On April 3, the Hamilton Lugar School’s (HLS) 21st Century Japan Politics and Society Initiative (21JPSI)* hosted Prof. Jae DiBello Takeuchi for a public lecture on “The Role of Dialect in Contemporary Japanese Society.” This event brought together over 50 students, faculty, and community members. It was co-hosted with the East Asia Studies Center and co-sponsored by the Sociolinguistics Discussion Group. Prof. Takeuchi, a specialist in Japanese sociolinguistics, second language acquisition, and language ideology, is an Associate Professor of Japanese in Indiana University’s Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures. Her research explores how both native (L1) and non-native (L2) speakers navigate linguistic norms—particularly dialects and honorific speech (keigo)—in everyday social contexts.
In her lecture, Prof. Takeuchi examined the evolving role of dialects in contemporary Japanese society, focusing on Ehime Prefecture as a case study. She began by addressing the longstanding tension surrounding dialect use in Japan: although historically stigmatized as “backward” or “uneducated,” dialects have persisted as important markers of local identity and cultural belonging. Over time, public attitudes have shifted, especially from the 1970s onward, with dialects appearing in popular media, regional branding, and even commercial products such as souvenirs and mascots.
Drawing on the concept of the “linguistic landscape,” Prof. Takeuchi highlighted how dialect is not only spoken but also visually represented in public spaces, shaping perceptions of language and identity. She distinguished between dialect that may be difficult for outsiders to understand on the one hand and dialect that is easier to understand on the other: e.g., select phonological, grammatical, or sentence-final features embedded within otherwise standard Japanese. The latter, she argued, are increasingly common because they are accessible, recognizable, and effective in signaling local identity without hindering communication.
Her findings suggest that dialect use in Ehime remains robust but is undergoing transformation. Rather than disappearing under the pressure of standardization, dialect is adapting. Highly marked or unintelligible forms are declining, while salient and easily understood features persist. Participants in her study described dialect as “warm,” “friendly,” and closely tied to family and community interactions, though many emphasized the importance of situational appropriateness—using dialect in informal settings while reserving standard Japanese for formal contexts.
Prof. Takeuchi concluded that dialect continues to function as a vital linguistic and social resource, fostering connection and local identity across generations. However, its form is shifting from comprehensive systems to flexible, hybridized usage patterns that coexist with standard Japanese.
The event ended with a lively Q&A session, where audience members raised questions about dialect stigma, the role of media and institutions in shaping linguistic norms, and the implications of dialect use in foreign language learning contexts. The discussion underscored the broader significance of dialect as not only a linguistic phenomenon but also a social and ideological one in contemporary Japan.
*The 21st Century Japan Politics and Society Initiative (21JPSI) was launched at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies in 2018. Under the leadership of Founding Director and Hamilton Lugar School faculty member Adam Liff, from its base in the Midwest 21JPSI aims to invigorate and expand research, teaching, and programming on contemporary Japanese politics, society, and international (esp. U.S.-Japan) relations, and to educate, raise awareness, and debate policy responses to the various political, social, and foreign policy challenges that Japan faces today. For more information about 21JPSI and its upcoming events, please visit https://jpsi.indiana.edu/ and sign up for our event announcement mailing list.
Activities and opportunities for students like the event described would not be possible without external financial support. If you would like to support 21JPSI’s mission through a tax-deductible gift to the IU Foundation, please click here. (For the IU Foundation’s full disclosure statement, see go.iu.edu/89n.)