Why Are Katakana Words Difficult for Foreign Learners of Japanese? A Linguistic Analysis of Factors that Make Such Words Difficult for Learners Yuko Igarashi Department of Linguistics University of Victoria

2 Major Factors That Cause Difficulty with Katakana Words (1) The way katakana words are presented in textbooks (2) Orthographic issues such as script policy and word form variations

Katakana Words in Textbooks (a) Presentation of katakana words in textbooks (b) Ratio of katakana words with kanji and hiragana words

Katakana Words in Textbooks Presentation of katakana words in textbooks A look at how katakana is presented in textbooks in comparison with hiragana using the following perspectives

Katakana Words in Textbooks Presentation of katakana words in textbooks (1) whether there is a list of the katakana script symbols in the katakana syllabary (2) which script is used for on-readings and kun-readings for kanji symbols in a kanji list (3) whether there are two types of katakana usage descriptions: (a) katakana script is used for loanwords from languages other than Chinese, and (b) katakana script is usedfor presenting words written in an unconventional style

Katakana Words in Textbooks Presentation of katakana words in textbooks (4) what type of script (hiragana or katakana) is used for presenting onomatopoeia (5) whether there is a chapter specifically designated for teaching katakana script (6) whether readings of kanji (furigana) are presented in hiragana or in katakana (7) whether katakana words are provided with readings in hiragana (furigana for katakana) (8) whether hiragana are used exclusively until kanji are introduced for presenting instructions and dialogues

Katakana Words in Textbooks RESULTS OF TEXTBOOK OBSERVATION

The acquisition of hiragana is given priority over katakana Katakana Words in Textbooks: Presentation of katakana words in textbooks OBSERVATIONS After learning the script, the learners infrequently see katakana unless loanwords are used in dialogue or exercises The acquisition of hiragana is given priority over katakana

Katakana Words in Textbooks Ratio of katakana words with kanji and hiragana words A look at how frequent katakana, kanji and hiragana appear in textbook commonly used to teach Japanese to foreign learners

Katakana Words in Textbooks RATIO OF WORDS IN EACH SCRIPT IN 5 TEXTBOOKS

Katakana Words in Textbooks Ratio of katakana words with kanji and hiragana words The popular textbook Genki was tested for frequency of katakana word used In it, 1 069 katakana words loanwords appeared but only 230 different words were used

Katakana Words in Textbooks: Ratio of katakana words with kanji and hiragana words OBSERVATIONS The ratio of katakana words is lower than that of hiragana words. The frequency of the appearance of katakana words is infrequent

Katakana Words in Textbooks Preliminary Conclusion Katakana words are not given sufficient exposure in textbooks. Foreign learners of Japanese encounter the script infrequently which makes it difficult for them to recognize katakana words.

Orthographic Issues in Japanese Writings

Orthographic Issues in Japanese Writings Kango - Kanji Wago - Hiragana Gairaigo - Katakana

Orthographic Issues in Japanese Writings 本 ほん ホン

Orthographic Issues in Japanese Writings YURE is a phenomenon in Japanese wherein a word can be written using any of the three scripts to convey different feelings

Orthographic Issues in Japanese Writings Katakana is used, especially by advertisers, to write words in an unconventional manner for “recall” values

Katakana Word Form Variations

Katakana Word Form Variations The introduction or acceptance of new sounds which katakana accommodates jars foreign learners since the spelling of words may vary from person to person or within a publishing company

Textbooks should be redesigned! DISCUSSION Textbooks should be redesigned!

REDESIGN HOW? Katakana should be taught first Furigana can also be written in katakana Onomatopoeias can also be written in katakana

REDESIGN HOW? The on-reading of kanji should be written in katakana The ratio of katakana words with hiragana words should be equal A chapter focused solely on katakana and its issues should be included

The variations of katakana words should also be addressed DISCUSSION Foreign learners should be taught that katakana is not exclusively used for loanwords The variations of katakana words should also be addressed

CREDITS Igarashi, Y. (2007). Why Are Katakana Words Difficult for Foreign Learners of Japanese? A Linguistic Analysis of Factors that Make Such Words Difficult for Learners. Working papers of the Linguistic Circle of the University of Victoria (WPLC), 20. Manuscript submitted for publication