A summary of Iwasaki & Ono paper on Ikema: six factors that have affected the current language situation in Ikema
Education
One of the factors that have affected the current language situation in Ikema is the existence of standardized education. The factor has made it difficult for young people to speak minority languages fluently[1]. With standardized education, it is difficult to promote the current language situation in Ikema, since minority languages cannot be integrated into the mainstream educational system, making it difficult for young people to learn the languages. Majority of the people who entered elementary school in the nineteen sixties can speak Ikema and other minority languages fluently since they were more exposed to the language. The standardization of education has made Japanese be the official language of education. The fact has endangered the likelihood of young people to speak Ikema and other minority languages[2].
Media
The other factor affecting the current language situation in Ikema has been the media. The prominence of television has endangered minority languages in the Okinawa Island, and Japan as a whole[3]. The introduction of TV in the Okinawa Island in the nineteen sixties, made standard Japanese the official language used on Television. Such a scenario made most people adopt the use of standard Japanese, since it was the language used to broadcast TV programs. It is apparent that TV and other forms of media are a cultural nerve for eliminating Ikema language, and contribute to the current language situation in Ikema [4]. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Primary Care takers
Ikema and other minority languages have also been endangered by the role of primary care takers. This people are important to promote the use of minority languages among young people. It has been established from research that people who are raised by grandparents, preferably grandmothers, who speak Ikema fluently, were more likely to speak the language more fluently[5]. However, since most of Ikema speaking people are raised by parents who may not be fluent in the language, they have failed in the quest to promote the use of minority languages. This has contributed significantly to the current language situation in Ikema
Lifestyle
Lifestyle is also another factor contributing to the current language situation in Ikema. The lifestyle of the people living in urban centers has significantly contributed to the endangered nature of the Ikema language. The medium of communication in cities and towns is usually standard Japanese. This is compared to the medium of communication for people living in rural areas, where Ikema and other minority languages are spoken by children[6]. People who live in Ikema speaking environments are few, compared to people living where standard Japanese is the dominant language, making lifestyle be an important aspect that contributes to current language situation in Ikema.
Gender
It has also been established that in Japan, men are more likely to interact more with people who speak Ikema and other minority languages, than women. From interviews conducted by researchers, it was found out that women are more likely to switch from speaking Ikema to speaking standard Japanese than men. The fact brings a gender perspective in how women contribute to the current language situation in Ikema. Men who speak Ikema fluently have interactions with people such as fishermen, who are very fluent in speaking Ikema[7]. However, women were found to interact less with people who speak Ikema fluently. Women have been associated with the erosion of the Ikema language, contributing to the current language situation in Ikema, since most women speak standard Japanese as opposed to men.
Social and Religious Events
Evidence from the three Ikema speaking communities which are Ikema, Nishihara, and Sarahama has indicated that official social events were very important in encouraging people to speak minority languages such as Ikema[8]. However, modernization in Japan has reduced the frequency of these events. The situation has significantly contributed to people speaking minority languages less frequently, contributing to the current language situation in Ikema. The change in lifestyles has led to modernization, which has made social and religious events not be a platform that encouraged people to speak Ikema.
Bibliography
Iwasaki Shoichi, and Ono, Tsuyoshi. Ikema Ryukyuan: Investigation past Experience and the Current State through Life Narratives. Tokyo: GreetingLine, 2010.
[1] Shoichi, Iwasaki and Tsuyoshi Ono, Ikema Ryukyuan: Investigation Past Experience and the Current State through Life Narratives (Tokyo, GreetingLine 2010), 7.
[2] Shoichi, Iwasaki and Tsuyoshi Ono, Ikema Ryukyuan: Investigation Past Experience and the Current State through Life Narratives (Tokyo, GreetingLine 2010), 9.
3 Shoichi, Iwasaki and Tsuyoshi Ono, Ikema Ryukyuan: Investigation Past Experience and the Current State through Life Narratives (Tokyo, GreetingLine 2010), 10.
4 Shoichi, Iwasaki and Tsuyoshi Ono, Ikema Ryukyuan: Investigation Past Experience and the Current State through Life Narratives(Tokyo, GreetingLine 2010), 10
5 Shoichi, Iwasaki and Tsuyoshi Ono, Ikema Ryukyuan: Investigation Past Experience and the Current State through Life Narratives(Tokyo, GreetingLine 2010), 11