Antonio Doñas

Associate Professor

Hispanic Studies

This paper examines the complex linguistic landscape of Christian missionary activity in early modern Japan. It consists of three parts: first, I analyze the presence and use of the various native languages of missionaries who arrived in Japan during the period often referred to as Japan’s “Iberian” or “Christian” Century (from the mid-16th century to the early 17th century). Next, I examine the importance that missionaries placed on learning Japanese and the different contexts in which they used it. Finally, I explore the connection between the missionaries’ teaching of Latin and the introduction of European culture in Japan during this era. This analysis includes a classification and periodization of the various missionary languages present in Japan, along with an examination of contemporary documents that describe the daily activities of Jesuit seminaries, novitiates, and colleges, offering a vivid and precise portrayal of the multilingual environment in which Japanese Christians lived.

Paper presented at the 11th Asian Congress of Hispanists, held at the Instituto Cervantes in Madrid, June 25-26, 2024.