Author(s)

James Stokes

English Language Department, Kaichi International University, Kashiwa, Japan.

This article examines the function and impact of the katakana syllabary on Japanese language learners’ acquisition of the English language. The research investigates how pronunciation, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension are affected by using katakana as a learning aid for English. The study strategy uses an existing dataset gathered from articles found on pertinent websites and takes a secondary qualitative method. The data are analysed using content analysis to find recurring themes and patterns pertaining to the impact of katakana on language acquisition. The results show that using katakana presents major pronunciation accuracy issues for Japanese learners. Because English and katakana have distinct phonetic systems, learners often have trouble effectively transferring English sounds, which causes pronunciation problems and decreased confidence in spoken English. Furthermore, the research suggests that students who excessively depend on katakana representations may overestimate the breadth of their vocabulary, which may impair their ability to employ words successfully in a variety of communicative circumstances. The continual switching between reading katakana and normal writing may slow down the reading process and reduce overall fluency, which can be detrimental to reading comprehension. When given in katakana style, learners may struggle to recognise homophones and homographs, which might cause problems in understanding. The results have significant ramifications for language teachers and curriculum developers. The research highlights the need to support a balanced approach to vocabulary training and offering tailored instructional help to alleviate pronunciation issues. Teachers are urged to help students smoothly transition from katakana-based reading to standard script reading so they may gain confidence in their ability to understand English literature. Additionally, educators must promote a pleasant and inclusive learning environment due to the cultural and societal ramifications of using katakana. In order to improve students’ motivation and attitudes towards language study, instructors should encourage students to accept English as a universal language of communication. In conclusion, by examining the effect of katakana on Japanese learners’ acquisition of the English language, this research offers important new knowledge to the TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Communities) community. The practical suggestions based on the research’s findings may help language teachers improve the results of language learning and foster linguistic proficiency among Japanese English learners.

Katakana, English Language Learning, Japanese Learners, Pronunciation Challenges, Vocabulary Acquisition, Reading Comprehension, Secondary Qualitative Research, Content Analysis, Language Educators, Curriculum Design

Stokes, J. (2023) The Role and Effect of Katakana Syllabary for Japanese Learners of English. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 13, 770-789. doi: 10.4236/ojml.2023.135045.