open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/45635

How do Japanese native speakers evaluate conversations with non-native speakers?

日本語

半構造化インタビュー

2003-12

Hokkaido University International Student Center

Journal of International Student Center, Hokkaido University

7

16-33

This study examines how Japanese-speaking participants evaluate non-native speakers' performance in conversations. In this survey semi-structured interviews, initial with non-structured questions, were employed in order to exclude the investigator's viewpoint as much as possible. Analysis of native speakers' protocols showed the following results. Japanese native speakers tended not to pay attention to individual items of grammar, pronunciation or and discourse structure, but rather to elements which impede fluent communication. These were pointed out as (1) "conjunctions", "pause", "unclearness of closing topic" and "many errors of pronunciation" which induce difficulties of inference or prediction. (2) "expressionless faces" and “lack of reactive tokens" which make native speakers uneasy, and (3) "lack of topic development". It appears that native speakers consider non-native speakers as complementary co-participants in conversations, and perform communication with them using all sources of information which they provide. In other words, it seems that native speakers tend to feel difficulties of communication with non-native speakers in relation to elements which impede the work of complement.

紀要論文

Version of Record

AA11172014