According to Robert Kaplan (1972), the expository
writing of native English speakers is
characterized by a linear approach and a deductive
development, while writing by Orientals is characterized
by a circular (indirect) approach and an
inductive development. Kaplan's term "oriental"
specifically refers to Chinese and Korean but not
to Japanese. It is the purpose of this paper to
investigate whether or not there may be any
rhetorical patterns unique to native speakers of
Japanese. For this purpose, 130 English composi-
·tions written by Japanese students of English
as a second language were examined. Analysis of
the data shows that the Japanese rhetorical pattern
has both linear and circular approaches. In addition,
some other compositions are presented and
discussed.
RHETORICAL PATTERNS EXTANT IN THE ENGLISH COMPOSITIONS OF JAPANESE STUDENTS
Date:
October 1983
Page No.:
1
Writer(s):
Machiko Achiba and Yasuaki Kurorniya
PDF:
