Language and the Modern State: The Reform of Written Japanese

by Nanette Gottlieb

The history of the Japanese language from the late 19th century to the present time is dominated by the dramatic changes that the written form has undergone. This book explores the relationship between language, change and modernization in Japan.

Genres: Japanese History, Language

329 pages, Hardcover

First published August 6, 1991

Reviews

[モーリー · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who is interested in modernization (not just Japanese), linguistics/language, literature, or pretty much anything in the Meiji period (who reads primary sources) needs to read this book right away. Although it is not recent, it's still the only in-depth and broad study of this issue that I'm aware of: language reform in the Meiji period instigated by Western influence and modernization/industrialization.

Twine makes the important point that Meiji language reform ideas were spurred by exposure to and influence by the West, rather than an "evolutionary" or inevitable process. She does an excellent job of covering all aspects of this movement -- very exhaustively! -- and providing plenty of examples of different styles and orthographies. This is absolutely key for anyone who needs to understand Meiji styles of Japanese.

I read a lot of primary sources from the mid-to-late Meiji period in the course of my PhD study and had to learn it "the hard way": through extensive exposure to various types of writing, and through my limited knowledge of the classical Japanese grammar somewhat still in use at the time. (If I knew classical Chinese or some basic kanbun or sorobun I'd be doing better.) Each writer had a different style, combining grammar from various types of written Japanese, using variant kanji and kana, and integrating nuanced glosses and Western words. I learned Ozaki Koyo style, Higuchi Ichiyo style (barely), Koda Rohan style, Mori Ogai style, etc., not to mention news articles from the Yomiuri. If I had read this book beforehand, at least I'd be oriented to what I might encounter, even if there is no one "Meiji style" I could "learn" (as grad students now often ask me for a book to teach them).

Four stars only because the end, especially the last chapter and conclusion, feels very repetitive and just summarization/listing of various people and their writing. It got to be a real slog at that point. But the beginning is a fascinating overview and it includes ample appendices as well. HIGHLY recommended resource!

[Arilando · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for those interested in the topic.

[meeners · Rating 4 out of 5]

theory is somewhat outdated (recommend skipping the first chapter entirely), but this is still the go-to book if you want to know who-said-what and who-did-what and what-happened-when about the genbun itchi movement(s).