The Japanese colonization of Taiwan influenced language in Taiwan as shown by loanwords used in Taiwan which are of Japanese origin and the fluency of the Taiwanese older generation in Japanese.
The Japanese colonization of Taiwan impacted language in Taiwan through causing the older Taiwanese generation to be fluent in Japanese. In the process of assimilation, the Japanese colonial government taught the Taiwanese the Japanese language and implemented policies to incentivize use of Japanese rather than Chinese. The Taiwanese were required to use Japanese in banking and civil service workplaces, and were offered privileges from the local administration for learning Japanese.[1]
Although much of the Taiwanese population speaks Chinese, some words used in Taiwan have Japanese origins. Among others, loanwords used in Taiwan from Japanese include the word for greeting, pronounced “ai-sa-tsu”, which comes from the Japanese “あいさつ(挨拶)”; the word for germ, pronounced “bai-khin”, which comes from the Japanese “ばいきん(黴菌)”; and the word for oxygen, pronounced “sang-so”, which comes from the Japanese “さんそ(酸素)”.[2] The Japanization of Taiwan’s language marked a transition in Taiwanese identity, distinguishing language in Taiwan from language in the Chinese mainland. Loanwords in Taiwan most clearly exemplify the effect of the Japanese occupation on Taiwan’s language, as these words can be easily traced back to Japanese.
Japanese policies resulted in the fluency of the Taiwanese older generation in Japanese, and some have remarked that the older Taiwanese generation’s command of the Japanese language was better than that of their native language.[3] The ability of the Taiwanese older generation to speak Japanese facilitated discussion between the Japanese and the Taiwanese and had a significant impact on Taiwanese identity. As a result of their fluency, the Taiwanese were able to obtain Japanese-style educations both in Taiwan and abroad in Japan, further strengthening the link between the Japanese and the Taiwanese through ideology. The Japanese occupation of Taiwan had a long-lasting linguistic impact on the Taiwanese, some of whom are able to converse in Japanese to this day.
Japanese policies resulted in the fluency of the Taiwanese older generation in Japanese, and some have remarked that the older Taiwanese generation’s command of the Japanese language was better than that of their native language.[3] The ability of the Taiwanese older generation to speak Japanese facilitated discussion between the Japanese and the Taiwanese and had a significant impact on Taiwanese identity. As a result of their fluency, the Taiwanese were able to obtain Japanese-style educations both in Taiwan and abroad in Japan, further strengthening the link between the Japanese and the Taiwanese through ideology. The Japanese occupation of Taiwan had a long-lasting linguistic impact on the Taiwanese, some of whom are able to converse in Japanese to this day.
Sources:
1. Denny Roy, Taiwan: A Political History (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2003), [Page 43].
2. Ke-Yi Lian and Shih-Fan Chou, "Taiwanese Loanwords Influenced by Japan," https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=cGNjdS5lZHUudHd8aS1zYXkteW91LXNheXxneDozNDE3MTYwMjc4M2RiYjQ0.
3. Ibid
1. Denny Roy, Taiwan: A Political History (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2003), [Page 43].
2. Ke-Yi Lian and Shih-Fan Chou, "Taiwanese Loanwords Influenced by Japan," https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=cGNjdS5lZHUudHd8aS1zYXkteW91LXNheXxneDozNDE3MTYwMjc4M2RiYjQ0.
3. Ibid