How does keigo influence disagreement in Japanese conversations

Keigo, the honorific or polite speech form in Japanese, plays a significant role in influencing disagreement in Japanese conversations by shaping the way disagreement is communicated. It functions within a cultural framework that highly values harmony, respect, and indirectness in social interactions. Specifically:

• Keigo is used to soften or mitigate disagreement, making it less confrontational and more socially acceptable. Speakers use honorific forms to show respect and maintain harmony even while expressing different opinions or disagreement.
• The use of keigo reflects social hierarchies and relationships, ensuring that disagreement is expressed in a manner appropriate to the relative social status or intimacy between interlocutors.
• Japanese speakers tend to avoid direct confrontation partly through keigo, often using indirect language strategies combined with polite forms to express disagreement without offending or causing loss of face.

Thus, keigo influences the style and manner of disagreement by embedding politeness, respect, and indirectness deeply in conversation, which aligns with Japanese cultural values of group harmony and social order. ^{1, 2, 3, 4}

References

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• Representation Uchi and Soto Concept in Japanese Social Deixis

• Japanese Keigo: ‘Situational Context Analysis’ and ‘Politeness Strategies’ in Violet Evergarden Anime

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• Parasites, Herbivores and Dried Fish: Dehumanising Metaphorical Blends in Japanese