My research at a glance

Knowledge of language and constant updates

Knowledge of language and constant updates

An exploration into language with Ireland as the field
Grammar formation, language encounters, language change, and more

　

This article is an introduction to her work and research of Hiberno-English

Kerryman, September 2005

Irish Independent, September 2005, Japanese student do be loving the work of John B

　The content of my research consists of (i)-(vi). With the grammar research of (i) at the base, I am conducting research on a variety of issues, including those of contact linguistics as illustrated in (ii) and in sociolinguistics as illustrated in (iii)-(v).

(i) Irish English Grammar

How does Irish English differ from English English? Examining observed differences (i.e., the morphosyntactic features of Irish English) as a starting point, my work explores the system behind Irish English and the most efficient grammar to describe it with.

Related written works:

  • Eigo to iu sentaku−Airurando no ima [The choice of English: Ireland’s now]. Chapter 5: “Kotoba no naka no Airurando rashisa” <Irishness in the language>. Iwanami Shoten. (2016)

  • ‘Tis…. pattern in Hiberno-English as a grammatical innovation. Tokyo University Linguistic Papers Festschrift for Toru Hayashi, 39, pp. 243-263. (2018).

  • The do be form in southwest Hiberno-English and its linguistic enquiries. Festschrift for Professor Hiroshi Kumamoto, Tokyo University Linguistic Papers 33, 255-271. (2013)

  • Airurando Eigo ‘be after V-ing’ no hyougen kouka―‘have’ kanryou to no tairitsu o chuushin ni― [On the pragmatics of the be after V-ing construction in Hiberno-English: A contrast with the have perfect]. Tokyo University Linguistic Papers 27, 187-206. (2008)

(ii) Grammatical Formation and Linguistic Change in Irish English

What kind of language has the language contact between Irish, a Celtic language, and English, a Germanic language, produced in the milieu Ireland? How was Irish English as we know it today formed and shaped? My work in this area presents a diachronic study of the language environment from its formation to the present and proposes a theory of contact-induced language change, i.e., grammar formation through language contact.

Related written works:

(iii) Language Awareness of Irish English Speakers

What sense do speakers of Irish English have of their own language forms? My research into this inquiry has shown that "Irishness" and "Standard" are two meaningful descriptors of their feeling toward them. It reflects on the inquiry based on a survey on the values Irish English speakers assign to different grammatical forms. It also proposes a hypothesis of language change based on their usage.

Related written works:

(iv) Language Use in Irish-speaking Areas (Gaeltacht)

In Ireland, the number of people who speak Irish as a first language is marginal (about 1.7%). Even in Gaeltacht, where the Irish speakers are located, English is steadily becoming the predominant language. My research in this area includes a survey of national policy on the Irish language, and a field investigation of the language use of the people living in Gaeltacht and the efforts of communities to preserve the Irish language.

Related written works:

  • Gerutahato (Airurandogo shiyou chiiki) no shougakkou ni miru konnichiteki kattou—Airurando no gengo seisaku to komyunitii [Today's struggles in elementary school in Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking regions): Language policy and community in Ireland]. Tokyo University Linguistic Papers, Suppl. Volume 2, Immigrant Communities as Seen in Schools, 101-108. (2018).

  • Eigo to iu sentaku−Airurando no ima [The choice of English: Ireland’s now]. Iwanami Shoten. (2016) Chapter 4: “Kotoba o hikitsuganai to iu sentaku: III Genzai kara mirai” <The choice of not inheriting a language: III From the present to the future>

  • Epiroogu: Kono hon o matomeru naka de kangaeta koto nado [Epilogue: My thoughts while editing this book]. In T. Shimada, Y. Saitou, Y. Otsu (Eds.). Gengo sesshoku— Eigoka suru Nihongo kara [Language contact: Linguistic problems seen through “anglicizing” Japanese]. (2019)

(v) Language and Society, Language and Identity

My work pursues a theory and practice of language research which includes “society”---“socio-inclusive linguistics”. My research interest concerns the development of sociolinguistic theories which account for the fact that language and society are brought together through speakers. Accordingly, my work examines the relationship between language and speaker identity.

Related written works(General theory):

  • Gengo shiyou to aidentitī kousei―Shakai gengogaku to gendai shakairon no kousa [Language use and identity formation: The junction between sociolinguistics and contemporary sociological theory]. The Japanese Journal of Language in Society 25(2), 9-24. (2023).

  • Shakai gengogaku no kadai—Kotoba no sentaku wo kangaeru[Issues in sociolinguistics - Considering language choice]. In Y. Nishiyama, Y. Sugioka (Eds.). Kotoba no kagaku—Toukyou kenkyūsho kaisetsu 50 shūnen kinen seminā (97-125). Kaitakusha. (2017).

Related written workes (Concerning Ireland):

  • Gendai Airurando no gengo aidentitii [Linguistic identity in contemporary Ireland]. Selected Research Papers in Applied Language Studies: Meikai Roundtable in Applied Language Studies 25, 1-17. (2023).

  • “A survey on language and identity in an Irish context (II): Attitudes towards language shift. Selected Research Papers in Applied Linguistics, Graduate School of Applied Linguistics, Meikai University 19, 79-105. (2017)

  • Non-use, no identity? : The assessment of the ‘non-use’ judgement in ‘Irish markers’ in Hiberno-English. Celtic Forum 16, 12-23. (2013)

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