Research on reasoning and motivation to learn English in Okinawa, connected to the existence of US military bases

本研究在日本冲绳进行，目的是调查美国的存在对日本的影响。S.军事基地对当地人对英语语言及其使用的态度。共有281名参与者来自两个小组（一）。例如，基地雇员和与基地无关的人员）回答了调查问卷。结果显示，基地员工更清楚地认识到学习英语的必要性比个人不相关的基地，英语的工具功能仅限于当地一级的问题，如解决基地相关的犯罪发生在他们的社区。虽然大多数参与者认为自己是冲绳人，但他们并不认为英语是改善自二战以来他们所处的有争议条件的工具。此外，通过访谈，基地就业和冲绳工作状况之间的相互依赖性也很明显。

The present study was conducted in Okinawa, Japan, in order to investigate influence of the presence of U. S. military bases over the attitude that local people have toward English language and its use. A total of 281 participants from two groups(i. e., those employed on the bases and those who are not related to the base) responded to a questionnaire. The results revealed that base employees more clearly recognized the necessity of learning English than individuals not related to the bases and that the instrumental function of English was limited only to local-level issues such as solving base-related crimes happening in their community. Although a majority of participants identified themselves as Okinawan, they did not consider English a tool for improving controversial conditions in which they had been situated since World War ii. Furthermore, the interdependency between employment on the bases and job situations in Okinawa appeared salient through the interview sessions.