Ideologies of Communication in Japan - (Multilingual Matters) by Patrick Heinrich & Florian Grosser & Saana Santalahti (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book presents case studies of ideologies of communication in Japan, responding to recent developments in the field and the subject-wide shift from ideologies of language to ideologies of communication. Chapters explore a wide range of language contexts using an array of innovative methodological approaches and theoretical perspectives.

Book Synopsis

This book presents case studies of ideologies of communication in Japan which respond to recent epistemological and methodological developments in the field and reflect the subject-wide shift from ideologies of language to ideologies of communication. Chapters explore a wide range of language contexts, from formal language learning settings to video games, smartphones and language use in couples and by immigrants. The authors use an array of innovative methodological approaches and theoretical perspectives, including language portraits, soundscapes and social space. The book also contains chapters that present positive perspectives on ideologies, examining how they can be created and mobilized to inspire specific groups to pursue their interests. Together the chapters give a complex and inclusive picture of language in Japan and the current breadth of the field of ideologies of communication.

Review Quotes

Led by a crystal-clear review on the classical approach to language ideology in Japanese sociolinguistics, the chapters in this volume contribute towards a comprehensive focus: ideologies of communication. The broad array of research domains and methodologies sparks a lively and engaging discussion on the ramifications of ideologies of communication in the context of contemporary Japan.-- "Ruriko Otomo, Hokkaido University, Japan"

While this volume does, as the title suggests, provide a deep insight into ideologies of communication in contemporary Japan, it is much more than that. It is an excellent collection of contributions that show how reflexive projections span, and interrelate among, multiple semiotic modes, genres, and communicative practices.-- "Jürgen Spitzmüller, University of Vienna, Austria"

Japan is undergoing profound changes, mainly driven by demographic dynamics: ageing, population decline, immigration. This is also reflected in changing communication practices and ideologies inspected in this volume. By expounding the complex interaction of gender relations, non-native speakerhood, social roles and cultural dynamics it helps us understand the growing diversity and increasing disparities that characterise Japan today.-- "Florian Coulmas, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany"

About the Author

Patrick Heinrich is a professor of Sociolinguistics and Japanese Studies at Ca'Foscari University of Venice, Italy. He is the author of The Making of Monolingual Japan (Multilingual Matters, 2012), and his many edited books include The Handbook of Ryukyuan Languages (de Gruyter Mouton, 2015) and The Routledge Handbook of Japanese Sociolinguistics (Routledge, 2019).

Florian Grosser is a doctoral student and project assistant at the Department of Linguistics, University of Vienna, Austria. He is interested in ideologies of language (learning) and narratives of lived experiences of language(s) in contemporary Japan.

Saana Santalahti is a doctoral student in the Doctoral Programme in Language Studies (HELSLANG) at the University of Helsinki, Finland. She is especially interested in the sociolinguistics of Ainu and the Ryukyuan languages.