Do Japanese Mothers Talk Differently to Daughters than Sons?: A Study of Bikago (Beautified Speech)

Abstract

Abstract-Japanese is well known for its gendered speech style which denotes the sex of the speaker. These speech styles are reinforced throughout their formative years. This study analyzed (1) how Japanese Mothers in Bali use bikago (beautified speech) especially in child-directed speech; and (2) to investigate the factors that influence the use of bikago by Japanese mothers when talking to their daughters. The research was conducted between January until February 2016, involving two Japanese mothers who stayed in Bali with their children. The data were collected through observation by using tape-recorder. The data were then analyzed qualitatively and revealed that (1) Japanese mothers tended to use bikago more frequently when talking to their daughter as compared to when they spoke to their son, and (2) mothers used bikago when talking to their daughters to boost the daughter's refined language skill.