日本「國語」的近代

Abstract

本論文嘗試以統治技術的觀點來討論近代民族國家中的「國語」。正因作為一種技術，則其體系也必須加以整頓；在整頓工程中近代性等特質表現於其中，而國語國字問題也成為此工程的一環。另外，為與其他國家體系加以區別，「國民性」等精神性與歷史性的重要特質，也被置入國語這個體系當中；近代的「國語」即在此兩種建構成就之後才隨之誕生。這個作為統治技術的語言，亦如在言文一致運動裡所呈現的，其被視為一種國民全體任誰皆能閱讀且書寫的新文體；而生活於同一時代的同一國家之國民，就言說著同一種「國語」。這個被統一的「國語」，也往往被稱作「標準語」；且因是統治技術，言說國語也被強制性地加以要求。本論文即是將近代日本中的國語之建構過程加以闡述出來。

In this paper I will explore how national language (國語) in the modern nation-state was utilized as a techniques of state authority. Because it is a techniques, it is necessary for it to be maintained as a system-this is where its modernity is represented and where it is linked to the ”Question of National Language and Script.” On the other hand, this system incorporates the spiritual and historical elements that constitute ”national identity” (國民性) and distinguish it from other nations. When these two constructions come into being we have for the first time the modern conception of ”national language.” The language to shoulder this techniques of state authority was regarded as a written style such as that represented by the ”genbun itti (言文一致 unification of speech and writing)” which enabled all subjects (國民) to read and write. It is the same ”national language” spoken by the same national subjects living in the same historical period. This same ”national language” is frequently labeled ”standard language,” and comes under increasingly coercive demands to be used as techniques of state authority. In this paper I will describe the process of the construction of ”national language” in the modern Japan.