I’ve been behind on my blogging as work’s been hectic recently. So a recent post by Joi Ito about the state of English speaking in Japan (in a word, horrendous), reminded me of this crazy article in the Asahi last week.
Basically the article is about Japanese scientific researchers and their need to communicate in English, especially at international scientific symposiums, and their general lack of ability, or in some cases active displeasure to do so.
Toshihide Masukawa, 65, a professor at Kyoto Sangyo University, is famous for his research into elementary particles. But he is also known for his dislike of English. “My dream was to write outstanding research papers in Japanese and to make all the researchers in the world read them [IN JAPANESE!!!]. But it seems impossible,” he says. “Of course, it’s an advantage if you have a good command of English.”
Here’s another quote from an academic who is clearly out of touch with the rest of the world.
Kiyotaka Tanikawa, 61, an assistant professor at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, is less than thrilled with the trend toward the exclusive use of English. “Simply making the argument that you must write in English to compete with other scientists is insufficient,” he says. “Scientists should make greater efforts to translate their papers into Japanese and publish them.”
And non-Japanese scientists should translate their papers in Japanese because…the rest of the scientific world reads and speaks Japanese? What a comical thought process. The Japanese government ought not to be funding researchers with this kind of mindset.
Another one:
At another research center, Akira Tonomura, 63, a fellow at Hitachi Ltd.’s Advanced Research Laboratory in Hatoyama, Saitama Prefecture, says those who want to conduct research as part of his team must speak Japanese. Tonomura handles the world’s most efficient electron microscope and says he is too busy with his research to spare any time for English.
You know what Masukawa-san? The rest of the world is too busy to read your research if it isn’t in English.
asahi.com：Weekend Beat/ LIFESTYLE＆MORE： Japanese scientists use English or get the silent treatment
I do hate this kind of narrow minded attitude, but I also do understand their frustration of taking time in working on a English language besides their own studies……it does take time, since the Japanese education while young do not teach people English as something useful, necessary and even fun. But also think about it; English natives do not need to spend time in studying other languages so time wise they have an advantage….if the world have one common language which everyone has to equally learn, there would be no complaints as such ! A world is unequal, isn’t it ?!
Heh, this is actually why I originally wanted to learn Japanese. Some years ago, I was working with 3D graphics and there was coming all sorts of really cool demos from Japan but no one from the english 3D community that I was in understood the documentation.
So I figured, then I just had to learn the language
After reading Joi’s post I had a thought, and I figure I’ll share it here. While this mentality is silly and unfortunate, it is a reality that needs to be routed around. Definitly moving forward with a bit more open view would be helpful for everyone, however in the meantime… translate!
Seriously, a legion of “hapas” employed, by various means, as a temporary interface, I/O, buffer, between japan and everyone else. (Thinking out loud here…) Would it not make sense to include in any japanese economic roadmap, provisions for furthering the cause of a smooth linguistic co-existence with it major socio-economic-scientific-politcal partners?
Dropping stoggy “lingism” (lingusitc snobism) attitudes is of course key…
I agree that most of the academics I have met at different conferences/symposiums have poor english skills if any. But there others who are capable enough to carry out an intelligent conversation. I think that sometimes the “language barrier” is being used as an excuse for a deeper xenophobia.
To my mind a lot of Japanese speak good English.
And of course it’s a necessity.