The Uchi Soto and Meiwaku in Japanese sociocultural Behaviors Kanae Nakamura Assistant Professor Department of Japanese Tamkang University About the speaker Female in her thirties ID: 439653
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Slide1
Being Polite or Distant?: The Uchi/Soto and Meiwaku in Japanese sociocultural Behaviors
Kanae
Nakamura
Assistant Professor
Department of Japanese,
Tamkang
UniversitySlide2
About the speakerFemale, in her thirtiesBorn and grew up in a suburb of the Tokyo regionStudied at a college in Tokyo
2.5 years of working experience at a retail store
Left Japan at age 25
Ph.D
at University of Wisconsin-Madison
Lived in Taiwan since 2006
Has a Taiwanese husband and one child
Language: Japanese, English, and Intermediate Mandarin Slide3
Uchi-Soto distinctionUchi (in-group) Soto (out-group)Factors to decide who is
uchi
or
soto
: Age, gender, social status, affiliation, hometown, etc.Slide4
An example of Japanese uchi-soto structures
uchi
sotoSlide5
Uchi-soto in linguistic use1) Choice of verbs“give” – ageru (from insider to outsider)
kureru
(from outsider to insider)
ex) I
give
my friend her favorite book. –
ageru
The teacher gives my brother a book. – kureru
“go” and “come”
ex) English: I’m coming!
Japanese:
ima
ikimasu
. (I’m
going
now.) Slide6
Uchi-soto in linguistic use2) Honorific language honorific
/
humble
/
polite
expressions
ex)
taberu
(eat)
meshiagari
-masu
itadaki
-masu
tabe
-masu
ex) (to your colleague)
Tanaka
shashoo
wa
irasshai
masu
ka?
Is Mr./President Tanaka here?
(to your client)
Hai
,
Tanaka
wa
or
i
masu
.
Yes, Tanaka is here. Slide7
Uchi-soto in linguistic use2) Honorific language honorific
/
humble
/
polite
expressions
ex)
taberu
(eat)
meshiagari
-masu
itadaki
-masu tabe-masu ex) (to your colleague) Tanaka shashoo wa irasshai masu ka? Is Mr./President Tanaka here? (to your client) Hai, Tanaka wa ori masu. Yes, Tanaka is here.
honorific
“exist”
humbleSlide8
uchi
sotoSlide9
Uchi-soto in social behaviorsThe degree of apology: Japanese people use more polite expressions in apology when the interlocutor is out-group people (ex. teachers, bossses).
However, the politeness level goes down when the interlocutor is a complete stranger.
Yoso
(unfamiliar out-group)
Slide10
uchi
soto
Yoso
(unfamiliar out-group)Slide11
Uchi-soto in social behaviors2) Avoid praising insiders in front of outsiders ex) A business man describes his son and wife “stupid” in front of his colleagues The business man DOES NOT think his families are stupid.
The colleagues DO NOT take his words literally.
This is just a “socially proper” behaviors in Japan.Slide12
Uchi-soto in business meetings 1) Where to sit
Shimoza
(lower seats)
Kamiza
(upper seats)
How
to sit
in Japan
n
JapanSlide13
Uchi-soto in business meetings2) Different conflict resolving methods between Americans and Japanese (Black & Mendenhall, 1993)The concepts of uchi-soto
and
omote
(front/public)-
ura
(back/private) are relevant in conflict
resloving
methods in Japan“In soto & public context, conflict is avoided. … resloving conflict is easier and more likely to happen in private.” (p.54)
“Americans tend to take a direct approach to negotiation… The Japanese deflect direct and confrontational negotiation tactics in this situation by responding with vagueness and periods of silence.” (p.56)
Slide14
What is “politeness”?English speakers’ politeness:Showing politeness in action, rather than in language choiceThe closer the psychological distance is, the more direct expressions a speaker uses.Slide15
Politeness for Japanese1) Formality:How to speak, how to wear, how to behave are highly conventionalized in accordance with occasions.Use of honorific language in public and formal situationsFormal clothes in business, weddings, funerals, school ceremonies, etc.Slide16
An entrance ceremony in JapanSlide17
The first day of school in TaiwanSlide18
“Cool Biz” campaignEncourages business people to wear lightly since summer 2005
To reduce electric consumption by limiting air-conditioningSlide19
Wedding reception in JapanSlide20
Wedding reception in TaiwanSlide21
Japanese politeness vs. Taiwanese kindnessBeing polite =/= Being kind and generousTaiwanese people’s kindness is “nosy” and “pushy”?? Slide22
Politeness as not causing “Meiwaku”Meiwaku (迷惑
): trouble, annoyance, inconvenience
Blog articles: “My sense of
Meiwaku
”
Controversial disputes over acceptance/resistance of certain behaviors in public places
ex) Talking on cell phone in public spaces
Use of strollers on public transportations
Baby’s crying on public transportations
“Japanese people take on a strangely relentless attitude against those who cause disturbance.”
(
Blog
“Reasons why it’s harder to raise kids in Japan than in other countries… or not”)
Slide23
Cell phone manner on train1 Turn off the power near priority seats2 Turn the “manner mode” and refrain from talking on the phoneSlide24
The comparative survey about children and family among Japan, USA, and Korea (1995)Table 1. Personality/characteristics that parents want their children to cultivate (%)
1
2
3
4
5
Japan
considerat
-
ion
for
others
61.9
Follow rules and not causing trouble 44.8Responsibili-ty 39.5Politeness 34.4Ability to insist opinions 29.8USAResponsibili-ty 49.8Fairness and justice 32.0Mental stability 29.4Considerat-ion for others 26.7Politeness 25.8Korea
Politeness 60.5
Responsibili-ty
57.9
Follow rules and not causing trouble 31.7
Ability to plan
and act 29.4
Ability to insist opinions 28.3Slide25
Politeness Theory Brown & Levinson (1987)
“Face (
面子
)
”
(
Goffman
, 1967)
:
the negotiated public image, mutually granted each other by participants in a communicative event.
Positive face & Negative faceSlide26
Politeness Theory Brown & Levinson (1978, 1987)
Positive face (Involvement/Solidarity)
: A need to be involved with other participants and to show them our involvement.
Negative face (Independence)
: A need to maintain some degree of independence from other participants and to show them that we respect their independence.Slide27
Politeness Theory Brown & Levinson (1987)
Negative face Positive face
silence taciturnity volubility speaking
(speaking little) (being talkative)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Figure 1. Continuum of positive and negative faceSlide28
Examples of positive face politeness strategiesNotice or attend to a hearer “I like your jacket.” “Are you feeling better today?”Exaggerate (interest, approval, sympathy with a hearer)
“Please be careful on the steps, they are very slippery.”
“You always do so well in school.”
Claim in-group membership with a hearer
“All of
us
at
Chengchi university are…”Slide29
Examples of positive face politeness strategiesClaim common point of view, opinion, attitudes, knowledge, and empathy “I know just
how you feel.”
Japanese final particle “
ne
”
Be optimistic
“I think we should be able to finish that annual report very quickly.”
Indicate the speaker knows the hearer’s wants and is taking them into account
“I’m sure you will all want to know when this meeting will be over.”Slide30
Examples of positive face politeness strategiesAssume or assert reciprocity “I know you want to do well in sales this year as much as I want you to do well.”
Use given names and nicknames
“Bill, can you get that report to me tomorrow?”
Be voluble (talkative)
Use the hearer’s language or dialectSlide31
Examples of negative face politeness strategiesMake minimal assumptions about hearer’s wants “I don’t know if you want to send this by air mail or by express.”Give hearer the option not to do the act
“It would be nice to have tea together, but I am sure you are very busy.”
Minimize threat
“I just need to borrow a little piece of paper, any scrap will do.”Slide32
Examples of negative face politeness strategiesApologize “I am sorry to trouble you, could you…?”Be pessimistic
“I don’t suppose you’d know the time, would you?”
Dissociate the speaker and the hearer from the discourse
“This is to inform our students that …”
State a general rule
“Company regulations require an examination…”Slide33
Examples of negative face politeness strategiesUse family names and titles “Mr. Lee, there’s a phone call for you.”Be taciturn (talk little)
Use own language or dialectSlide34
Paradox of positive face & negative faceEmphasizing one face threats the other.Showing too much involvement Risk independence, and vice versa.Granting one’s own face Threatening other’s face
In any human communication in any culture, both sides of face must be projected simultaneously.Slide35
Three factors to affect the (positive/negative) politeness strategies PowerDistance
Weight of imposition
How exactly each factor affects the use/degree of positive/negative politeness varies depending on the culture. Slide36
Actions out of positive/negative face?A Taiwanese couples offering help to a Japanese woman on the streetSlide37
Actions triggered by positive/ negative faceA Taiwanese couples offering help to a Japanese woman on the street = Positive faceSlide38
Actions triggered by positive/ negative faceA Taiwanese couples offering help to a Japanese woman on the street = Positive faceNot offering help since you don’t want to offend the personSlide39
Actions triggered by positive/ negative faceA Taiwanese couples offering help to a Japanese woman on the street = Positive faceNot offering help since you don’t want to offend the person
= Negative faceSlide40
Actions triggered by positive/ negative faceA Taiwanese couples offering help to a Japanese woman on the street = Positive faceNot offering help since you don’t want to offend the person
= Negative face
A stranger who lets a crying baby grab a candy
Slide41
Actions triggered by positive/ negative faceA Taiwanese couples offering help to a Japanese woman on the street = Positive faceNot offering help since you don’t want to offend the person
= Negative face
A stranger who lets a crying baby grab a candy
= Positive faceSlide42
Actions triggered by positive/ negative faceA Taiwanese couples offering help to a Japanese woman on the street = Positive faceNot offering help since you don’t want to offend the person
= Negative face
A stranger who lets a crying baby grab a candy
= Positive face
Japanese mother who is annoyed by such a stranger’s actionSlide43
Actions triggered by positive/ negative faceA Taiwanese couples offering help to a Japanese woman on the street = Positive faceNot offering help since you don’t want to offend the person
= Negative face
A stranger who lets a crying baby grab a candy
= Positive face
Japanese mother who is annoyed by such a stranger’s action
= Negative faceSlide44
Value of Negative face (=not causing meiwaku) in Japan
ex) Great East Japan Earthquake 2011, 3,11Slide45
Conclusion:Taiwanese people tend to appeal positive face when they communicate with others.In Japan, negative face politeness operates more powerfully on people’s behaviors and way of thinking.Slide46
BibliographyBlack , S. J. & Mendenhall, M. (1993). Resolving Conflicts with the Japanese: Mission Impossible? Sloan Management Review, Spring, 34(3), 49-59.Brown, P. & Levinson, S. C. (1987).
Politeness.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Goffman
, E. (1967).
Interaction
Ritual.
Garden
City, NY: Anchor Books.
Kagawa, H. (1997). Gokai Sareru
Nihonjin
. “The Inscrutable Japanese.”
(Kodansha bilingual books)
Kodansha International.
Scollion
, R. & Scollion, S. W. (2001). Intercultural Communication. second edition. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.Slide47
Thank you very much!