Ethnolinguistic revival in Japan: a case study of Ainu language

Among linguists, it is a widely accepted fact that even though Japan has been undergoing a process of language standardisation since 1872, dialects are still widely used. More than 20 years ago, linguists such as Shibata (1976) predicted that due to the unifying effect of the mass-media on language usage and the movement of people from rural areas of Japan into urban areas, dialectical peculiarities which are not much different from the standard norm will be more or less assimilated by standard speech. However, Inoue has more recently claimed that based on data collected by Kasai and Sawaki in two separate linguistic surveys, dialects in the Ryukyu islands, Kyushu and Tohoku in particular, are far from being standardised (Inoue 1992). Shibatani (1990) also states that dialects exist in present day Japan. According to him, Eastern Japan (eastern Honshu including Hokkaido), Western Japan, Kyushu and the Ryuku islands are the four majot divisions for dialects. These divisions were made primarily on striking grammatical and morphological aspects, including linguistic peculiarities in the phonetic and syntactic forms, as well as in pitch control. In spite of dissemination of the standard language throughout the nation by means of education and mass-media, for sociopsychological reasons perhaps associated with identity of membership to a particular group, the usage of dialects has continued to thrive. Associated with the concept of group identity, reviving ethnic langyuages and cultures is part of consciousness raising tactics employed by minority groups around the world. The Ainu in Japan are no exception to this trend. Since 1984 Ainu activists have lobbied the government to enact a new law for the Ainu people known as Ainu Shinpo (A New Law for the Ainu), which is based on the fundamental principle of respect for the Ainu people's identity (Nomura 1988). This legislative bill petitions the government for ratification of five points: a guarantee of human rights; government assistance in encouraging and supporting Ainu people to attain a higher level of education; the establishment of government sponsored programs to assist the Ainu in improving their economic status; government commitment to help the Ainu improve their living environment; and guaranteed government support for the revival, dissemination and protection of Ainu culture (Nomura 1988). According to Uemura (1997) the Ainu people consider Ainu language to be part of Ainu culture. Ainu Shinpo was finally ratified in a modified form on 08 May 1997 by the Japanese Diet. The modified version of the new law contained only the last demand put forward by the Ainu people, that is, the demand for government support for the protection and dissemination of Ainu culture. As a linguist, I believe the ramifications of this small success could have a huge impact on efforts to revive the Ainu language.