Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/68743

With Japanese language learners in China as research participants, this paper adopts quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the relationship between the learners’ birthplace and factors related to their demotivation to study the Japanese language. From an interview of nine students majoring in Japanese, this paper suggests that one of the demotivation factors may stem from senses of inferiority or superiority associated with their birthplaces. Additionally, a survey on learning demotivation was conducted in two universities, one in Hunan Province and another in Shanghai City. Comparisons of learners’ demotivation factors based on home province and location of family register indicated significant differences. That is, place of birth more strongly affected demotivation of learners from the university located in Shanghai than the university located in Hunan. Place of home province exerted a greater impact on demotivation than did location of family register for students from the university located in Shanghai. Meanwhile, urban-rural difference had a closer relation to demotivation for students from the university located in Hunan.