POLITENESS: SOME PROBLEMS FOR JAPANESE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH

Page No.: 
81
Writer(s): 
Noriko Tanaka

In this study, the politeness strategies of Australians and
Japanese speakers of English are compared in two tasks involving
polite requests. Four Australians and four Japanese
were ''video-taped'' making the requests. Their language and
the strategies they used are analyzed using the concepts of
face, notice and small-talk (Brown & Levinson, 1978).
Initial and fmal salutations and the language of the request
are also discussed. The Japanese speakers were more direct,
and did not appear to be as appropriately polite as the
Australians. The weaknesses in the performance of the Japanese
are traced to inadequacies in the teaching of English in
Japan. Some recommendations are made for the teaqhing of
English for communication in Japan.

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