Page 64 - Difference or Disorder Digital Version

Chapter 9: JAPANESE

Feature Japanese English Examples of Errors
Personal/possessive Not always required Always required He took off glasses
Pronouns and brushed
hair.*/He took off
his glasses and
brushed his hair.
Prepositions Particles may be Specific words that He brought a small
used to express the precede a noun dog of his.*/ He
relationship and its article came with his dog.
between words
Subject Does not need to be Always required Went to the
restated if implied store.*/I went to
or has already been the store.
stated
(Fengping, 2004; Paul, Simons, & Fennig, 2014; Power, 2008; Shoebottom, 2014; Vogler,
1998)

HOME CORNER

When I was an infant, my father had the opportunity to study as a post‐doctoral

fellow in the U.S. for four years. My mother, who was raised biculturally in China and Japan,

so greatly regretted losing her Chinese language skills that she insisted that we spoke only in

English so that when we returned to Japan, I would be well‐grounded in the English language.

Upon our return to Japan, she enrolled me in an American school so that I could continue my

education in English. As a result, I had the opportunity of being raised bilingually/biculturally

in an American school system in Japan. Although initially it was a shock to be in a country full

of people speaking only in Japanese, and being exposed to English during the day at school,

these very experiences are what have shaped me as an individual today.

I returned to the U.S. for university, then medical school, training and working as an

emergency physician with the intent to stay in America. However, now with two young

children of my own, I have decided to return to Japan, to give them the same opportunity that

I had. Speaking more than one language and having exposure to different cultures not only is

increasingly important in a globalized world, but also improves cognitive skills not related to 52

language. In addition, research shows that it may even shield against dementia later in life. I

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