Misteri Kemampuan Berbahasa Inggris Orang Jepang 2024

We often hear the assumption that Japanese people have difficulty speaking English. This assumption, while common, is actually an oversimplification of a much more complex reality. It's not that Japanese people can't speak English at all, but rather that their English proficiency is, on average, lower than that of Western countries or even certain Southeast Asian countries. To understand why this is the case, we need to dig deeper, go beyond stereotypes and look at the interconnected factors that shape the situation.

An Education System Focused on Memory, Not Communication

Alasan mengapa orang Jepang tidak bisa berbahasa Inggris adalah kurangnya peluang masukan/keluaran. Masukan memiliki peranan penting dalam mempelajari bahasa. Tanpa masukan yang memadai, kemampuan bahasa Inggris seseorang tidak akan meningkat sama sekali. 

On the other hand, inputs alone are not enough, outputs also play an important role. By doing outputs, one can see the gaps in knowledge and improve their abilities. English learning can be done more efficiently by focusing on outputs rather than focusing on inputs.

The education system in Japan has, for decades, emphasized memorizing grammar and vocabulary over hands-on communication practice. Students spend hours memorizing complicated grammar and long word lists, but are given little opportunity to use English in real contexts. The curriculum is often dominated by written exams that prioritize grammatical understanding over speaking or listening skills. As a result, many Japanese school graduates have a strong grammatical foundation on paper, but struggle to apply it in everyday conversation. They are accustomed to rigid "academic English" instead of lively and natural English.

Lack of Opportunities to Interact with Native Speakers

Unlike countries that have easier access to native English speakers, Japan has relatively limited opportunities. Although the number of English teachers in schools is increasing, many of them are non-native speakers and may not be fluent themselves. Lack of exposure to different accents and variations of English makes it difficult for students to understand various dialects and intonations. In addition, the cost of private lessons with native speakers is quite high, so not all students can access them. 

Japanese people have very few opportunities to come into contact with English in everyday life. The lack of opportunities to interact with native speakers informally, such as through cultural exchanges or traveling to English-speaking countries, is also a limiting factor. Therefore, learning English for Japanese people is extremely difficult.

Japanese and English linguistic distance

Another reason Japanese people don't speak English is the linguistic distance between Japanese and English. Japanese and English are completely different in everything from letters (kana, kana, kanji, and alphabet), vocabulary, pronunciation, to sentence structure.

When compared to other countries, for example Indonesia certainly has some similarities with English. In addition, Indonesian also absorbs a lot of vocabulary from English which makes English easy for Indonesians to learn.

A Culture that Emphasizes Politeness and Avoidance of Conflict

The Japanese culture of highly valuing politeness and avoiding conflict can be a barrier in English learning. Students may be reluctant to speak up for fear of making mistakes and losing face. They would rather remain silent than risk making grammatical errors or pronunciations that are considered inappropriate. This creates a vicious circle: lack of speaking practice leads to lack of fluency, and fear of making mistakes further reinforces the habit of silence.

The Dominant Role of Japanese

One of the reasons why Japanese people don't speak English is because they don't need English to survive in Japan. In countries other than Japan, some books and documents are not translated into the native language so English becomes indispensable. 

Unlike in Japan, there is almost no possibility of someone needing a language other than Japanese. Japanese people may learn English for work, but may struggle to find the motivation to learn English because they don't feel they need it in real life.

Japanese is a very rich and complex language, and its function is very important in daily life. Unlike in multilingual countries, Japanese citizens do not feel compelled to master another language to communicate domestically. Japanese is fully functional for all aspects of life, from education to business and entertainment. Therefore, the motivation to learn English is often less strong than in countries where mastering a foreign language is a necessity for social and economic mobility.

Traditional Teaching Methodology

Despite modernization efforts, English teaching methodologies in Japan still sometimes stick to traditional methods that are less effective. Teaching methods that focus less on direct communication and more on memorizing grammar rules often make learning boring and unmotivating for students. The lack of technology and interactive learning media can also limit students' learning experience.

Social Perception and Motivation

Social perceptions of English proficiency in Japan also play a role. High English proficiency is not always valued as highly as in other countries. Despite its importance in the international business world, the ability to communicate in Japanese is still a major asset in many job sectors. Therefore, motivation to learn English may be lower compared to countries where English proficiency is a significant key to career success.

Economic and Access Factors

Access to learning resources, including textbooks, software and quality courses, also varies across Japan. While major cities offer a wide range of options, rural areas may have more limited access. The relatively high cost of living in Japan can also be a limiting factor for many people looking to improve their English through private tutoring or intensive courses.

Conclusion

Kemampuan berbahasa Inggris yang relatif rendah di Jepang bukanlah masalah yang disebabkan oleh satu faktor tunggal, melainkan merupakan hasil dari interaksi kompleks antara sistem pendidikan, budaya, ekonomi, dan persepsi sosial. Untuk meningkatkan kemampuan berbahasa Inggris di Jepang, diperlukan pendekatan holistik yang mencakup reformasi kurikulum, peningkatan metode pengajaran, peningkatan akses ke sumber daya pembelajaran, dan peningkatan motivasi dari siswa dan masyarakat secara umum.

Melampaui stereotip dan memahami kompleksitas masalah ini merupakan langkah penting untuk menemukan solusi yang efektif dan berkelanjutan. Perlu diingat bahwa generalisasi tentang keseluruhan populasi Jepang tidak adil, karena banyak individu Jepang yang memiliki kemampuan bahasa Inggris yang sangat baik. Namun, rata-rata kemampuannya memang lebih rendah dibandingkan dengan banyak negara lain, dan pemahaman atas faktor-faktor di atas sangat penting untuk mengatasi masalah ini.