show that the Pakistani community consists of two groups-those with Pakistani roots and those with Japanese roots-both of which include multilingual speakers. The group with Japanese roots consisted of Japanese women who had married Pakistani men. The study clarifies that in situations and conditions such as the home and religious environments, the members of the group with Japanese roots spoke Urdu more frequently. This highlights the importance of the Urdu language to the Pakistani community.

Free Research Field

日本語教育研究、社会言語学