History of Second Language Acquisiton in Japan

 The introduction of Chinese writing to Japan is a topic of considerable debate among scholars. While some suggest that Chinese characters, or kanji, were introduced as early as the 4th century, others propose the 5th century as a more plausible time frame (Lurie, 2011). Prior to this, Japan had no formal written language, relying solely on oral communication. Chinese writing not only introduced a way to record language but also laid the foundation for Japan's written tradition. However, adapting this foreign system posed significant challenges, as the Japanese language—already rich in unique phonetics and grammar—was structurally different from Chinese.

One of the most prominent issues was the grammatical discrepancy between the two languages. Chinese follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) sentence structure, whereas Japanese adheres to a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) format. Directly imposing Chinese syntax onto Japanese speech was impractical. To address this, the Japanese adapted Chinese texts by reordering the grammar to align with their native linguistic framework, giving rise to what is sometimes referred to as kanbun or "Chinese with a Japanese flavor" (Seeley, 1991). This process involved adding grammatical markers and reading aids, such as kunten (marks for Japanese readings), to make the texts comprehensible in Japanese.

The adaptation of Chinese writing into a form usable for Japanese communication was a critical step in the development of Japan's literary and linguistic tradition. While kanji retained its original Chinese form, the integration of Japanese grammar eventually led to a hybrid system, incorporating both Chinese characters and native elements. This innovation not only overcame the limitations of the linguistic mismatch but also paved the way for the later creation of the kanascripts (Seeley, 1991). The result was a written language that could accommodate the nuances of Japanese speech, a testimony to the ingenuity of early Japanese scholars and scribes.

References

Lurie, D. B. (2011). Realms of Literacy: Early Japan and the History of Writing. Harvard University Asia Center. Seeley, C. (1991). A History of Writing in Japan. University of Hawai‘i Press.