English needs in Kumamoto: Travel Information Centers Kyoko Kai (presented by JY)

The project As a research about linguistic auditing, a questionnaire was given to workers in 4 travel information centers in Kumamoto in September, 2006 Center A, B, C and D

“How many foreign travelers visit your travel information center per day?” Center A = 56, B = 30 (large scale) Center C = 2, D = 1 or 2 (small scale)

Asian-centered vs. Western-centered Western-centered (Centers A and C) = 70% of the visitors are from America or Europe. Asian-centered (Centers B and D) = 70% of visitors from Asian countries

What languages are used with what customers?

Centers A and B (large-scale) vary their use of English and Asian languages to suit the customers. Even so, they use English the most. Centers C and D (small-scale) use body language and gestures in addition to English and Japanese. It means that there aren’t enough workers to treat the foreigners in English and Asian languages.

Table 1: Language ability of workers in each center English ability Chinese ability Korean ability Ability of other languages Center A △ ×× △ Center B ○ △ ×― Center C ××× △ Center D ○○×○ ○ …good enough △ …not enough × … need ― …no need

Table 2: Written material in foreign languages prepared in each center Material written in English Material written in Chinese Material written in Korean Material written in other Center A ◎ ○○ △ Center B ○○○ △ Center C ○○○ △ Center D ◎ ○○× ◎ Same as Japanese ○ …good enough △ …not enough × … need ― …no need

similarities of the 4 centers First, all centers use English the most to foreigners there are about 3~5 workers who can speak English in each center All centers feel the highest need for Korean, so each center has some workers studying both Korean and English individually No centers needed more written information in any language

Recommendations Especially, travel information centers like center B and D need more workers to be able to speak Korean. As Honna states (2003:54), workers having ability of Asian languages not only English are needed in places like Travel Information Centers Linguistic auditing should be known to Japanese workers, and new programs can be tailored in order to make communication between Japanese workers and foreign customers more active. When many people recognize the need for English and other languages, this change of their feeling will connect to the economic and tourist development of the area.