Cultural Thought Patterns in Inter-Cultural Education
Paper Outline
- Kaplan analyzed the English compositions of approximately 600 international students and noted that native language thought patterns influence the structure of English sentences.
- He has schematized the logical structure of each language as follows
- English: Straightforward, central opinions and conclusions are stated at the beginning.
- Semitic (e.g. Arabic): a series of continuous coordinate structures.
- Oriental languages (e.g., Japanese, Chinese): spiral, indirect approach to reaching conclusions.
- Romance languages (French, Spanish, etc.): take a lateral approach and approach the subject matter indirectly.
- Russian: zigzag pattern, approaching the subject matter from multiple angles.
- These patterns are said to reflect the thinking and communication styles of each culture.
Logical development of Japanese
- The following characteristics of Japanese sentence structure have been noted:
- Indirect approach: Do not directly state conclusions or assertions, but emphasize background information and contextual explanations.
- Leave it to the reader's interpretation: the writer does not explicitly state his/her intention, but the reader is expected to take the meaning from the context.
- Kiyo-sei-tenketsu" structure: a traditional structure in which things are explained in order and a conclusion is given at the end.
- These characteristics are related to the culture of "satori" and the communication style of avoiding direct expression in Japanese culture.
Criticisms and subsequent research
- Kaplan's model was also criticized for oversimplifying the rhetorical structure of each language.
- However, this study was a starting point for understanding cross-cultural differences in sentence structure and has influenced many subsequent studies.
- For example, Hinds (1987) points out that in Japanese writing, the reader is responsible for reading consistency, and the writer does not make everything explicit.
- Kobayashi (1984) also shows that logical development varies not only with language but also with the place and situation in which it is used. - A Consideration of the Logical Development of the Japanese in Expressing their Opinions
summary
- Kaplan's 1966 paper revealed how different cultures and language backgrounds affect the logical development of a text, and played an important role in developing understanding in cross-cultural communication and education.
- Subsequent studies have provided more in-depth analysis of the characteristics of each language and culture, and have accumulated knowledge to promote cross-cultural understanding.
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