Why Japanese are poor at Speaking English: National Character or not? B13479 Kaori Tanokashira

Outline Introduction Defining Terms Evidence for National Character Evidence for (Not)Other Factors Analyzing Evidence Conclusion

Outline Introduction Defining Terms Evidence for National Character Evidence for (Not)Other Factors Analyzing Evidence Conclusion

Table1) point allocation of TOEFL スキル スコアの範囲 レベル Reading 0～30 高 (22～30) 中 (15～21) 低 (0～14) Listening Speaking 0～30 に換算 優 (26～30) 良 (18～25) 限定的 (10～17) 弱 (0～9) Writing 優 (24～30) 良 (17～23) 限定的 (1～16) 総合スコア 0～120   Educational Testing Service (2015)

Table2) ranking of TOEFL scores in Asia (2014) Countries Reading Listening Speaking Writing Total 1 Singapore 24 25 98 2 India 22 23 91 3 Pakistan 21 90 4 Malaysia 89 5 Philippines 6 Bangladesh 20 84 7 Indonesia 8 Republic of Korea ・・・ 27 Japan 18 17 70 28 Afghanistan 14 16 69 29 Cambodia 15 19 ETS TOEFL (2014)

Outline Introduction Defining Terms Evidence for National Character Evidence for (Not)Other Factors Analyzing Evidence Conclusion

2. Defining Terms Why Japanese are poor at Speaking English: National Character or not? Japanese: native to or an inhabitant of Japan; also their descendants, culture and language (Hawkins 1986:558)

2. Defining Terms Why Japanese are poor at Speaking English: National Character or not? National Character: he enduring personality characteristics and unique life styles found among the populations of particular national states. Encyclopedia.com (2014)

2. Defining Terms Why Japanese are poor at Speaking English: National Character or not? National Character: he enduring personality characteristics and unique life styles found among the populations of particular national states. Encyclopedia.com (2014)

Outline Introduction Defining Terms Evidence for National Character Evidence for (Not)Other Factors Analyzing Evidence Conclusion

3. Evidence for National Character 3-1) Politeness 3-2) Harmony/Grouplism

Figure1:Statics of Japanese Character (2013) The Institute of Statistical Mathematics (2014)

3-1 Politeness どちらかと言うと、欧米人に比べて、日本の方がなかなかプライベートなことは聞いてこないし、自分の私生活のことも進んで話そうとはしません。(Araki 2000:28) Enryo: deprive opportunity to improve English speaking skill by ” preventing people from imposing on or presuming too much of one another”(Suzuki 1996:97)

Figure2) impression of Communication Japan vs. USA students Barnlund 1979: 62

3-2 Harmony/Groupism Harmony: Self-assertion is strongly he must sacrifice personal needs and emotions so as to avoid confrontation in the group(Suzuki 1996:91) Suter’s studies: Asian vs. Middle Eastern students

Outline Introduction Defining Terms Evidence for National Character Evidence for (Not)Other Factors Analyzing Evidence Conclusion

Outline Introduction Defining Terms Evidence for National Character Evidence for (Not)Other Factors Analyzing Evidence Conclusion

4. Evidence for not (Other factors) 4-1) Language difference 4-3) Environment for English

4-1 Language difference Pronunciation: Not normal for Japanese Lingual movement: Big difference Root: English, German and Dutch→western Germanic (Shimizu 2012: 32)

4-2 Environment for English ある条件下にいれば、新しい言葉を覚えずにいることの方がむすかしい、ということさえあろう。日本人として英語がよくできたことで有名な人も、もちろん彼らの天分も全く無関係ではなかったろうが、たいていは時勢や彼らの個人史の中に英語がうまくなって当然の条件が備わっていたことを発見できる。(Ota 1981:229)

Figure3)using English experience Japan vs. Korean students  Benesse Holdings, Inc. (2014)

Outline Introduction Defining Terms Evidence for National Character Evidence for (Not)Other Factors Analyzing Evidence Conclusion

5.Analyzing Evidence 3-1) Politeness --existing claimer 3-2) Harmony/Groupism --not only for Japanese

3-1) Politeness Claimer: a person who makes a claim; claimant. (Dictionary.com ) ジャポニカ学習帳の表紙から消えた「昆虫」 　しかし、10年ほど前から「表紙の昆虫が気持ち悪い。ノートを持てない」という苦情が届き始めたといいます。 しかも、そのクレームは保護者からだけでなく、現場の教師からも届きました。苦情を受けて、2012年にジャポニカ学習帳の表紙から昆虫は姿を消すことになります。(quotated 新刊JP編集部) 　

3-2) Harmony/Groupism 従来の日本文化論において、日本社会・文化の特徴であると言われてきた、「集団主義」「閉鎖主義（閉鎖）」「年功序列」「甘え」などは、実際のところ、日本だけに固有なものではなく、広く東アジア（中国、韓国、フィリピン）などの農耕社会に当てはまる特徴である。(Otsuka 2015:37)

5.Analyzing Evidence 3-1) Politeness× --claimer 3-2) Harmony/Groupism× --not only for Japanese

5.Analyzing Evidence 4-1) language difference --Korean 4-2) Environment for English --increasing number of foreign visitor and education projects for JET

4-1) language difference 日本語も韓国語も言語類型論においてが同じく膠着語に分類され、しかも、もともと語頭に濁音およびラ行音が立たないなどという共通した特徴があります。(Okimori 2014: 1) →Korean : agglutinative language, SOV form a lot of similarity between Japanese and Korean

4-1) language difference ETS TOEFL (2014)

4-3) Environment for English MIC (2011)

4-2) Environment for English JET program (The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme) 我が国における外国語教育の充実を図るとともに、地域レベルでの国際交流の進展を図ることを通じて、我が国と諸外国との相互理解を増進し、もって我が国の国際化の促進に資するため、語学指導等を行う外国青年を招致する事業（昭和62年～） Figure6)Transition of JET programme visitors (2005) MEXT (2005)

5.Analyzing Evidence 4-1) language difference --Korean × 4-2) Environment for English --increasing number of foreign visitor and education projects for JET△

Outline Introduction Defining Terms Evidence for National Character Evidence for (Not)Other Factors Analyzing Evidence Conclusion

Conclusion National Character or Not?? This answer is …… NOT (national character) 3-1) Politeness× --claimer 3-2) Harmony× --not only for Japanese 4-1) language difference --Korean× 4-2) Environment for English --increasing number of foreign visitor and projects for JET programme △

Outline Introduction Defining Terms Evidence for National Character Evidence for (Not)Other Factors Analyzing Evidence Conclusion

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