Western politeness principles reviewed in the Japanese notion of "wakimae"

Dossier / Travail , 2014 , 20 Pages , Note: 1,7

Sociologie - Communication

Considering the term “polite” seems to be straightforward in our way of thinking today. However, to get to the bottom of politeness is not as easy as it appears at a first glance. The topic by itself and the principles beyond politeness are quite complex. To determine a general definition of politeness is desperately sophisticated. Politeness includes a great amount of subareas and distinct characteristics among a broad range of countries and cultures.

Given these points, Watts distinguished politeness research with “being in combat with a many-headed hydra”. Watts was on solid ground. Once you have separated one head of this hydra, all the more heads climb up instead. First of all, the spectator has to observe politeness research across-the-board. This fact by itself faces a huge and difficult challenge. Especially, if the observer keeps a close eye on issues related to politeness research. One of these subjects is the use of honorific forms in Western and Eastern societies. One conception beyond the usage of honorific forms was established by the Japanese sociolinguist Sashiko Ide (1989), who adjudicated the Japanese notion of wakimae as a conceptualization to define the usage of honorific forms across cultures.

The aim of this paper is to challenge the applicability of wakimae with reference to Western politeness principles. The first head of the hydra that has to be controlled deals with Western politeness principles. A brief glimpse of politeness research is provided because it is essential for the understanding of politeness research and Ide’s conception of wakimae. Current conceptions are predominantly based on these previous theories, labeled as first-wave approaches. Among first-wave approaches, the conception of Brown and Levinson was the most influential work in the field of politeness research. Correspondingly to first-wave approaches, a further head of the hydra appears in the field, the so called second-wave approach to politeness. After the clarification of first- and second-wave approaches, the conceptualization beyond East Asian and Japanese politeness enters the limelight. Another occurring and important head of the hydra is the notion of wakimae by itself. The end of this paper and the last head of the hydra are represented through a critical reflection of the Japanese notion of wakimae.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Brief glimpse of politeness research
  • First-wave approaches
    • Robin Lakoff
    • Geoffrey Leech
    • Brown and Levinson
  • Conceptions beyond first-wave approaches
  • Second-wave approaches
• Politeness and East Asia
  • Honorific forms in Japanese
• Sachiko Ide and the notion of discernment
• Criticism against wakimae
  • Eelen
  • Pizziconi
  • Cook
• Conclusion
• References

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper aims to examine the applicability of the Japanese notion of wakimae in relation to Western politeness principles. It explores the historical development of politeness research, focusing on first-wave and second-wave approaches, and analyzes the concept of wakimae as a framework for understanding honorific forms in Japanese culture. The paper then critically evaluates the applicability of wakimae to Western contexts, highlighting the limitations and potential pitfalls of applying this concept across cultures.

• Western politeness principles
• The Japanese notion of wakimae
• The applicability of wakimae to Western contexts
• The limitations and potential pitfalls of applying wakimae across cultures
• The role of cultural context in shaping politeness norms

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction provides a brief overview of the complexities of politeness research and introduces the concept of wakimae as a key focus of the paper. It highlights the challenges of defining politeness across cultures and the need to consider the historical development of politeness research.

The second chapter delves into the history of politeness research, focusing on first-wave approaches, which are characterized by their theoretical framework and reliance on abstract models. It examines the contributions of key figures like Robin Lakoff, Geoffrey Leech, and Brown and Levinson, highlighting their respective theories and their impact on the field.

The third chapter explores the concept of politeness in East Asia, specifically focusing on the use of honorific forms in Japanese. It provides a brief overview of the linguistic features of honorifics and their role in Japanese society.

The fourth chapter examines the work of Sachiko Ide and her conceptualization of wakimae as a framework for understanding the use of honorific forms in Japanese culture. It explores the key features of wakimae and its implications for understanding politeness in Japanese society.

The fifth chapter presents a critical analysis of the notion of wakimae, examining the arguments of scholars like Eelen, Pizziconi, and Cook. It highlights the limitations and potential pitfalls of applying wakimae to Western contexts and discusses the challenges of cross-cultural communication.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include politeness, wakimae, honorifics, cross-cultural communication, cultural context, first-wave approaches, second-wave approaches, Robin Lakoff, Geoffrey Leech, Brown and Levinson, Sachiko Ide, Eelen, Pizziconi, Cook, and the challenges of applying Japanese politeness principles to Western contexts.

• Université: University of Erfurt
• Note: 1,7
• Auteur: Ronny Müller (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2014
• Pages: 20
• N° de catalogue: V284086
• ISBN (ebook): 9783656841715
• ISBN (Livre): 9783656841722
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Politeness, Western Culture, Japan, Japanese Culture, Wakimae, Soziolinguistics