Japanese Communication Styles - 1608 Words

Japanese Communication Styles Japanese Communication Styles Japanese communication patterns and styles can be confusing to Westerners. Americans are used to straight talk. Americans make great efforts to convey the exact intent of their message. Japanese interlocutors tend to use words as only part of the message they are trying to communicate. Other factors, such as silence, subtle body language, mood, tone, and intuition imply communication styles. I would like to explore the aspects of communication styles in terms of (1) body language and physical behavior, (2) silence, (3) eye contact and (4) saving face. It is often pointed out that throughout the long history of Japan; the Japanese have cultivated their unique†¦show more content†¦If it is a casual situation, you can bow like nodding. The most frequent bow is a bow of about fifteen degrees. Bowing is also an important part of the Japanese tea ceremony. Silence The use of silence in communication is not an exclusively Japanese phenomenon and all languages make extensive use of it. In Japan, however, it is a particularly important part of the language. While we in the West have programmed ourselves to listen for hidden meaning in a jumble of words and try to read between the lines. Japanese people listen to the silences, for hidden innuendo and deeper meaning, as if reading between the words. Just as the white space on the paper in Japanese graphics is an important part of the design, spoken Japanese flows among the silent spaces. Silence speaks loudly and clearly to the Japanese. There are many examples in Japanese culture where silence expresses meaning with great force or subliminal elegance. The Japanese tend to be suspicious of words; they are more concerned with actions. They believe in using silence as a way of communicating. They also believe it is better to talk too little than too much. Japanese people take special note of the pauses between words. They are comfortable with less talk and longer periods of silence than are Westerners. Japanese may even use the fact that silence disturbs Westerners as a strategy to unnerveShow MoreRelatedPreparing Professionally For A Visit1236 Words   |  5 Pagesof culture, which include context, individualism/collectivism, time orientation, power distance, and communication style, and research these dimensions in Japan’s culture in order to increase the odds of the business trip being a successful one. 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