Modern Japanese Grammar

A Practical Guide

M. Endo Hudson, Fumiko Nazikian, Naomi McGloin, Tomomi Kakegawa

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781135151386
• Topic: Languages & Linguistics
• Subtopic: Languages
• Index: Languages & Linguistics

First published in 2013. As with its series counterparts, this is an innovative reference guide to the Japanese language, combining traditional and function-based grammar in a single volume.

In its two-part structure, Part A covers traditional grammatical categories, such as structural features of the language and the behaviour of parts of speech. With a strong emphasis on contemporary usage, all grammar points are richly illustrated with examples written in a combination of hiragana, katakana and kanji, alongside romanizations and sentence meanings in English.Part B is organised around language functions such as expressing likes and dislikes, giving and seeking information, making decisions and apologising. This function-based presentation is an invaluable guide to the situationally-appropriate use of Japanese for learners at all levels.

The two parts of the Grammar are closely linked by extensive cross-references, providing a grammatical and a functional perspective on many patterns in the language. This is the ideal reference grammar for learners of Japanese at all levels, from novice to advanced. No prior knowledge of grammatical terminology is assumed and a glossary of grammatical terms is provided.

Part B
Functions

I
Social interaction and communication strategies

30
Social interaction

In any language, choosing appropriate linguistic forms and strategies according to the context is important for successful communication. The ‘context’ includes who is talking to whom, when, where, about what, in what way, and why (with what intention). In addition, how the speaker identifies or wishes to project himself/herself at the time affects how he/she speaks. Use of inappropriate speech styles may have serious consequences in Japanese, in which such distinctions as formal–informal and polite–rough are overtly made. The failure to use appropriate communication strategies may also result in being considered rude.

In Japan it is customary for people to bow when they greet someone, introduce themselves, apologize, and so on. Bowing about 30 degrees is considered ordinary, and a person lower in rank is expected to wait to raise his/her head until the social superior does so first.

30.1 Determining the style

There are two main styles in Japanese, formal and informal. Formal style is defined as sentences ending in desu (with nouns and adjectives), masu (with verbs), and their variations (e.g. negative, past tense), and informal style as those ending in da, (r)u, and their variations. They are typically used as follows.

• Informal style: To family members, close friends and colleagues, and children
• Formal style: To social superiors and acquaintances.

Speaking to social superiors, such as people who are higher in rank and/or older, honorific words and constructions (keego) are also expected to be used to a varying degree.

During a social interaction, one’s communication style often shifts for a variety of reasons. The factors can be divided into three major categories: (a) medium of communication; (b) setting; and (c) participants and referents. These and additional factors, such as the topic of conversation and the presence of bystanders, interact and shape the speaking (or writing) style.

(a) Medium of communication

Spoken and written languages are different in any language, but the difference seems particularly prominent in Japanese. Spoken Japanese displays the following features to a different degree.

• • Fragmented with many incomplete sentences and omissions.
• • Interactive, accompanied by interactive particles (e.g. ne, yo), fillers (e.g. anoo ‘um’), and listener responses (called aizuchi; e.g. hai ‘yes’).
• • Full of contractions (e.g. ik-anaku-cha ¬ ik-anaku-te wa ‘I must go’).
• • The word order may be switched around, and subject, object, time and place words, etc. may appear after the verb, as opposed to the canonical subject–object–verb order.

Both spoken and written languages can be more or less conversational or presentational. For example, chatting with friends is very different from how news reports and formal speeches are presented. The writing style in scholarly articles and newspaper editorials is presentational, containing many Sino-Japanese (kanji) words, while texting, e-chat, and e-mail to friends are highly conversational.

▸ 6

(b) Setting

The setting of communication may be formal, informal (casual), business, professional, private, or ritual, among others. A job interview is an example of a formal setting.

(c) Participants and referents ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Acknowledgments
• Glossary of grammatical terms
• Abbreviations and symbols
• Notes on romanization
• Part A Structures
• Part B Functions
• Appendix I: Hiragana charts
• Appendix II: Katakana charts
• Appendix III: Verb basic conjugation table
• Appendix IV: Copula and adjective basic conjugation table
• Bibliography
• Index