A sociolinguistic analysis of phonological variation in Japanese EFL textbooks

Abstract

This study examined phonological variation in six EFL textbooks commonly used in Japanese junior high schools. These textbooks featured recurring characters in dialogues, and our analysis of accompanying audio materials assessed whether the characters’ phonological features matched their claimed national origins. Although the textbooks included characters from three to five different countries, five out of the six overwhelmingly favored General American English (GAE). Overall, 74.6% of the characters exhibited GAE features regardless of their stated nationality, and 67.7% of non-American characters displayed GAE phonology rather than features typical of their regions. Only one textbook consistently represented a diverse range of linguistic varieties. These findings suggested that current EFL materials reinforced native-speakerism by presenting GAE as the default pronunciation model, thereby possibly contributing to learner anxiety and the misconception that English belonged exclusively to native speakers. We advocate for more sociolinguistic diversity in English speakers, consistent with Global Englishes and trans-speakerism.

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