A Contrastive Study of Question-Asking in Japanese and English

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25370733
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: Tokyo City University
• Principal Investigator: Ueno Kishiko 東京都市大学, その他部局等, 講師 (70512490)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 質問行為 / 聞き手行動 / 日英対照研究 / 談話分析 / 異文化コミュニケーション / 英語教育

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examines question-asking in terms of the listener’s reaction to the speaker as observed in Japanese and American English dyadic conversations between teacher-student and student-student pairs. I argue that the use of questions by Japanese speakers can be attributed to their relationally defined roles that are compatible with the role expectations in Japanese society. In contrast, American questioning reflects individuals’ attempts to maintain equal relationships. I thus claim that Japanese learners of English need to acquire knowledge about the conversational styles of their own culture as well as those of other cultures and cultivate a listening attitude that produces active reactions, including question-asking.

Free Research Field

社会言語学・語用論