A Study of the Miscommunication between Japanese and Chinese

• Main Authors: Sumiyo Maeda, 前田純代
• Other Authors: Akio Tanaka
• Format: Others
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/8u8ej6

碩士 === 東吳大學 === 日本語文學系 === 96 === A Study of the Miscommunication between Japanese and Chinese A summary in English As with language communication between speakers of different languages in general, there often occurs miscommunication between Chinese and Japanese speakers against the intention of the speaker. In serious cases, this leads to a total communication breakdown. The purpose of this study is to analyze the factors that lead to this problem. Specifically, the similarities and differences in communication between both languages are investigated and how mutual understanding without a mistake or a misunderstanding takes place. In chapter 1 of this study the proceeding study, I adduced the main sources of miscommunication from the written documents letters of J. V.Neustupny, Willem.A.Grootaers, Mr. Akio Tanaka, Mr. Naoki Yamazaki, Mr. Satoshi Ishii Mr. Roichi Okabe, Mr. Teruyuki Kume and Mr. Yoshio Hirako. In Chapter 2, interviews with ten Taiwanese and Japanese people who excel in both languages were conducted to determine the kind of problems that occurring in communication. The findings from the interviews have been divided into seven different categories, which are pronunciation, kanji, grammar, language customs, vocabulary, and the literal translation. Fewest sources of miscommunication were discovered to be caused by pronunciation, while the most were due to differences in language customs; that is, non-linguistic reasons were discovered to be responsible for most problems in communication. In Chapter 3, a questionnaire was given to 46 Taiwanese people and 35 Japanese people with the intent to reveal the causes of the misunderstandings due to both linguistic and non-linguistic reasons, which include punch lines, rules of toasting, making appointments, the words of thanks at the meeting the next time among others. It is commonly recognized that language is a tool to convey one’s will, and in order to use this tool, you must know linguistic as well as non-linguistic sources of communication, such as cultural values, forms of consciousness, courtesy, etiquette. This research clearly shows that miscommunication will arise when one interlocutor of one culture/language is unaware of the non-linguistic forms of communication of another interlocutor from another culture/language.