JAPN 250 SPRING 2008
Horvat Discussion Questions
Updated for Winter 2006
Horvat Ch. 1. Discussion Questions
Question 1. (pg. 18-21)
Horvat identifies the importance of proper form in Japanese society. He indicates that proper form produces corresponding inward attitudes in the Japanese way of thinking while the opposite is often true for Americans like himself. How do you think the Japanese concept of form is related to the following topics from a Japanese (emic) point of view?a. tatemae and honne
b. How one dresses at the office.
c. Promptness at work in school or with friends
d. Exchanging calling cards with a new associate.Question 2. (pg. 21-27)
How can you present a positive impression of yourself to a Japanese person in Japan by the way you handle the following situations?a. The way you present your calling card.
b. The way you dress (pg. 23).
c. The way you respond to bows and hand shakes.
d. The way you use and/or interpret body language.Quesion 3.
Describe (demonstrate) several kinds of Japanese body gestures that Horvat describes. Do we have anything similar in America or in English?Question 4.
Explain Japan's shoe-wearing culture by answering the following questions.a. When and where do Japanese take their shoes off in a Japanese home? Why?
b. When did shoe-wearing become common in Japan? What kind of footwear was warn before that time?
c. What type of footwear is worn inside the Japanese home? When must this footwear not be worn.Question 5.
Answer the following questions about gift giving in Japan.a. How do Japanese feel about gift giving in general compared to Americans?
b. What is an okaeshi gift and what function does it play in gift giving culture in Japan?
c. Who is exempt from okaeshi in Japan? Why?
d. What are the names of the mid-year and end-of-year gifts given to companies and professional associates in Japan? Why are such gifts given?
Horvat Ch. 2. Discussion Questions
Question 1.
In Japan, greetings are important. Answer the following questions in relation to greetings.a. Name three different occasions for greetings, and describe the significance of each.
b. What is the most common greeting phrase used by politicians when greeting members of the opposition party? What does this phrase mean?
c. Unlike the west in which greetings score points for being original, what is the best way to choose a greeting in Japan?
d. How can the aisatsu concept help in a business situation encountered by Japanese and Americans working together?Question 2. (pg. 35-39)
Do you think Horvat thinks a typical American can learn to speak Japanese like a native? Why or why not? Explain.Question 3.
Describe the role of a shôkaisha and a chûkaisha in conducting business in Japan. How is this concept related to the number of lawsuits in Japan?Question 4.
Describe the use of names in Japan in the following contexts.a. In the office.
b. With the family at home.
c. Overall.Question 5.
Describe several ways in which Japanese answer "no" without saying "no."Question 6.
How is apology regarded in Japanese society? Why is it so important as a social ritual? Explain.
Horvat Ch. 3. Discussion Questions
Question 1. (pg. 52)
According to Horvat, what is the best way to end up with a foreign accent in every language we speak?Questions 2. (pg. 54)
Why does Horvat think it is important for native speakers of English who are learning Japanese to distrust the written word?Question 3. (pg. 58)
What is (are) the sound(s) in the English language most difficult for Japanese to pronounce? What is the reason for this and how is it related to the relationship between age and the ability to discern sounds?Questions 4. (pg. 68 top)
Horvat goes into great detail about the various mistakes that are possible by English speakers who try to learn Japanese pronunciation. Why is it important for foreigners to pronounce Japanese as accurately as they can?Question 5. (pg. 71)
Name the author and the textbook that Horvat recommends for a solid grounding in the phonetic structure of Japanese.
Horvat Ch. 4.
Discussion Questions
Question 1.What does Bramble say about communicating in English?
Questions 2.
What does Bramble say about communicating in Japanese?
Question 3.
What are some of the key aspects of indirect communication?
Questions 4.
What should one keep in mind about Japanese non-verbal communication?
Horvat Ch. 5.
Question 1.
What does Bramble say about the attitude Japanese have in general about religion?Question 2.
According to Bramble, how do "too many" Japanese people become Shinto and Buddhist priests?Question 3.
What kind of climate does Japan have?Question 4.
What does Bramble say about Japanese clothing?Question 5.
What does Bramble say about martial arts in Japan?Question 6.
What kind of tea is used in Tea Ceremony? How does it taste?Question 7.
How does Bramble recommend going about learning Japanese arts while in Japan?
Horvat Ch. 6.