Exercise 2: Observing Refusals in Japanese -2

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        Both sample dialogues include mention of a reason/reasons why the speakers cannot comply with the requests.  One strategy is knowing the cultural norm in Japanese that generic reasons are likely to be acceptable and to be considered polite in most refusal situations (Naitou, 1997) unless a specific reason is requested in the course of the conversation.

        Even if an employee is asked by a boss to give a more specific reason, the employee may still not reveal everything s/he has in mind as in the sample dialogue.  The employee may just give a generic excuse (which we will cover in Exercise 3) or tell a white lie.  Bringing private matters into one’s public life tends to be considered a taboo in Japanese society, and using a white lie to avoid the embarrassment is often acceptable.

        A white lie is used also as a face-saving strategy when the speaker does not want to comply with the hearer’s request or invitation.  It is normally considered polite to give a reason the speaker has no control over, rather than saying that the speaker simply does not want to comply (Moriyama, 1990).       

        In talking with a close friend, however, speaking honestly may be more appreciated, depending on the personality and relationship (Moriyama, 1990).  So the strategy here is choosing an appropriate reason for the refusal according to the situation. 

        Also, note the strategy of using an appropriate level of politeness according to the interlocutor.

As you see, cultural norms for interpreting and performing speech acts are very complex.  We recommend that you listen to other Japanese speakers carefully to observe their use of speech act strategies along with the situation.  Make your own hypotheses regarding appropriate use of the target language and be willing to renew them as necessary. 

Go on to Exercise 3

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