Mastering Japanese: Key Cultural Mistakes to Avoid

When speaking Japanese, several cultural mistakes should be carefully avoided to ensure respectful and effective communication. Key mistakes include:

• Misusing honorific speech (keigo): Japanese language and culture place great emphasis on polite and respectful language forms especially when addressing or referring to elders, superiors, or in formal contexts. Improper use or neglect of keigo may cause offense or imply disrespect because it reflects the mutual social status of interlocutors. ¹

• Ignoring hierarchy and social context: The choice of words and level of politeness in Japanese conversations depend strongly on the social hierarchy and relationship between speakers. Failing to adjust speech accordingly can be perceived as rude or presumptuous. ¹

• Speaking abruptly or directly: Japanese communication prefers indirectness and subtlety over blunt or confrontational speech. Being overly direct, critical, or complaining openly can clash with cultural norms emphasizing harmony and face-saving. ²

• Disregarding silence: Silence in Japanese communication is culturally significant and often a meaningful part of dialogue. Interpreting silence as disengagement or pressure to fill gaps with words can cause misunderstandings. ³

• Incorrect use of apology and humility expressions: Japanese speakers frequently use specific expressions to convey humility and apologies, which may not translate literally. Misuse or omission can be seen as impolite. ⁴

• Using slang or casual language inappropriately: Casual or slang expressions should be restricted to close friends or younger people, as using them in formal situations or with strangers can appear disrespectful. ⁵

Avoiding these cultural mistakes helps demonstrate cultural awareness and respect, facilitating smoother interpersonal communication in Japanese settings. Paying attention to social context, honorific language, indirectness, and politeness is essential.

References

• Analysis of Potential Mistakes of Russian-Speaking Students When Mastering the Use of Honorific Speech in Japanese, Taking Aspectual Relations into Account

• Maintaining Language Politeness Through Learning Advice in Japanese

• Ways to Promote the Classroom Participation of International Students by Understanding the Silence of Japanese University Students.

• A corpus-assisted analysis of indexical signs for (im)politeness in Japanese apology-like behaviour

• Slang Abbreviation in Japanese and Indonesian Written Language: Origins, Process, Similarities, and Differences

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• REVISITING THE WAYS OF RUSSIAN CULINARY IDIONYMS TRANSFER INTO ENGLISH

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• Anxiety in Speaking Japanese Experienced by the Department of Japanese Language Education Students of Unnes