Monday, May 9, 2011

version 2

I think Japanese culture is one of the cultures that are strict about people's relationships. There are various relationships based on age, status, position, and so on. Japanese ones seem to be more vertical and complicated, different from some other cultures'. So I want foreigners to be careful about it.
owever, most Japanese people cannnot explain the system of relationships in our culture and teach the rules. it is because we have been leaning it since we are born and living here. What foreigners feel unusual is naturally for us.
In my opinion, one reason why this system is complicated is that we have honorific language, which some other cultures don't have. We use it in not only the situations that foreigners learn from their Japanese textbooks, but also various appropriate situations that we face as parts of daily life.
One example is the first meetings, especially meeting person who really see for the first time. Most Japanese people use honorific language even if the person seems to be younger than or same age as themselves. Another example is in companies or societies. Workers use honorific language to bosses even if the bosses are younger than or same as themselves. But they might start to use peer language when they get close, it is not so often though.
In short, the main point that I want to tell foreigners is that in Japanese culture people think to be polite to almost everyone in more important than to be friendly for good relationships. So I want foreigners to experience Japanese style and learn actually in Japan.

1 comment:

  1. Aimi, you've made some interesting points. I agree there's a deep belief in honor and respect, and it's so implicit in Japanese culture that it's impossible to be explicitly aware of it all the time. It's a deep believe that is revealed in behavior. Very giod writing.

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