Hairyo Hyougen in Fuman Hyoumei Sentence: Understanding the

Culture of Japanese’ Speech to Improve Cross-Cultural

Communication Capability in Japanese Language Teaching

Radhia Elita

and Rina Yuniastuti

Japanese Department, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia

Keywords: Fuman Hyoumei, Hairyo Hyougen, Language Teaching.

Abstract: It is the task of the university to produce highly qualified graduates. Regarded as one of the purposes of

education, this also applies in Japanese language learning. Learning Japanese is not only about applying

certain methods and techniques in teaching, but it also emphasizing on the cultural and social learning that

relates to the Japanese tradition custom. One of the significant aspects in learning Japanese is hairyo hyougen

(sentence to express tolerance) in delivering fuman hyoumei (an expression of dissatisfaction) which is

essential in cross-cultural communication. This research explains Japanese culture in speech expressing

dissatisfaction as presented in Japanese language learning books. This is a qualitative research as its results

are presented in words and phrases which represent fuman hyoumei..

1 INTRODUCTION

The main purpose of learning a foreign language is to

be able to communicate with the people who speak it.

The ability to communicate is a skill to deliver the

ideas, thoughts, and arguments orally. Dahidi (2008)

stated that learning Japanese language is not merely

learning the linguistic aspects of the language but also

to learn the socio-cultural background of the target

language.

Culture in the Japanese language cannot be

separated from the ability to tolerate which is known

in Japanese as hairyo from which the expression

hairyo hyougen derives. It is explained in the

following statement

対人的コミュニケーションにおいて、相手

との対人関係をなるべく良好に保つことに配慮

して用いられる言語表現

Taijinteki komyunike-shon ni oite, aite to no taijin

kankei o narubeku ryoukou ni tamotsu koto ni hairyo

shite mochiirareru gengo hyougen.

‘verbal acts that consist of tolerance words are

used to maintain relationship among the speaking

partners especially on intrapersonal communication.’

Ponfei (2004) also stated that maintaining

relationship among the speaking partners is

understood as:

「相手に好ましい印象を与える」とは、相

手を心地よい気分にさせるように,相手の心地よ

さの状態を保つことができるように、自分が相

手に誤解されないように、自分が相手にとって

喜ばしい存在であるようにと、積極的に相手に

快・喜の感情をもたらすこと、などを意図する

ものである。

“Aite ni konomashi inshou o ataeru“ to wa, aite

o kokochi yoi kibun ni saseru you ni,

aite no kokochi

yosa no joutai o tamotsu koto ga dekiru you ni, jibun

ga aite ni gokai sarenai you ni, jibun ga aite ni totte

yorokobashi sonzai de aru you ni to, sekkyoku tekini

aiteni kai, yorokobi no kanjo o motarasu koto, nado

o ito suru mono de aru.

‘giving a good impression to your speaking

partner is to allow them to feel comfortable during the

communication, to avoid misunderstanding, to make

them feel happy and to create an impression that you

are a good speaking partner.’

It can be said that Hairyo Hyougen is the key factor

in the speech as Japanese people are concerned about

hairyo aspects (expression of tolerance).

As foreign students who learn Japanese language,

learning the cultural background that corresponds to

Elita, R. and Yuniastuti, R.

Hairyo Hyougen in Fuman Hyoumei’s Utterances.

DOI: 10.5220/0008680701050107

In Improving Educational Quality Toward International Standard (ICED-QA 2018), pages 105-107

ISBN: 978-989-758-392-6

105

the target language is a responsibility. One of the

aspects that needs to be learned is Fuman Hyounei

(FH) in which the students must be able to express

dissatisfaction while maintaining tolerance.

Expression of dissatisfaction is different from the

expression of gratefulness in which the speaker might

give psychological burden to their speaking partner.

As a result, mastering the strategy in expressing

dissatisfaction is crucial to maintaining politeness.

Textual books that are used to learn Japanese

language at Japanese Department of Faculty of

Humanities at Andalas University shows that hairyo

is not separated from the conversation. As a result,

this research focus on the strategy of hairyo hyougen

which is implied in textual books. The purpose of this

study is to improve the cross-cultural communication

skill of the students. However, this research only

focuses on fuman hyoumei.

2 METHOD

This research is qualitative research drawing on a

descriptive method. Nida (1963) argues that

“Certain very fixed principles must guide the

descriptive analyst if he is to be objective in

describing accurately any language or part of any

language.”

Descriptive analysis is conducted base on four

principles. First, it should be based on spoken

statement; for this research, the statements are written

in the book. Second, the form of statement is

classified as the primary aspect while the function is

regarded as the secondary. Third, no language can be

explained without pointing out other references.

Fourth, language is always placed in the alteration

process (Sudaryanto, 2015).

Nida’s explanation is understood as the

descriptive analysis; the data should correspond the

source of the research object which is followed by

form and function analyses. In general, the principle

of the language is universal; as a result, the researcher

should have a reference of other languages. As

language is changing, the specific limitation is also

needed during the research.

The data of this research are taken from a textual

conversation that is found in Japanese learning books

used as the learning materials. Library approach is

applied in collecting fuman hyoumei statement

available in those books (Masaki, 2010). Non-

statistical analysis is done to explain the statement as

well as possible behavior caused by the statement.

3 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

Statement from Yamaoka et.al (2010) and Makihara

(2008) regarding the definition of fuman hyoumei is

explained as,

不満表明》の定義を、「相手が自分にもた

らした

不利益に対する否定的評価を相手に伝える

発話機能」とする

“Fuman hyoumei” no teigi wo, ‘aite ga jibun ni

motarashita furieki ni taisuru futeitekini hyouka wo

aiteni tsutaeru hatsuwa kinou’ to s uru.

“fuman hyoumei” is defined as the dissatisfaction

statement which caused disadvantage of the

speaking partner.’

There are several fuman hyoumei expression that can

be found in books. Most of them express complains

as follow:

Data 1

課長：実は、「日本語能力試験」のことなん

ですが、先日結果が来まして……。だめでした

。

ミラ—：そう。残念でしたね。

ミラ—：今の私の仕事には、もう少し高いレベ

ルの日本

語が必要だと思うんです。できれば会

社の費用

でこの学校へ行かせていただきたいん

ですが、どうでしょうか。

課長：そうですね。え－と、週2回、1か月5

万円？ちょっと高いですね。

Data 1 shows a head supervisor who complains about

Japanese language tuition fee submitted by his

employee as it is shown in this sentence (そうですね

。え－と、週2回、1か月5万円？ちょっと高い

ですね) in English it is translated as: I see, twice a

week with monthly tuition around yang 50.000 yen,

it is quite expensive isn’t it?. the fuman hyoumei

strategy which corresponds to Yamaoka idea is using

the strategy of「程度を下げる副詞を添えたりな

どする」that applies explanation to reduce

dissatisfaction/complain in a sentence. It is possible

by adding explanation words such as ちょっと

/chotto ‘ a little bit’.

ICED-QA 2018 - International Conference On Education Development And Quality Assurance

106

Data 2

野村：いつもお帰りが遅いみたいですね。

ええ、残

業が多いので、掃除や洗濯がどうし

ても夜になってしまうんです。

ミラ—：それはわかりますけど、あまり遅い時

間に選

択されるとちょっと……。子供が寝

る時間なので。

In the conversation above, miller ( ミラ— )

expresses his complain to Nomura ( 野村) who is

always disturbs him by cleaning up at night. To

express his complain, miller uses the strategy of 「副

詞節を用いるなどして、不満表明をするのを躊

躇していること、不満が少量であることを示す

」by using adverbial sentence to give an expression

of small complain. It is supported by「あまり遅い

時間に選択されるとちょっと……」which is

translated into English as: “ you wash your clothes at

night don’t you? How should I say it to you…...’.

Data 3

イ－：あのう、今日1時に、そちらに向かう

ことに

なっていたんですが……。

森教授：ええ、どうかしましたか。

イ－：はい、乗る電車を間違えてしまって

。30分ぐ

らい遅れそうなんです。

森教授：そうですか。私は2時半から授業なん

ですが……。

The next conversation occurs as the professor

complains because his student comes really late,

when he already has another appointment at 2.30. It

is shown in the following sentence 「そうですか。

私は2時半から授業なんですが……。 it is

translated into English as I see, but I have classes at

2.30…’.

Fuman hyoumei found in the textual books used

Japanese Department of Faculty of Humanities at

Andalas University is mostly as a form of complain.

However, the books do not give detail explanation

about fuman hyoumei and the hairyo hyougen aspect

that correspond to the sentence.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to express my gratitude to Andalas

University especially the Japanese department of

Faculty of Humanities as well as LP3M Unand that

have facilitated and supported this research for an oral

presentation at the Seminar International ICED QA. I

also want to express my gratitude to other parties that

help me complete this article.

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