International Journal of the Sociology of Language 175/176. Changing Language Regimes in Globalizing Environments: Japan and Europe

 What are the consequences and concomitants of globalization in the field of language? Answers to this question vary with the languages and the research domains in question. The vantage point of this special issue is the concept of language regimes, loosely defined as sets of habits and attitudes, legal provisions, and ideologies. Japan is at the centre of the discussion, providing as it does a case where the effects of intensifying global interdependence are strongly felt.
Ever since Japan embarked on a course of rapid modernization in the final decades of the nineteenth century, its government has operated under monolingual assumptions and made great efforts to install a monolingual language regime stressing homogeneity and a uniform standard. In our days, both the language regime that has been in place through the better part of the twentieth century and the underlying assumptions are being undercut by developments originating outside, and having repercussions beyond, Japan’s borders. Among the many aspects of Japan’s language regime, which was functionally well-suited for modem industrial society and a catching-up economy, but which is loosing its relevance in the emerging postmodern knowledge society, are the presumed identity of state, people and language; the exclusive status and the comprehensive functional range of the national language; the linguistic standard of right and false keyed to an ideal written norm; and the assumption of discrete language systems.

The articles in this special issue show that as Japan is getting to terms with growing internal linguistic diversity and with the need for more extensive communication across national borders, language services, language policies, language-related industries, and language preferences are being subject to adjustment – some in a piecemeal fashion, some more abruptly. Similar changes have been going on for decades elsewhere, especially in Western Europe, which therefore and despite many obvious differences serves as a useful plane of reference for many comparisons.

Globalization has many faces, and changes of language regimes induced by it will continue warranting observation and analysis. The International Journal of the Sociology of Language is an obvious place to do this. With the present double issue we hope to shed some light on relevant issues and stimulate further discussion. The seed conference took place on three sunny days in the spring of 2004 at Duisburg-Essen University. It was generously supported by a grant from Stiftung Volkswagenwerk which is gratefully acknowledged.