What do Bilinguals think about Bilingualism?

Graduation ThesisPresented to

the Faculty of the Department ofEnglish Language and LiteratureNotre Dame Seishin University

In Partial Fulfillmentof the Requirement for the Degree

Bachelor of Arts

by

Tomomi Tanabe2010

Contents

Abstract 1Chapter One: Introduction

1.1 Introduction 21.2 What is Bilingual? 2

1.2.1 Introduction 21.2.2 Definitions of Bilingual 21.2.3 Categorization of Bilingual 3

1.3 Attitudes and feelings about bi-lingualism 3 1.4 Bilingual education at schools 5 1.5 Focus of the thesis 6 1.6 Conclusion 7

Chapter Two: The Study

2.1 Introduction 82.2 The questionnaire 8

2.2.1 Overview 82.2.2 Method 8

A) Subjects 8 B) Questionnaire 92.3 Result 102.4 Summery 28

Chapter Three: Discussion

3.1 Introduction 293.2 Summary of the questionnaire results

29

3.3 Disc

ussion of the results 293.3.1 Q1.Background of the subjects 3.3.2 Q2. Skills of language (Speaking, Reading, Listening,

Writing) 3.3.3 Q3. What language do you use when you speak to

these people?3.3.4 Q4. What language do you use on such a situation?

3.3.5 Q5. Do you think you are bilingual person? 3.3.6 Q6. The people who answer “Yes”, do you want to be a

bilingual person? 3.4 Discussion of the research questions

323.4 Limitations of the questionnaire 323.6 Conclusions 33

References

34Appendices 35

AbstractToday, it is not uncommon for people to use more than two

languages in the world. A lot of Japanese go abroad and lots of foreigners

come to Japan and they use their own languages. People who use two

languages are called “Bilinguals”. Some non-bilingual people are envious

of them, however, for the bilinguals themselves, what do they think about

themselves? This thesis tries to find out the thinking of bilinguals about

bilingualism.I gave a questionnaire to 38 subjects who were three types of

bilinguals. They were Returnee children, Brazilian school students and

Korean school students and teachers. The questionnaire had seven

questions to reveal their background, skills, and thinking. In Chapter One, I

presented the definitions of bilingual and some examples of bilingual

education. In Chapter Two, I reported the study. Chapter Three discussed

the results of the study, and then to showed the significance of the results.The questionnaire discovered that each bilingual has their own form

of bilingualism. The difference is shown in where the boundary between

the bilingual and non–bilingual for them is. Most of the subjects said

though they wanted to be bilinguals, they had to be bilinguals because of

their environment. These results suggest that people think about

bilinguals more severely than no-bilingual people.

4

Chapter One: Introduction1.1 Introduction

Recently, “Bilingual” has become a well-known word. It is

uncommon to be bilingual people in these surroundings. But many people

work and study abroad and use more than one language. There are lots of

people who are called bilinguals, however, how do we distinguish between

people who are bilingual and those who are not bilingual? We will focus on

the definitions of Bilingual in this chapter.

1.2 What is a Bilingual?

1.2.1 Introduction

We may think a bilingual person is the person who can use both of

two languages in a native-like way however, there are so many different

definitions of bilingual that exist today. We will look at some of the

definitions in the next section.

1.2.2 Definitions of Bilingual

It is difficult to decide the definition of bilinguals because there are

many kinds of bilinguals in the world. There are three types of definitions.

5

1. The narrowest sense is "A native like control of two languages." ,

Bloomfield (1933)

2. The broadest sense is that “Bilingualism is understood … to

begin at the point where the speaker of one language can produce

complete, meaningful utterances in the other language.”, Haugen (1953).

3. In general, a bilingual is accepted to be “the person who has a

skill of using two languages.” ,Yamamoto (1991).

Now, we will look at another view of bilingual by categorizing

bilinguals into some groups distinguishing them by language skills.

1.2.3Categorization of Bilinguals

There is another way to categorize Bilingualism. At first bilingual

device two types. One is Societal bilingual and another is individual

bilingual. Societal bilingual is that it happens on the situation some

languages coexist in a community with their own function. Individual

bilingual is that it focused on how processes did the bilinguals pass or how

much can they have the faculty of using two languages. We can classify

individual bilinguals more detail according to skill. There are some kinds of

bilingual for example, Passive Bilingual, Dominant Bilingual, and Balanced

Bilingual. A Passive Bilingual is the person who is a native speaker in one

and is capable of understanding but not speaking another language. A

Dominant Bilingual is the person being more proficient in one of the two

6

languages (in most cases native-like). A Balanced Bilingual is the person

who is more or less equally proficient in both languages, but will not

necessarily pass for a native speaker in both languages.

1.3 Attitudes and feelings about bi-lingualism

A Bilingual person can experience “Culture shock” which happens

when the person who goes abroad, and have to challenge new cultural

surroundings and a loss of a familiar cultural environment, Rhinesmith

(1984). Culture shock makes their feeling changed. There are stages of

Culture Adjustment. The following 10 steps of cultural adjustment by

Rhinesmith show how cultural shock can be like a roller coaster ride of

emotions.

Figure: 1 Rhinesmith's Ten Stages of Cultural Adjustment

The 10 stages of cultural adjustment in Figure 1 show the changes

in feeling when people get integrated into a foreign culture. Also, there is

not an exact step to assimilate into the culture abroad. The following Ten

Stages of Adjustment which Rhinesmith outlined shows the emotions

7

toward culture shock can be like a rollercoaster ride. (Morikami, 2006, p.

4)

Stage one through to stage five when the person is exposed to a

new culture. The sixth stage is the start of the time to accept the new

culture. Stages seven through ten are period when people leave the new

culture. Comparing with Returnee Children, Brazilian school students and

Korean school students, which stages are there? The Returnee Children,

have been abroad and they learned their second language in the new

culture and then came back to their own culture. That’s why, they had

those ten stages of Cultural Adjustment. Most Korean school students and

teachers were born in Japan and live in Japan. They are the stage one

through to five. However the Brazilian school students, who came to Japan

and learned a second language in the new culture, are at stage six.

However, which stage they are depend on themselves and we cannot

decide the stage clearly.

1.4 Bilingual education at schools

1.4.1. Introduction

In this section, we will look at the two bilingual education schools.

One is the Brazilian school and the other is the Korean school in Okayama.

The Korean school in Okayama

8

In Japan, there are lots of Korean residents in Japan and schools for

these people. Their ancestors came to (were taken to) Japan after second

world war and they decide to live forever in Japan as Koreans. They made

some the Korean schools for themselves all over Japan. They are classified

into “kakushu-gakko” in School Education Law of Japan. One of them is in

Mizushima, Okayama. The school is called officially “Okayama Korean

elementary and junior high school.” There are preschool, elementary

school and junior high school. In 2010, 86 children take classes. Most of

the school days are same as Japanese schools. They come to the school

from Monday to Friday to take classes and some of them come on

weekend for their club activities. In the school, they use Korean and they

learn the Korean language and racial education. Some of them will go to

the Korean high school in Hiroshima after their graduation and go to the

Korean University which is the only one university for Koreans. All the

teachers in the school were students in these Korean school students and

they don’t have the Japanese official teaching certificates. They finished

their teaching course at the Korean University and after that they teach in

the Korean schools all over Japan.

The Brazilian school in Okayama. Around the time of bubble economy, lots of people who leave their

homes in search of temporary work came to Japan from Brazil but most of

them couldn’t use Japanese. For such people, Japanese schools were

established. In Soja City, Okayama Prefecture, there are lots of Brazilians

and there is a Japanese school. In there, they study Japanese to get a

9

grade of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. There are three classes

with their level of Japanese. The students are labourer or their family.

1.5 Focus of the thesis

We have looked at the background to bi-lingualism and at two bi-

lingual schools in Okayama.

Research question 1: What do bi-linguals think of being bi-lingual?Research question 2: Are there any differences between the Koreans

and Brazilian bilinguals?

1.6 Conclusion

We have seen the kinds of bilingual and the bilingual education of

the two schools in Okayama. In Chapter Two we will look at the bilinguals

answers to the questionnaire. By looking at these bilingual’s answer, we

will be able to find out what bilinguals think of themselves.

10

Chapter Two: The Study 2.1 Introduction

We looked at what bilingualism is, the types of bilingualism and

attitude and feelings of bilinguals. There to being bilingual in Chapter One.

Now we will see the result of questionnaire to find out the bilingual

person’s thinking of bilingualism and whether each bilingual’s answers are

different or not.

2.2 The Questionnaire

2.2.1 Overview

The aim of this questionnaire was to find out if each bilingual’s

answers are different or not, and ask if their background and skills of

languages make their thinking different or not.

2.2.2 Method

A) Subjects

The subjects who were to answer this questionnaire are three types

of bilingual people.

Returnee Children

First are the returnee children. These subjects have been abroad or

now stay abroad and go to junior high school, high school and university.

Their ages were from 14 to 22 years. All of them were my friends of

friends.

11

Brazilians

The second are the Brazilians in Japan who came to Japan as

laborers. They went to the Brazilian school in Soja City, Okayama

Prefecture and they took Japanese classes. The subject’s ages were from

22 years old to 65 years old. All of them came to Japan as laborers. In that

Japanese class, they were separated into three level classes. I asked

subjects in the top two level classes. In the top class, there were Japanese-

Brazilians (Nisei or Sansei) people. The middle class, there were students

who can understand Japanese and all of them came to Japan to work as

labors in Japan. Their language skills were different across the two classes

but all of them use Japanese for work.

Koreans

The last are the Korean residents in Japan. The subjects were the

students and teachers of the Korean school in Mizushima, Okayama.

Korean residents do not have Japanese nationality but they were born and

grew up in Japan and their nationalities were South Korean or North

Korean. B) Questionnaire

1. The questionnaire comprised six questions. The questions follow. 1. Please tell me about your background.2. Skills of language (Speaking, Reading, Listening, Writing)3. What language do you use when you speak to these people?4. What language do you use on such a situation?

12

5. Do you think you are bilingual person?6. The people who answer “Yes”, do you want to be a bilingual

person?

The first question was subject’s background which helped to find

out what kind of bilingual person was the subjects were. The second

question was about their language skills of both languages which found

out about subjects’ skill of “Speaking”, “Reading” “Listening” and

“Writing”. The third question and fourth questions were about the use of

languages which found out the actual use of their both languages. The

fifth and sixth questions were about their thinking about bilingualism.

2.3 Results

Returnee Japanese children

The returnee Japanese children subjects were eight people.

1. Please tell me about your background

・Nationality

The nationalities of these subjects were Japan, Japan and Mexico

(both dual nationality).

・Where were you born?

Five subjects were born in Japan, one was born in Canada and

another one was born in Mexico.

・Where have you lived overseas?

13

All of the subjects have lived in Japan, other places were Saudi

Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, England, America, Jamaica, Mexico,

Jordan and China.

2. Skills of language (Speaking, Reading, Listening, Writing)

The skills (speaking, reading, listening and writing) of their

languages were; for these subjects, their two languages were Japanese

and English.

Figure 2: The number of Japanese Skills of Returnee Japanese children.

Writing

Listening

Reading

Speaking

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2

1

4

4

4

4

1

3

2

3

Japanese

1 (Bad)

2 (Neither bad nor good)

3 (Average)

4 (Perfect)

This figure means; the length is the skills, breadth is the numbers of

subjects and numbers are the answer of the subjects. For example, four

people think they can speak at Japanese “average level”, three people

think “perfect level”. The reading skill, one think “neither bad nor good

level”, four people think “average level” and two think “perfect level”. The

listening skill, four people think “average level” and three think “perfect

14

level”. The writing skill, “neither bad nor good level” was two, “average

level” was four and “perfect level” was one.

Figure 3：The number of English Skills of Returnee Japanese children.

Writing

Listening

Reading

Speaking

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1

1

1

1

4

4

5

4

2

2

1

2

English

1 (Bad)2 (Neither bad nor good)3 (Average)4 (Perfect)

The number of people who think they can speak English “neither

bad nor good level” was one, “average level” was four and “perfect level”

was two. For the reading skill, the number of people who think they can

read English “neither bad nor good level” was one, “average level” was

five and “perfect level” was one. The number of people who think they can

listen to English “neither bad nor good level” was one, “average level”

was five” and “perfect level” was one. The number of people who think

15

they can write down in English “neither bad nor good level” was one,

“average level” was four and “perfect level” was two.

16

3. What language do you use when you speak to these people?

Table 1：The answer of Returnee Japanese children for “what language do you use when you speak to these

people?”

Father Mother Brotherand sisters

Friends(at school)

Friends(out of school)

Teacher

J E J E J E J E J E J E

Returnee subjects 1 100% 0% 90% 10% 25% 75% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100%

Returnee subjects 2 100% 0% 100% 0% 50% 50% 5% 95% 0% 80% 0% 100%

Returnee subjects 3 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0%

Returnee subjects

4100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 0% 100% 50% 50% 0% 100%

Returnee subjects

599% 1% 99% 1% 99% 1% 5% 95% 90% 10% 0% 100%

Returnee subjects 100% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 95% 5% 95% 5% 20% 80%

17

6

Returnee subjects

7100% 0% 100% 0% - - 100% 0% 100% 0% 50% 50%

99.9%

0.1%

98.4%

1.6%

79.0%

21.0%

43.6%

56.4%

62.1%

35.0%

24.3%

75.7%

Table 2: The answer of Returnee Japanese children for “What language do you use when you are spoken to by

these people?”

Father Mother Brother and sister

Friends(at school)

Friends (out of school)

Teacher

J E J E J E J E J E J EReturnee subject 1

100% 0% 90% 10% 25% 75% 0% 100

% 0% 100% 0% 100

%Returnee subject 2 90% 10% 90% 10% 50% 50% 5% 95% 20% 80% 0% 100

%Returnee subject 3

100% 0% 100

% 0% 100% 0% 100

% 0% 100% 0% 100

% 0%

18

Returnee subject 4

100% 0% 100

% 0% 100% 0% 0% 100

% 50% 50% 0% 100%

Returnee subject 5 99% 1% 99% 1% 99% 1% 5% 95% 90% 10% 0% 100

%Returnee subject 6

100% 0% 100

% 0% 100% 0% 95% 5% 95% 5% 20% 80%

Returnee subject 7

100% 0% 100

% 0% - - 100% 0% 100

% 0% 50% 50%

98.4%

1.6%

97.0%

3.0%

79.0%

21.0%

43.6%

56.4%

65.0%

35.0%

24.3%

75.7%

Table 1 shows us the answer of the question “what language do you use when you speak to these

people”. When they speak to these people Most of subjects use Japanese to their parents, brothers and sisters

and friends out of the school. On the other hand, they use English to their friends at school and teacher.

Table 2 shows us the answer of this question “What language do you use when you are spoken to these people?” ; they use Japanese to their family. On the other hand, 75% of them use English when they are spoken to their teacher.

4. What language do you use on such a situation?

19

Table 3: The answer of Returnee Japanese children for “What language do you use in such a situation?”

Watching TV or DVD

Reading Magazines

or newspaper

Listening to music

ShoppingPlaying sports

CallingIn your dream

Getting angry

J E J E J E J E J E J E J E J E

Returnee subject 1

30% 70% 50% 50% 10% 90% 10% 90% 10% 90% 50% 50% 50% 50% 10% 90%

Returnee subject 2

30% 70% 90% 10% 20% 80% 70% 30% 5% 95% 50% 50% 20% 80% 20% 80%

Returnee subject 3

95% 5% 100% 0 60% 40% 100

% 0 100% 0 95% 5% 100

% 0 100% 0

Returnee subject 4

- - 100% 0 - - - - - - - - 90% 10% 90% 10%

20

Returnee subject 5

90% 10% 99% 1% 99% 1% 0 100% 20% 80% 95% 5% 90% 10% 50% 50%

Returnee subject 6

70% 30% 95% 5% 80% 20% 100% 0 100

% 0% 100% 0 95% 5% 90% 10%

Returnee subject 7

70% 30% 90% 10% 80% 20% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 70% 30%

64.2%

35.8%

89.1%

10.9%

58.2%

41.8%

55.0%

45.0%

47.5%

52.5%

73.3%

26.7%

70.7%

29.3%

61.4%

38.6%

21

Table 3 shows the answer of this question. They use Japanese and

English almost fifty-fifty when they listen to music, go shopping and play

sports. Other situations they use Japanese more than English.

6. Do you think you are bilingual person? Why?

Five people answered “Yes” and two people answered “No”. Their

reasons are that; “I can use both languages”. “I can live without trouble in

both countries”. “I think bilingual person mean the person who use both

languages very good and use equal level. In my case, both of my language

skills of speaking, reading, listening and writing may reach more than daily

life level but it is not perfection to use. For that, I cannot say I am a

bilingual person clearly.” “I can live without trouble in the daily life but it is

true that both of languages are half-finished. I can’t assert I am a bilingual

person. ”

7. The people who answered “Yes”, do you want to be a bilingual person?

The number of people who answered “Yes” were four, “No” were

one and “Half” was one. For the subjects who answered “Yes”, the reasons

were; “I can communicate with many people.” “It is convenient to know

many languages and especially English I can use all over the world.” For

the subject who answered “No”, the reason was that; “I have never

thought about that.” For the subject who answered “Half”, the reason is

that “I was not become a bilingual with consciously. I just needed to

English. ”

22

Brazil.

There were seven Brazilians. 1. Please tell me about your background.

・Nationality

All their nationality was Brazilian but their parent’s nationality was

different, their nationality was Japan, Brazil and Brazil and Japan (both dual

nationality.) For that these subjects were Japanese ancestry Nisei or

Sansei.

・Where were you born?

All the subjects were born in Brazil.

・Where have you lived overseas?

They have lived in Japan and Brazil.

2．Skills of language (Speak, Read, Listening, Write)

For these subjects, their two languages were Japanese and

Brazilian.

Figure 4: The number of Japanese skills of Brazilian.

23

Writing

Listenig

Reading

Spraking

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 4

4

4

2

1

1

2

3

1

2

1

2

Japanese

1 (Bad)2 (Neither bad nor good)3 (Average)4 (Perfect)

The Japanese language skills were that; the speaking skill, the

number of people who think they can speak Japanese “neither bad nor

good level” was two, “average level” was three and “perfect level” was

two. For the reading skill, “neither bad nor good level” the number were

four, “average level” was two and “perfect level” was one. For the

listening skill the number was “neither bad nor good level” was four,

“average level” was one, and “perfect level” was two. For the writing skill,

the number who wrote “bad” was one, “neither bad nor good level” was

four, “average level” was one and “perfect level” was one.

Figure 4: The Brazilians’ skills in Portuguese.

24

Writing

Listening

Reading

Speaking

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

7

7

7

7

Portuguese

1 (Bad)2 (Neither bad nor good3 (Average)4 (Perfect)

The Brazilians think they can use these skills perfectly.

25

3．What language do you use when you speak to these people?

Table 4: The answer of the Brazilians for “What language do you use when you speak to these people?”

Father MotherBrother

and sistersFriends

(at school)

Friends(out of

school)

Teacher

J P J P J P J P J P J P

Brazilian

10

100

%0

100

%0

100

%50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50%

Brazilian

20

100

%0

100

%0

100

%50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50%

Brazilian

30

100

%0

100

%0

100

%50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50%

Brazilian

450% 50% 50% 50% 0

100

%50% 50%

100

%0 80% 20%

Brazilian 50% 50% 50% 50% 0 100 0 100 50% 50% 100 0

26

5 % % %

Brazilian

60

100

%1% 99% 0

100

%50% 50% 50% 50%

100

%0

Brazilian

75% 95% 95% 5% 1% 99% 50% 50% 50% 50% - -

15.0

%

85.0

%

28.0

%

72.0

%

0.1

%

99.9

%

42.9

%

57.1

%

57.1

%

42.9

%

71.7

%

28.3

%

.

Table 5: The answer of the Brazilians for “What language do you use when you are spoken to by these

people?”

Father Mother

Brother and

sister

Friends(at school)

Friends(out of

school)

Teacher

J P J P J P J P J P J P

Brazilian 0 100 0 100 0 100 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50%

27

1 % % %

Brazilian

20

100

%0

100

%0

100

%50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50%

Brazilian

30

100

%0

100

%0

100

%50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50%

Brazilian

450% 50% 50% 50% 0

100

%50% 50% 100% 0 80% 20%

Brazilian

5

100

%0

100

%0 0

100

%0

100

%50% 50%

100

%0

Brazilian

60

100

%1% 99% 0

100

%50% 50% 50% 50%

100

%0

Brazilian

75% 95% 95% 5% 1% 99% 50% 50% 50% 50% - -

22.1

%

77.9

%

35.1

%

64.9

%

0.1

%

99.9

%

42.9

%

57.1

%

57.1

%

42.9

%

71.7

%

28.3

%

28

Table 4 shows us the answer of the question “what language do you use when you speak to these people”. They use Brazilian more than Japanese to their family and they use Japanese to their friend and teacher

Table 5 shows us the answer of this question “What language do you use when you are spoken to these people?” They use Brazilian more than Japanese.4．What language do you use in such a situation?

Table 6: The answer for Brazilians for “What language do you use on such a situation?”

Watching TV or DVD

Reading Magazines

or newspaper

Listening to music

ShoppingPlaying sports

CallingIn your dream

Getting angry

J P J P J P J P J P J P J P J P

Brazilian 1100

%0 50% 50%

100

%0

100

%0

100

%0

100

%0

100

%0

100

%0

Brazilian 2 100

%0 50% 50% 50% 50%

100

%0 - -

100

%- - - - -

Brazilian 3 100

%30% 70% 30% 70%

100

%

100

%0

100

%0 50% 50% 0

100

%30% 70%

Brazilian 4 100 0 50% 50% 50% 50% 100 0 - - 100 - - - - -

29

% % %

Brazilian 5 100

%0 100% 0

100

%0

100

%0

100

%0 80% 20% - -

100

%0

Brazilian 620% 0 100% 0 20% 0

100

%0 - - 20% 60% - -

100

%0

Brazilian 720% 80% 10% 90% 10% 90%

100

%0 - - 40% 60% 0

100

%10% 90%

77.1

%

15.7

%61.4%

38.6

%

57.1

%

1.4

%

100

%0%

100

%0%

70.0

%

38.0

%

33.3

%

66.6

%

68.0

%

32.0

%

Table 6 shows the answer of this question. Most of the time, they use Japanese in these situations.

30

5．Do you think you are bilingual person?

The number of people who answered “Yes” were three, “No”

was four. For the subjects who answered “Yes”, the reason was that “I

can communicate with or speak to both languages speakers.” For the

subjects who answered “No”, the reason was that “I cannot use

Japanese enough.” “I don’t have any confidence.”

6．The people who answer “Yes”, do you want to be a bilingual

person?The person who answered “Yes” was one.

Korean

The Koreans were 24.

1. Please tell me about your background.

Their nationality was South Korean or North Korean. There are

10 people North Korean, 12 South Korean and no answer was two

people.

2. Skills of language (Speaking, Reading, Listening, Writing)

For these subjects, their two languages were Japanese and

Korean.

31

Figure 5: The number of Japanese skills of Koreans.

Writing

Reading

Listening

Speaking

0 4 8 12 16 20 24

2

1

1

3

3

2

21

20

21

22

Japanese1 (Bad)

2 (Neither bad nor good)

3 (Average)

4 (Perfect)

The Japanese language skills were; the speaking skill, two

people think they can speak Japanese “average level” and 22 people

think “perfect level”. The listening skill, three people think “average

level” and 21 people think “perfect level”. The reading skill, “neither

bad nor good level” was one, “average level” was three” and “perfect

level” was 20. The writing skill, “neither bad nor good level” was two,

“average level” was one and “perfect level” was 21.

Figure 6: The number of Korean skills of Korean.

Writing

Reading

Listening

Speaking

0 4 8 12 16 20 24

1

1

1

2

2

3

2

15

11

15

12

6

10

6

9

Korean1 (Bad)

2 (Neither bad nor good)

3 (Average)

4 (Perfect)

32

The Korean language skills were that; the speaking skill, one

thinks they can speak Korean “bad” level, two think “neither bad nor

good” level, 12 people think “average level” and three think “perfect

level”. The listening skill, “neither bad nor good level” was three,

“average level” was 15 and “perfect level” was six. The reading skill,

“bad” level was one, “neither bad nor good level” was two, “average

level” was 11, and “perfect level” was ten. The writing skill, “bad”

level was one, “neither bad nor good level” was two, “average level”

was 15 and “perfect level” was six.

33

3. What language do you use when you speak to these people?

Table 7: The answer of Korean residents in Japan for “What language do you use when you speak to these people?”

(J: Japanese, K: Korean)

Father MotherBrother

and sisters

Friends

(at school)

Friends

(out of

school)

Teacher

J K J K J K J K J K J K

Korean93.3

%

6.7

%

91.6

%

8.4

%

75.8

%

14.2

%

12.0

%

91.8

%

84.8

%

15.3

%

21.1

%

78.9

%

(All data are Appendix A)

Table 7 shows us the answer of the question “what language do you use when you speak to these people”. They use Japanese with their family and their friend out of school and use English to their teacher and friends at school.

34

Table 8: The answer of Korean resident in Japan for “What language do you use when you are spoken to by these people?”

(J: Japanese, K: Korean)

Father MotherBrother

and sisterFriends

(at school)

Friends(out of

school)

Teacher

J K J K J K J K J K J K

Korean

s

95.8

%

4.2

%

95.6

%

4.4

%

75.9

%

14.1

%

11.6

%

92.2

%

76.9

%

23.1

%

16.9

%

83.1

%

(All data are Appendix B)

Table 8 shows us the answer of this question “What language do you use when you are spoken to these people?”　They use Japanese to their family and friends out of school and use English to their friend at school and teacher.

35

4. What language do you use on such a situation? (Korean)

Table 9: The answer of Korean for “What language do you use on such a situation?”(J: Japanese, K: Korean)

Watching TV or DVD

Reading Magazines or newspaper

Listening to music

ShoppingPlaying sports

CallingIn your dream

Getting angry

J K J K J K J K J K J K J K J K

Korean

s 90.0% 10.0% 89.5% 10.5% 82.6% 13.3%

99.4

%

0.6

%

67.9

%

38.1

%

73.3

%

27.8

%

85.0

%

14.4

%

72.0

%

28.0

%

(All data are Appendix C)

Table 9 shows us the answer of this question. They use Japanese more than Japanese on all of such a situation. When they play sports, they use Korean about 40%.

36

5. Do you think you are bilingual person?

The people who answered “Yes” was 12, “No” was eight and

“Half” was four. The reason was that “I don’t understand/ use both of

languages perfectly.” “I’m a smart person.” “I can use both languages

in dairy life.” “I can use both languages perfectly.”

6. The people who answer “Yes”, do you want to be a bilingual

person?

The person who answered “Yes” was three, “No” was six and

“Half” was three. The reason was that; “I have never thought about

that because I am a bilingual when I was born.” “My environment

made me a bilingual.” “I’ve never thought I want to be a bilingual. I

got both languages naturally by going to school. It is good to speak

two languages. ” “Bilingual is convenience for dairy life.”

2.4 Summary

We looked at the result of the questionnaire in this chapter.

Some answers are same and some was different in each subjects. We

know the skills and the using of both of languages of the subjects and

the thinking of bilinguals. In Chapter Three, we will discuss more

details of each question and compare three types subjects answer.

37

Chapter 3

3.1. Introduction

In Chapter One we saw what Bilingual is. In Chapter Two we

looked at some types of bilingual people and their thinking by asking

Returnee Children, Brazilians and Subject teacher and students. Now

we will discuss the result of questionnaire in more detail. We will look

at the difference of these three types of bilingual’s thinking.

3.2. Summary of the questionnaire results

In Chapter 2, we looked the result of the study. All of the

subjects can use both languages. However the background connected

with their language skill. All of the Brazilian subjects use Portuguese

more than Japanese. On the other hand the returnee subjects and the

Korean subjects use Japanese. 3.3. Discussion of the results

We looked at the results of the questionnaire in Chapter Two. In

this section, we will look at each question in more detail and discuss

it.

3.3.1. Background of the subjects

There are five nationalities; Japan, South Korea, North Korea,

Brazil and Japan and Mexico (both dual nationality).The Returnee Children were born in some countries and have

lived many countries all over the world. Brazilians were born in Brazil

38

and have lived in Japan and Brazil. Korean residents in Japan were

born in Japan and have lived only in Japan.

3.3.2. Language skills (Speaking, Reading, Listening and

Writing)

The Returnee Children’s answer showed they thought they can

use both Japanese and English skills at almost the same level. Most of

them stated and “average level” in both languages for each skill

level. Brazilian’s answer showed they thought they can use

Portuguese more than Japanese. They answered their skills of

Portuguese “Perfect level”. On the other hand, most of them

answered their skills of Japanese was “neither bad nor good”. Most

Koreans thought they can use Japanese at a “Perfect level” and

Korean at a more than “Average level.” In these three groups, the Returnee Children can use both

languages almost same level. The Brazilians can use more Portuguese

better than Japanese.

3.3.3. What language do you use when you speak to these

people? Returnee Children use Japanese to their family and their

friends out of school but they use English more in the school. They

use both English and Japanese at the same time and they speak to

their teacher in English because some subjects still live abroad.

39

Brazilian students use Portuguese with their family. They use

both languages to their friends but they use Japanese to their teacher.

The Brazilian students are migrant workers and most of their families

live in Brazil and they cannot use Japanese, that’s why they use their

family to Portuguese. They use Japanese to their teachers because

the school is teaching Japanese and the teacher cannot use

Portuguese well. Koreans use Japanese without school. They use Korean to their

teacher and friends at the school because they learn Korean in the

school and it is good for them to use Korean in the school. Each of the subjects use Japanese to their family and the

difference happens in the using to their friends and school. There is

no difference between “when they speak to these people” and “what

they are spoken to by these people.”

3.3.4. What language do you use in such a situation?

We will see the subject’s use of both languages in daily life

because these situations are connected with dairy life.Returnee children use both languages the most same times

other two types of bilinguals. They use each language almost fifty-fifty

times when they listen to music, go to shopping and play sports and

in the other situation they use languages not lean toward one

language. Brazilian students use Japanese more than Portuguese most of

40

the situation. When they listen to music they use both languages.

Koreans use Japanese more than Korean in these situations. What is

interesting is that some people answered they use Korean when they

play sports.

3.3.5. Do you think you are a bilingual person?

In this question, we will discuss the bilingual thinking. To

answer this question more freely, it is not shown the definition clearly

and just written down “the bilingual means the person who can use

two languages”. The subjects who answered “Yes” were 21 people, who

answered “No” were 12 people and who answered “Half” were five

people. They answered “Yes”, because they can use both languages

without trouble in their life. But one person who answered “No” said

he use both languages in daily life level but it is not perfection to use.

For that, he cannot say I am a bilingual clearly. This means the

definition of bilingual is different with bilinguals.

3.3.6. The people who answer “Yes”, do you want to be a

bilingual person?

Most of the person who answered “Half” or “No” said the

reason that they don’t become a bilingual with consciously and they

must be bilingual because of their environment, especially the

Koreans said this answer.

41

3.4. Answering the research questions

The first research question is “What do bi-linguals think of

being bi-lingual?” In the question six, most of the subjects said they

become bilinguals because of their environment. They don’t become

bilinguals with their wish. However, some subjects think to be a

bilingual affirmative. They said it is convenient in their dairy life. For

the subjects who think they are bi-lingual, they think of being bi-

lingual good. Second research question is “Are there any differences among

Returnee Children, Korean and Brazilian bilinguals?” According to

question 4, Returnee Children can use the two languages with well-

balanced. The Koreans use Korean in the school they don’t use so

much out of the school.

3.5. Limitation of the questionnaire

There are 38 people from three different types but the number

of each type of them was very different. It needed to ask same

number of people for each type of subjects to get well results. We

might have got more different and interesting results if we had asked

other types of bilinguals for example people of mixed parentage and

the people who have two mother tongues as the language of their

country.

42

3.6. Conclusions

In this chapter, we discussed the results of questionnaire. The

answer revealed the bilingual thinking of bilinguals and the skills of

three groups of the subjects. Through this research we have revealed the bilinguals have

their own opinions about bilingualism and with them they decide for

themselves whether they are bilinguals or not. Some of them think

they are not bilinguals although they think their languages skills are

more than average level. Their attitude toward bilingualism depends

on their background. There is difference in the thinking of bilinguals between the

bilingual people and non-bilingual people. The non-bilingual people

tend to envy the bilingual people, however sometimes the bilingual,

themselves, don’t think well. We need to understand them and make

our community more convenient for the bilinguals.

43

References

Bernd, K, 2004 Bilingual Upbringing of Children. Accessed at

December seventh 2010. http://www.bklein.de

/buc/buc_classification.php

Morikami, M. 2006 Culture Adjustment. Thesis at Notre dame Seishin

University. pp2-9

Rhinesmith, 1984, Returning Home, Canadian Bureau for International

Education, p. 7.

ＪＡＣＥＴバイリンガリズム研究会（2003 年）『日本のバイリンガル教育』、

三修社出版

宮原 温子（2010）「 日本語英語バイリンガル大学生の言語使用状況

Languages Usage Survey by Japanese-English Bilingual Students」 目

白大学人文学研究 6, 181-196,

山本雅代（1996 年）『バイリンガルはどのようにして言語を習得するのか』

明書店出版

山本雅代著（1991 年）『バイリンガル－その実像と問題点』大修館出版

44

AppendicesAppendix A:

Table 7: The answer of Korean residents in Japan for “What language do you use when you speak to these people?”

(J: Japanese, K: Korean)

Father MotherBrother

and sisters

Friends

(at school)

Friends

(out of

school)

Teacher

J K J K J K J K J K J K

Korean 1 100% 0100

%0

100

%0 10% 90%

100

%0 0

100

%

Korean 2 100% 0 - -100

%0

100

%0

100

%0

100

%0

Korean 3 50% 50% 50% 50% 90% 10% 5% 95%100

%0 2% 98%

Korean 4 100% 0100

%0 - - 0

100

%

100

%0 0

100

%

Korean 5 95% 5% 95% 5% 100 0 0 100 80% 20% 100 0

45

% % %

Korean 6 95% 5% 95% 5% 50% 50% 0100

%95% 5% 0

100

%

Korean 7 90% 10% 80 20% 95% 5%100

%95% 5%

100

%0

Korean 8 90% 10% 90 10% 90% 10% 10% 90% 90% 10% 5% 95%

Korean 9 100% 0100

%0

100

%0 10% 90%

100

%0 0

100

%

Korean 10 90% 10% 90% 10% - - 0100

%80% 20% 0

100

%

Korean 11 100% 0 85% 15% 90% 10% 0100

%60% 40% 0

100

%

Korean 12 90% 10% 90%10%

%90% 10% 0

100

%50% 50% 0

100

%

Korean 13 70% 30% 70% 30% 90% 10% 0100

%10% 90% 0

100

%

Korean 14 100% 0 100 0 - - 0 100 100 0 0 100

46

% % % %

Korean 15 100% 0100

%0

100

%0 20% 80%

100

%0

100

%0

Korean 16 100% 0100

%0

100

%0 10% 90%

100

%0 0

100

%

Korean 17 100% 0100

%0 0 0 10% 90%

100

%0 0

100

%

Korean 18 90% 10% 90% 10% 70% 30% 2% 98%100

%0 0

100

%

Korean 19 98% 2% 98% 2% 98% 2% 2% 98%100

%0 0

100

%

Korean 20 95% 5% 95% 5% 90% 10% 2% 98%100

%0 0

100

%

Korean 21 97% 3% 98% 2% 50% 50% 2% 98% 99% 1%100

%0

Korean 22 90% 10% 90% 10% 50% 50% 0100

%70% 30% 0

100

%

47

Korean 23 100% 0100

%0

100

%0 5 95% 5% 95% 0

100

%

Korean 24 100% 0100

%0

100

%0 0

100

%

100

%0 0

100

%

93.3%6.7

%

91.6

%8.4%

75.8

%

14.2

%

12.0

%

91.8

%

84.8

%

15.3

%

21.1

%

78.9

%

Appendix B：Table8: The answer of Korean resident in Japan for

“What language do you use when you are spoken to by these people?”

(J: Japanese, K: Korean)

Father MotherBrother

and sisterFriends

(at school)Friends

(out of school)Teacher

- J K J K J K J K J K J K

Korean 1 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 10% 90% 100% 0 0 100%

Korean 2 80% 20% - - 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 100% 0

Korean 3 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0

Korean 4 100% 0 100% 0 - - 0 100% 100% 0 0 100%

48

Korean 5 95% 5% 95% 5% 100% 0 0 100% 50% 50% 0 100%

Korean 6 95% 5% 95% 5% 50% 50% 0 100% 95% 5% 0 100%

Korean 7 95% 5% 95% 5% 95% 5% 100% 95% 5% 100% 0

Korean 8 90% 10% 90% 10% 90% 10% 10% 90% 90% 10% 5% 95%

Korean 9 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 10% 90% 100% 0 0 100%

Korean 10 95% 5% 95% 5% 0 0 0 100% 20% 80% 0 100%

Korean 11 100% 0 85% 15% 90% 10% 0 100% 60% 40% 0 100%

Korean 12 90% 10% 90% 10% 90% 10% 0 100% 50% 50% 0 100%

Korean 13 70% 30% 70% 30% 90% 10% 0 100% 10% 90% 0 100%

Korean 14 100% 0 100% 0 - - 0 100% 100% 0 0 100%

Korean 15 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 20% 80% 100% 0 100% 0

Korean 16 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 10% 90% 100% 0 0 100%

Korean 17 100% 0 100% 0 0 0 10% 90% 100% 0 0 100%

Korean 18 100% 0 100% 0 70% 30% 2% 98% 100% 0 0 100%

Korean 19 99% 1% 99% 1% 99% 1% 2% 98% 100% 0 0 100%

Korean 20 100% 0 100% 0 90% 10% 0 100% 100% 0 0 100%

Korean 21 100% 0 100% 0 50% 50% 0 100% 100% 0 0 100%

49

Korean 22 90% 10% 90% 10% 50% 50% 0 100% 70% 30% 0 100%

Korean 23 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 5% 95% 5% 95% 0 100%

Korean 24 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 0 100% 100% 0 0 100%

95.8

%

4.2

%

95.6

%

4.4

%

75.9

%

14.1

%

11.6

%

92.2

%

76.9

%23.1%

16.9

%

83.1

%

Appendix C:Table 9: The answer of the Koreans for “What language do you use on such a situation?”

(J: Japanese, K: Korean)

Watching TV or DVD

Reading Magazines

or newspaper

Listening to music

ShoppingPlaying sports

CallingIn your dream

Getting angry

J K J K J K J K J K J K J K J K

Korean

1100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 50% 50%

100

%0 100% 0

100

%0

Korean

20 100% 0 100% 0 0 100% 0 -

100

%0

100

%0 100% 0

100

%

50

Korean

3100% 0 98% 2% 95% 5% 100% 0 50% 50% 95% 5% 100% 0 50% 50%

Korean

4100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0

100

%0% 100% 0

100

%0

Korean

5100% 0 80% 20% 95% 5% 100% 0 100% - 95% 5% 100% 0 90% 10%

Korean

6100% 0 90% 10% 90% 10% 100% 0 70% 30% 70% 30% 70% 30% 70% 30%

Korean

7100% 0 90% 10% 99% 1% 100% 0 70% 30% 70% 30% 70% 30% 70% 30%

Korean

8100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0

100

%0 100% 0

100

%0

Korean

9100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0

100

%0 100% 0

100

%0

Korean

10100% 0 100% 0 50% 50% 100% 0 50% 50% 50% 50% 40% 60% 50% 50%

Korean 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 100% 0 50% 50% 50% 50% 70% 30% 30% 70%

51

11

Korean

1290% 10% 80% 20% 90% 10% 100% 0 80% 20% 50% 50% - 0 50% 50%

Korean

1380% 20% 80% 20% 50% 50% 90 10% 50% 50% 90% 10% 90% 10% 50% 50%

Korean

14100% 0 100% 0 50% 50% 100% 0 100% 0

100

%0 100% 0

100

%0

Korean

15100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 10% 90% 10% 90% 100% 0 10% 90%

Korean

16100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 50% 50%

100

%0 100% 0

100

%0

Korean

17100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 50% 50% 50% 50% 100% 0

100

%0

Korean

18100% 0 90% 10% 90% 10% 100% 0 70% 30% 70% 30% 70% 30% 70% 30%

Korean

19100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 100% 0 95% 5% 70% 30% 90% 10% 70% 30%

52

Korean

2090% 10% 90% 10% 98% 2% 100% 0 70% 30% 70% 30% 70% 30% 70% 30%

Korean

21100% 0 100% 0 70% 30% 100% 0 50% 50% 50% 50% 100% 0 50% 50%

Korean

2250% 50% 100% 0 80% 20% 95% 5% 1% 99% 70% 30% 95% 5% 98% 2%

Korean

23100% 0 100% 0 95% 5% 100% 0 95% 5%

100

%0 100% 0

100

%0

Korean

24100% 0 100% 0 80% 20% 100% 0 100% -

100

%90% 10%

100

%0

90.0

%

10.0

%

89.5

%

10.5

%

82.6

%

13.3

%

99.4

%

0.6

%

67.9

%

38.1

%

73.3

%

27.8

%

85.0

%

14.4

%

72.0

%

28.

0%

53

Appendix D: English questionnaire

School ( ) name ( )

1. Please tell me about your background.

Where is the person

born?

Where have you lived

overseas?

nationality

Father

Mother

You

Skills of language (Speak, Read, Listening, Write)

Example: S

R L

W

Language 1) Language2) S S

R L R L

W W

What language do you use when you speak to these people?

54

What language do you use

when you speak to these

people?

What language do you use

when you are spoken to by

these people?

Japanese Brazilian Japanese BrazilianFather % % % %Mother % % % %Sister or

brother

% % % %

Friends % % % %Friends % % % %Teacher % % % %

What language do you use on such a situation?

Japanese Brazilian

Watching TV or

DVD

% %

Reading

Magazines or

newspaper

% %

Listening to

music

% %

Shopping % %Playing sports % %Calling % %

55

In your dream % %Getting angry % %

Do you think you are bilingual person?

Yes / NoWhy do you think?

The people who answer “Yes”, do you want to be a bilingual

person?

Yes / NoWhy?

56

Appendix E: Japanese Questionnaire

アンケートにご協力いただき有難うございます。私はノートルダム清心女子

大学文学部英語英文学科 4 年の田邉智美です。卒業論文のテーマとして

「What do bi-lingual think about bi-lingualism?( バイリンガルはバイリン

ガリズムに対してどう考えているか？)」を研究しています。そのため、バイ

リンガルであるだろう方たちにこのアンケートをお願いしています。 このア

ンケートは、卒業論文の作成に関すること以外では、決して利用いたしませ

ん。もし、このアンケートの中で答えたくない箇所がございましたら、空欄

のままにしておいてください。

アンケート

学校 ( ) 年齢（ ）名前 ( )

1. あなたの家族について教えてください。どこで生まれました

か？

今までどこに住んでいまし

たか？（複数可）

国籍

父

母

あなた

57

２．言語能力（スピーキング(S)、リーディング(R)、リスニング(L)、ライ

ティング(W)）について教えて下さい。

例: S

R L 左のように線で繋いで下さい。

W

あなた 言語 1) 日本語 言語 2) ポルトガル語

S S R L R L

W W４．言語使用について教えて下さい。

あなたは、次の人々に話し

かけるとき、何語で話しま

すか？

次の人々に話しかけられた

とき、何語で話しますか？

日本語 ポルトガル

語

日本語 ポルトガル

語

父 % % % %

母 % % % %

兄弟 % % % %

友達（学校内） % % % %

友達（学校外） % % % %

58

先生 % % % %

隣人 % % % %

５．次のような場合、あなたは何語を使いますか？

日本語 ポルトガル

語

テレビやＤＶＤを

観る

% %

マンガや新聞を読

む

% %

音楽を聴く % %

買い物をする % %

スポーツ % %

電話をする % %

夢の中 % %

怒ったとき % %

＊バイリンガルとは、二つの言語を使える人たちのことを言います。

６．あなたはバイリンガルだと思いますか？

59

はい／いいえ

なぜそう思いますか？

“はい”と答えた人は、バイリンガルになりたかったですか？

はい／いいえ

なぜですか？

ご協力ありがとうございました。

60