Chapter 11. Linguistic nationalism and fictional deception
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Satoko Suzuki
Abstract
In Japan many subscribe to linguistic nationalism expressed in propriety terms: only the ethnically Japanese possess the Japanese language and can speak it competently. This means, conversely, a metapragmatic stereotype regarding non-Japanese exists: non-Japanese cannot speak the language perfectly. While many representations of non-Japanese characters in fiction reflect this stereotype, this chapter analyzes a novel in which the author deliberately exploits the stereotype for dramatic effect. He has a non-Japanese character speak in a casual, natural, and gendered manner, and successfully deceives readers into believing the character is Japanese. When the true identity of the character is revealed, it comes as a complete surprise. The surprise serves as a wake-up call for readers to reflect on their sense of exclusivity.
Abstract
In Japan many subscribe to linguistic nationalism expressed in propriety terms: only the ethnically Japanese possess the Japanese language and can speak it competently. This means, conversely, a metapragmatic stereotype regarding non-Japanese exists: non-Japanese cannot speak the language perfectly. While many representations of non-Japanese characters in fiction reflect this stereotype, this chapter analyzes a novel in which the author deliberately exploits the stereotype for dramatic effect. He has a non-Japanese character speak in a casual, natural, and gendered manner, and successfully deceives readers into believing the character is Japanese. When the true identity of the character is revealed, it comes as a complete surprise. The surprise serves as a wake-up call for readers to reflect on their sense of exclusivity.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Dedication vii
- Foreword xi
- Acknowledgement xv
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Grammar
- Chapter 1. Reason-coding in Japanese 17
- Chapter 2. Amari/anmari/anma and totemo/tottemo in history and discourse 49
- Chapter 3. The form and meaning of the dangling mitaina construction in a network of constructions 75
- Chapter 4. “Late projectability” of Japanese turns revisited 99
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Part II. Interaction
- Chapter 5. Superiors’ directives in the Japanese workplace 125
- Chapter 6. Negotiating entitlement in Japanese 149
- Chapter 7. From subjectivity to intersubjectivity 173
- Chapter 8. Ne as an “impoliteness” (“detachment”) marker? 197
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Part III. Culture
- Chapter 9. Genre and the cultural realms of taste in Japanese, Korean, and U.S. online recipes 219
- Chapter 10. Metapragmatic discourse in self-help books on Japanese women’s speech 245
- Chapter 11. Linguistic nationalism and fictional deception 267
- Chapter 12. How does a non-native Japanese literary writer dissimulate and diversify the Japanese language? 289
- Subject index 309
- Name index 311
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Dedication vii
- Foreword xi
- Acknowledgement xv
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Grammar
- Chapter 1. Reason-coding in Japanese 17
- Chapter 2. Amari/anmari/anma and totemo/tottemo in history and discourse 49
- Chapter 3. The form and meaning of the dangling mitaina construction in a network of constructions 75
- Chapter 4. “Late projectability” of Japanese turns revisited 99
-
Part II. Interaction
- Chapter 5. Superiors’ directives in the Japanese workplace 125
- Chapter 6. Negotiating entitlement in Japanese 149
- Chapter 7. From subjectivity to intersubjectivity 173
- Chapter 8. Ne as an “impoliteness” (“detachment”) marker? 197
-
Part III. Culture
- Chapter 9. Genre and the cultural realms of taste in Japanese, Korean, and U.S. online recipes 219
- Chapter 10. Metapragmatic discourse in self-help books on Japanese women’s speech 245
- Chapter 11. Linguistic nationalism and fictional deception 267
- Chapter 12. How does a non-native Japanese literary writer dissimulate and diversify the Japanese language? 289
- Subject index 309
- Name index 311
