Appreciation strategies of German and Japanese native speakers and German learners of Japanese
by Kayoko Nakamura (Graduate School of the University of Tokyo)
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Keywords: appreciation strategies, pragmatic transfer, hypercorrection, length of residence, situational variables |
[ p. 44 ]
". . . native Japanese speakers very often use apologetic expressions in non-apologetic situations . . . " |
[ p. 45 ]
Accordingly, the following hypotheses were tested.[ p. 46 ]
Familiarity/status | Big favor | Small favor |
F a m i l i a r | ||
Lower | (1) A younger student offers you a ride home | (2) A school boy you tutor brings you coffee |
Equal | (3) Your roommate pays for and receives your parcel | (4) A friend lets you borrow his/her notebook before a test |
Higher | (5) Your professor writes a recommendation for you | (6) Your section manager pays for your coffee |
U n f a m i l i a r | ||
Lower | (7) A high school boy helps you with your luggage at a station | (8) A junior high school student offers you a seat in a train |
Equal | (9) An unknown student fixes a copy machine for you | (10) An unknown student offers you a change of seats |
Higher | (11) A stranger helps you put some tire chains on | (12) A middle-aged person offers you a seat in a train |
[ p. 47 ]
Semantic formulas | Examples | |
1. | A routinized thanking and apologetic expression only |
Doumo arigatou gozaimasu. ("Thank you very much.") Doumo sumimasen. ("I'm very sorry.") |
2. | A routinized expression and a supporting expression |
Arigatou! Tasukatta yo. ("Thank you! You helped me a lot.") Sonna ni te wo yogoshite shimatte...Gomennasai. ("Your hands got so dirty. I'm sorry.") |
3. | A supporting expression only | Onegai suru yo. ("I'll accept your offer.") Ah, honto... Ikura datta? ("Oh, really... How much was it?") |
[ p. 48 ]
"The [German Native Speaker Group] almost exclusively used thanking expressions and barely used apologetic expressions . . . " |
[ p. 49 ]
[ p. 50 ]
[ p. 51 ]
[ p. 52 ]
[ p. 53 ]
"The [Japanese Native Speaker Group] reacted more sensitively to familiarity and power differences than to size of imposition." |
[ p. 54 ]
Conclusion"[Many Japanese] learners expressed unfamiliarity with the usage of apologizing expressions in thanking situations . . ." |
Main Article | Appendix A | Appendix B | Appendix C | Appendix D | Appendix E |