Intercultural communication and pragmatics: Japanese NS and Hispanic NNS children’s face-to-face interaction

Mutsuo Nakamura

Prior to using this data and information or if you have more questions, comments about this presentation please feel free to direct them to Mutsuo Nakamura at: mutsuo@ufl.edu

 

Introduction:

Spanish and Japanese communicative styles

 

Rationale:

What and how are predominant pragmatic norms and cultural values expressed and learned in intercultural encounters?

 

Background:

Children become members of their social groups through language and culture (discourse) socialization (Shieffelin & Ochs 1986)

 

“Community of practice” and “peripheral participation” (Lave & Wenger 1991): Gradually learning the ways of doing things, ways of talking, beliefs, values, power relations through participating in day-to-day communicative activities.

 

Ethnic minority preschoolers become members of their US preschool communities through interacting/playing with American peers (Toohey 1996)

 

Discourse as manifestation of, and struggle against, hegemonic cultural values and ideologies (Said 1971, Van Dijk 1988, Fairclough 1991)

 

Research question:

1) What Japanese pragmatic norms and cultural values are difficult for Spanish L1 speakers to assimilate in their Japanese language/culture socializing practices?  

 

2) How do Spanish L1 speakers socialize themselves with such norms and values?

 

Focus point:

Japanese and Hispanic preschoolers (age 3 to 5)’s “conflict talk” when both seeking access to play tools.

 

 

Data collection and procedure:

1) A three week ethnographic research (Hymes 1974, Spladley 1979) in a Japanese preschool.

2) Tape-record “conflict talk” between/among Japanese and Spanish-speaking children

3) Transcribe, describe, analyze (explain and interpret) “conflict talk”

 

Some additional information:

In this paper, I focused on a Hispanic girl (Y 5 years old)’s socializing routines with Japanese peers and teachers.

 

The SPEAKING Model (Hymes 1974): Contextual components of communication

Setting and Scene: A preschool in a Japanese city

                              120,000 inhabitants. Among them there are 3300 foreigners                                             (Latin Americans: approx. Brazilians 900, Peruvians 300, Bolivians 200, etc)

 

Participants:  Pupils: About 40 people, 3 to 5 years old. Among them, 10 non-Japanese children.                             8 Spanish-speaking children born in Bolivia or Peru.

                    Teachers: 5, all female

                    The researcher

Ends: Seeking access to play-related resources

Act Sequence: Varies (Typical sequence of the speech act)

Key: Varies (Cues that establish the "tone, manner, or spirit" of the speech act)

Instrumentalities: Informal (Forms and styles of speech)

Norms: balanced reciprocity or interpersonal harmony (Norms governing the speech act)

Genre: Request, command, dispute, etc. (The kind of speech act or event)

 

 

Results and findings:

 

1st Finding

Japanese norms of “balanced reciprocity” (Sahlins 1972) are used for resolving interpersonal conflict among preschoolers under study

 

Sahlins (1972)’s three basic forms of reciprocity:

(1) generalized reciprocity: generous or altruistic giving with no expectation for return;

(2) balanced reciprocity: socially and economically embedded gift/favor reciprocation with expectation for return within a certain timeframe, and

(3) negative reciprocity: self-interested seizure. 

 

 

CONFLICT TALK 1

In this conversation, A, a Japanese girl, and Y, a five-year-old Spanish-speaking girl, are playing in the school’s sandbox. A is asking Y to loan the bucket she is using.

A stands for A, Y for Y, and R for the researcher.

 

Original                                                                      English Translation

1 A: kore kaashi:te kore kaashi:te                     A: Let me use, let me use.

2 Y: (Y does not loan it to her)                      Y: (Y does not loan it to her)

3 A: eeeh, eeeh (A cries)                                     A: Eeeh, eeeh’ (A cries)

    Y-chan baketsu kashite kurena:i.       Y-CHAN[DIM] does not let me

 (claiming the fact to the researcher)                         use her bucket (claiming the fact to the                                                                                            researcher).

4 R: nani?                                                           R: What?

5 A: baketsu                                                       A: Bucket

6 R: baketsu kashite kurenai?                               R: Does she not let you use the bucket?

7 Y: baketsu asoko ni totta ima.                            Y: The bucket, I took [it] now there. 

                                                                      (suggesting that she has just got the bucket)

8 A: XX                                                              A:(unintelligible)

9 R: do:shiyo:? Mm?                                           R:What can we do? Mm?

 

(20 seconds omitted)

15 B: ne, baketsu kashite agenai                           B: NE, [Y] does not let A use (the                                 TE-GIVE FAVOR-NAI(NEG)                    bucket). (complaining about the fact to the                                                                                     researcher).

16 A: ne, korekashite, ne::                      A: NE, let me use this-NE                    

     kono tako ageru.                                              I give [you] this “octopus”[tool].

17 R: tako ageru-tte.                                         R: She says she gives you the “octopus”

18 Y: ja: ima tsukatte, ima tsukatte sore sore.  Y: Weell, use now, use now, that one

19 A: kore?                                                         A: This one?

20 Y: Mm.                                                   Y: Mmm

21 A: kore ka?                                                    A: This one?

22 Y: XX                                                             Y: (unintelligible)

 (After all, Y does not let A use the backet she wants.)

 

 

As an example, I illustrate below a conversation I had with a Japanese girl when playing in the sandbox. In the transcript, A refers to the girl and R to the researcher.

 

           Original                                                                      English translation

A: onii-chan ana horu-no!                                      A: “brother”, dig a hole-NO[mild insistence]!

R: ana horu-no? yada!                                                  R: Dig a hole? No!

A: ana honna-sai!                                            A: Dig a hole-SAI[commanding]!                   

R: yada.                                                                R: No.

A: ana honna-sai!                                                         A: ‘Dig a hole-SAI[commanding]!’  

R: nande? nande horu-no?                              R: ‘Why? Why dig?’

A:datte, hora nakya damena-no!                                   A: ‘Because you have to dig!’

R: nande hora nakya damenano?                   R: ‘Why I have to dig?’

A: Ja nakya ne:, oishi mono shikutte                      A: ‘If you don’t, I won’t cook delicious                              if not,         delicious food cook-TE          dishes for you-YO[emphasis]!’

agenai yo!

Give-favor-NAI[neg] YO[emphasis]

 

 

CONFLICT TALK 2

Y and M, a Japanese girl, are in conflict with respect to the use of play tools. They are unwilling to share them, start slapping each other. A female teacher comes onto the scene and attempts to effect reconciliation by asking both of them to apologize to one another. This transcript is three-minutes long; T stands for the teacher; Y for Y, and M for M.

 

              Original                                                                      English translation

1 T: dare ga saki ni butta no?                                    T: who did first?

2 Y&M: XX                                                       Y&M: (unintelligible; seemingly, imputing to one                                                                                           another)              

3 M:Y-chan ga yattan dayo.                                          M: Y-CHAN did [first]-YO[emphasis]

4 T: demo, otomodachi, Y-chan mo M-       T: But, you are friends; Y-CHAN

    chan mo yattakaratte buccha damedayo             M-CHAN, none of you

    ne, ne?                                   should slap to one another even though

                                                                     one of you does first, right, right?

5 T: hai, ja, Y, saki ni gomen nasai                           T: Well, Y, why don’t you apologize

    shite goran?  Y!                                     first? Y!

6 Y: datte ima butta jan.                                                Y: But, [M] slapped me.

7 T: demo butta karatte, buccha damedano.   T: But, don’t slap her even if she slapped

    okuchi de iundayo. ne, Y-chan.                   you. You have to express yourself using                                                                             mouth. NE, Yukari-CHAN

8 T: M-chan mo gomenasai.                                         T: M-CHAN, you also apologize.

    futari de gomennasai suru-yo!                     You two apologize [now]-YO[emphasis]

9 M: Gomennasai.                                              M: I am sorry.

10 Y: Ii-yo.                                                          Y: That’s ok.

 

2nd FINDING

Y discursively resists the Japanese norms of reciprocity by giving reasons/justification or by manipulating the conversation.

 

CONFLICT TALK 1

 

10 A: ne:, ne: sorekashite::                      A:NE, NE, let me use (requesting tone)

     ne:, ne: kore kashitte:, korekashite:,        NE, NE, let me use this, let me use,             korekashite:-yo:. korekashite. kashite.           let me use this-YO[emphasis], let me  

     ne kore kashite yo:, Y-chan.          use, let me use this-YO[emphasis],

                                            Y-CHAN[DIM].                               

11 R: kashite-tte.                                            R: She is asking you to loan it. 

12 Y: datte, ima Y XX                          Y: But, now Y, I [unintelligible] put

     asoko oita-mon.                                               it-MON[emphasis] there.

                                                                                    (giving some reason for not loaning it to A)

13 A: nageru yo, suna                                         A: I’ll throw you the sand-YO[emphasis].

     ne:, ne, ne. e::h, e::h                        NE, NE, NE, eeeh eeh (crying)

14 Y: wakatta. A-chan no baketsu.                   Y: Understood. [It’s] A-CHAN[DIM]’s                                                                                     bucket,

     A-chan no baketsu.                                         [It’s] A-CHAN[DIM]’s bucket.

 

(Fifteen seconds later)

15 B: ne, baketsu kashite agenai                           B: NE, [Y] does not let A use (the                             TE Give-favor-NAI[neg]                 bucket). (complaining about the fact to the                                                                                     researcher).

16 A: ne, korekashite, ne::                      A: NE, let me use this-NE                    

     kono tako ageru.                                                I give [you] this “octopus”[tool].

17 R: tako ageru-tte.                                         R: She says she gives you the “octopus”

18 Y: ja: ima tsukatte, ima tsukatte sore sore.  Y: Weell, use now, use now, that one

19 A: kore?                                                         A: This one?

20 Y: Mm.                                                    Y: Mmm

21 A: kore ka?                                                    A: This one?

22 Y: XX                                                             Y: (unintelligible)

(After all, Y does not let A use the backet she wants.)

 

 

3rd FINDING

Y socializes herself with Japanese norms and values through learning from immediate consequences of her “non-conformist” behaviors with respect to the Japanese norms.

 

CONFLICT TALK 2:

 

8 T: M-chan mo gomenasai.                                         T: M-CHAN, you also apologize.

    futari de gomennasai suru-yo!                     You two apologize [now]-YO[emphasis]

9 M: Gomennasai.                                              M: I am sorry.

10 Y: Ii-yo.                                                          Y: That’s ok.

11 T: M-chan wa?                                              T: How about [you] M-CHAN. 

12 M: gomennasai, gomennasai, gomennasai.  M: I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.

13 T: Y chan, M-chan gomenne-tte                 T: Y-CHAN, M-CHAN is

     itteruyo?                                                              saying “I’m sorry.”

14 Y: Datte, omimi itai mon, Yuriko-no.                    Y: But, my ear hurts.

15 T: Demo gomen ne ittan dayo.                                  T: But, she said “I’m sorry”

(5 seconds later)

16 T: Y-chan ha nante itte ageruno,           T: Y-CHAN, what are you  

     M2 chan ni? Y!                                        supposed to say to M2? Y!

                                       

(3 seconds later)

17 M: Gomenne, gomen!                                              M: I’m sorry-NE, I’m sorry!

18 T: Y, M-chan gomenne tte                         T: Y, M-CHAN has been saying

      itteruyo, zutto.                                                     to you “I’m sorry“ for a long time.

19 M: Gomenne, gomenne, gomene!               M: I’m sorry-NE, I’m sorry-NE, I’m sorry-NE!

(after 10 seconds)

20 T: Y-chan doo suruno?                               T: Y-CHAN, what do you say?

21 M: Gomenne, gomenne.                             M: I’m sorry-NE, I’m sorry-NE.

22 T: Nante itte ageru, M-chan ni.                           T: What do you say benevolently,

        WHAT  SAY-TE  GIVE-FAVOR                                  answering to M-CHAN?

                                                                      

(after several seconds)

23 M: Y-chan, Y-chan.                           M: Y-CHAN, Y-CHAN!

24 T: Ja sensei kore mo kore mo agenai.                      T: So, your sensei[I] don’t give [none of] you       Kenka suru kara sensee morau.                                            neither this nor this. Your sensei[I]

                                                                                  keep them since you quarrel.

                                                                                      

25 M: Y-chan, Y-chan!                                    M: Y-CHAN, Y-CHAN!

 

 

 

Back to CONFLICT TALK 1

(30 seconds later)

27 A: kore kashite yo. baketsu kashite,        A: let me use. Let me use the

     midorino. kore kashite yo.                             bucket, the green one. Let me use                                                                                      this-YO[emphasis]

28 R: Y-chan                                         R: Y-CHAN[DIM] (asking tone)

29 A: e:h e:h e:h (crying)                                      A:  E:h e:h e:h (crying)

30 B: Y ijiwaru man dashi.                                B:  Y is a mean person.

      ijiwaru man! Y.                   Mean person! Y.

31 Y: déjame, déjame, o yo te voy a golpear   Y: leave me [alone], leave me [alone],

     [y] a A.                                                    or I will slap you, [and] A.

 

At the end (in line 30), B once again reacts by criticizing Y: “Y is a mean person. Mean person! Y.” Importantly, this statement makes Y hostile to both of the Japanese girls, and says switching to Spanish: “déjame, déjame, o yo te voy a golpear [y] a A” (“leave me [alone], leave me [alone] or I will slap you [and] A”).