大学共同利用機関法人 人間文化研究機構 国立国語研究所

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This paper explores yasashii nihongo, 'plain Japanese', in the context of language ideologies and the perspectives of its intended audience. Plain Japanese is a simplified form of Japanese used for emergency alerts targeting non-Japanese speakers, a practice that began after 1995. While English is often assumed to be the default language for non-Japanese speakers in Japan, a survey conducted by NINJAL in 2009 revealed that over 60% of foreign residents find Japanese to be their second most comfortable language after their native tongue, with less than 45% expressing comfort in using English.

Public announcements can pose challenges for non-native speakers due to specific linguistic features like orthography and honorifics. Plain Japanese, in response to this, deliberately avoids these complexities. However, in 2019, when the national broadcasting authority issued an emergency announcement in plain Japanese via Twitter for non-Japanese speakers, it faced criticism from some native Japanese who felt that it overly simplified the language. Some comments even suggested that using plain Japanese was insulting to foreigners. Others criticized the choice not to use English.

In this context, plain Japanese achieved its intended goal of assisting as many non-Japanese speakers as possible during the emergency. However, some native Japanese who voiced their criticism viewed plain Japanese as excessively simplistic and believed that English should be the preferred language for foreigners in such situations. These anti-plain Japanese arguments are driven by language ideologies asserting that Japanese should not be reduced or infantilized, and that those who do not understand Japanese should rely on English.

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