Does the あいづちin Japanese find its equivalent in Chinese?

• Main Authors: Hsing-ying Yang, 楊幸穎
• Other Authors: none
• Format: Others
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/38745247347915782063

碩士 === 東吳大學 === 日本語文學系 === 95 === Prior studies regard the element of あいづち as a common occurrence in the Chinese verbal communications and compare or contrast it with its Japanese counterpart. However, findings based on this research show that while あいづちis an indispensable “lubricant” in the Japanese verbal　communications, in Chinese conversations the employment of similar strategies is only an individual speech trait, and cannot, in general, be taken as an essential supplement to the conversation. Hence, the Japanese あいづちdoes not find its equivalent in Chinese. Research based on this thesis also reveals that the homogeneity of the Japanese society has more or less rendered functions of あいづちin Japanese conversations more standardized and general. On the other hand, as Chinese society is becoming more heterogeneous, the speech habits of Chinese people exhibit individual differences; hence any strategy similar to あいづちdoes not lend itself to becoming an indespensable element of Chinese conversations. Despite the importance both Chinese and Japanese cultures attach to the harmony in human relationships, both peoples employ different ways to show respect for the other party in the conversation. Chinese people respect differences in individual speech traits, and this would to a great extent preclude homogeneity in speech habits, as personal characteristics do not easily evolve into a commonality. The Japanese society is a communal one. The adoption of common あいづちin conversations as a means to show respect for the other person and to enhance the harmony is one aspect showing the homogeneity of the society. This thesis is composed of 5 chapters. Chapter I, the Introduction, states the motive, purpose, range and methods of the research. In Chapter II various existing researches on similar topics are introduced. The term あいづち is defined and the role it plays in conversations is explained. Speech habits of the Japanese and the Chinese people are compared with their differences pointed out. It has been found that in prior researches, comparisons of あいづち allegedly used in both languages focus on the outer forms rather than their true intrinsic functions. In Chapter III problems of these researches are discussed, and the validity of these studies re-evaluated, leading to the conclusion that the peculiarities in personal speech habits of Chinese speakers may not be equivalent to the あいづちadopted in the Japanese conversations. Chapter IV discusses the differences in Chinese and Japanese cultures with a view to establishing the influence that culture has on the role and use of あいづち. Chapter V concludes the thesis with a few suggestions for Japanese language education.