Cross-cultural multimodal politeness: The phonetics of Japanese deferential speech in comparison to Korean

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 517-555
Author(s):  
Kaori Idemaru ◽  
Bodo Winter ◽  
Lucien Brown
Keyword(s):  
Cross Cultural ◽  
High Pitch ◽  
Vocal Cues ◽  
Production Study ◽  
Japanese Female ◽  
Common Strategy ◽  
The Common ◽  
Phonetic Cues ◽  
Phonetic Features ◽  
Polite Speech

AbstractPragmatic meanings are not only conveyed through words alone, but also through how words are produced phonetically. The current study investigated phonetic features that characterize the distinction between deferential and non-deferential speech style in Japanese. The Japanese data were then compared to previously published Korean data collected through the same methodology. The results revealed striking similarities between the two languages: Deferential voice is quieter and breathier, and has less fluctuation of pitch and loudness. The common strategy appears to sound calm and soft. Whereas Korean deferential speech was additionally low-pitched, Japanese did not show a consistent relationship between deferential meanings and pitch. The results diverge from the long-held view that Japanese polite speech is high-pitched, and they also deviate from the view that polite speech is universally associated with high pitch. The current findings demonstrate the importance of considering politeness as a complex phenomenon communicated via a number of phonetic cues, rather than a single cue (e. g. pitch). On top of a production study, we performed a perception study which showed that Japanese politeness, just as was shown for Korean politeness previously, can be perceived through vocal cues alone. The results also showed that Japanese female speakers do not necessarily do more to sound polite compared to male speakers, also contrary to previous claims.

scholarly journals Rethinking the frequency code: a meta-analytic review of the role of acoustic body size in communicative phenomena

2021 ◽  
Vol 376 (1840) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bodo Winter ◽  
Grace Eunhae Oh ◽  
Iris Hübscher ◽  
Kaori Idemaru ◽  
Lucien Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Sound Symbolism ◽  
Voice Pitch ◽  
High Pitch ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Frequency Code ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
Polite Speech

The widely cited frequency code hypothesis attempts to explain a diverse range of communicative phenomena through the acoustic projection of body size. The set of phenomena includes size sound symbolism (using /i/ to signal smallness in words such as teeny ), intonational phonology (using rising contours to signal questions) and the indexing of social relations via vocal modulation, such as lowering one's voice pitch to signal dominance. Among other things, the frequency code is commonly interpreted to suggest that polite speech should be universally signalled via high pitch owing to the association of high pitch with small size and submissiveness. We present a cross-cultural meta-analysis of polite speech of 101 speakers from seven different languages. While we find evidence for cross-cultural variation, voice pitch is on average lower when speakers speak politely, contrary to what the frequency code predicts. We interpret our findings in the light of the fact that pitch has a multiplicity of possible communicative meanings. Cultural and contextual variation determines which specific meanings become manifest in a specific interactional context. We use the evidence from our meta-analysis to propose an updated view of the frequency code hypothesis that is based on the existence of many-to-many mappings between speech acoustics and communicative interpretations. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part I)’.

scholarly journals Cultural diversity in unequal societies sustained through cross-cultural competence and identity valuation

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Bunce
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Cultural Diversity ◽  
Group Identity ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Cultural Dynamics ◽  
Field Methods ◽  
Cultural Boundaries ◽  
Majority Culture ◽  
Common Strategy

AbstractIn much contemporary political discourse, valued cultural characteristics are threatened by interaction with culturally distinct others, such as immigrants or a hegemonic majority. Such interaction often fosters cross-cultural competence (CCC), the ability to interact successfully across cultural boundaries. However, most theories of cultural dynamics ignore CCC, making cultural diversity incompatible with mutually beneficial inter-group interaction, and contributing to fears of cultural loss. Here, interview-based field methods at an Amazonian ethnic boundary demonstrate the prevalence of CCC. These data motivate a new theoretical mathematical model, incorporating competing developmental paths to CCC and group identity valuation, that illuminates how a common strategy of disempowered minorities can counter-intuitively sustain cultural diversity within a single generation: Given strong group identity, minorities in a structurally unequal, integrative society can maintain their distinctive cultural norms by learning those of the majority. Furthermore, rather than a rejection of, or threat to, majority culture, the valuation of a distinctive minority identity can characterize CCC individuals committed to extensive, mutually beneficial engagement with the majority as members of an integrative, multi-cultural society.

scholarly journals On the Acceptability of English Translation of Public Signs

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1315
Author(s):  
Zhengjun Yang
Keyword(s):  
English Translation ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Cultural Awareness ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
The Public ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Scenic Spot ◽  
Informative Role ◽  
Communication Activity ◽  
The Common

The public sign, a “window” of a city or scenic spot, carries more information and plays the informative role in people’s daily life. The translation of public signs not merely transfers the linguistic information of the signs, but also acts as a cross-cultural communication activity. The study analyzes the types of public signs, investigates the common mistakes of English translation of public signs, and puts forward some suggestions for the public signs translation. The improvement of translators’ competence and cross-cultural awareness, the uniformity of the text, readers’ response, and the cultural context should be taken into consideration. They can contribute to the greater acceptability of public signs translation.

How Things Are

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Siderits
Keyword(s):  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
Indian Philosophy ◽  
Causal Relation ◽  
Abstract Objects ◽  
Buddhist Tradition ◽  
Common Strategy ◽  
Classical Indian Philosophy ◽  
Recent Debate ◽  
Specialist Knowledge ◽  
The Common

This work is designed to introduce some of the more important fruits of Indian Buddhist metaphysical theorizing to philosophers with little or no prior knowledge of classical Indian philosophy. It is widely known among non-specialists that Buddhists deny the existence of a self. Less widely appreciated among philosophers currently working in metaphysics is the fact that the Indian Buddhist tradition contains a wealth of material on a broad assortment of other issues that have also been foci of recent debate. Indian Buddhist philosophers have argued for a variety of interesting claims about the nature of the causal relation, about persistence, about abstract objects, about the consequences of presentism, about the prospects for a viable ontological emergentism. They engaged in a spirited debate over illusionism in the philosophy of consciousness. Some espoused global anti-realism while others called its coherence into question. And so on. This work is meant to introduce the views of such major Buddhist philosophers as Vasubandhu, Dharmakīrti, and Nāgārjuna on these and other issues. And it presents their arguments and analyses in a manner meant to make them accessible to students of philosophy who lack specialist knowledge of the Indian tradition. Analytic metaphysicians who are interested in moving beyond the common strategy of appealing to the intuitions of “the folk” should find much of interest here.

Reconfiguring Regional Interactions in the Face of Cahokian Decline

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghan E. Buchanan
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Political Change ◽  
Interaction Model ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Field Site ◽  
Mississippian Period ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Common ◽  
Third Dimension ◽  
Common Field

The early Mississippian Period in the midwestern United States was a time of great religious, social, economic, and political change. Several models and theories have been proposed for understanding changes in regional interactions associated with the rise of Cahokia, the largest Mississippian city. However, the later dissolution of Cahokia and other Mississippian centers during the twelfth through fourteenth centuries and their impacts on regional interactions are poorly understood. This chapter assesses the utility of the Cross-Cultural Interaction Model for Mississippian Period during the late twelfth through fourteenth centuries in the Midwest. Additionally, this chapter proposes the addition of a third dimension to the model in order to account for indigenous ontological perspectives with regard to entanglements between political reorganization and cosmological realms. Particular attention is given to the Common Field site, a political and religious center located in a region that had been sparsely populated prior to AD 1200.

Overview

2019 ◽  
pp. 3-20
Author(s):  
Misa Kayama ◽  
Wendy L. Haight ◽  
May-Lee Ku ◽  
Minhae Cho ◽  
Hee Yun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Psychology ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Developmental Model ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Elementary School Age ◽  
Cross Cultural Study ◽  
The Common

Chapter 1 introduces a cross-cultural study of the common and culturally nuanced perspectives of experienced educators from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the U.S. on how they support the development of elementary school–age children exposed to stigmatization associated with disabilities. The authors present a cultural developmental model of disability and stigmatization focusing on children’s emerging cultural selves. They also describe the theoretical perspective guiding their inquiry, developmental cultural psychology, including the concept of universalism without uniformity. Next, the chapter presents the book’s methodological approach, which is cross-cultural and includes the deliberate integration of insider and outsider perspectives on cultural contexts and disability. Finally, the authors provide an overview and roadmap to the book.

scholarly journals A Scoping Review of Digital Tools to Reduce Sedentary Behavior or Increase Physical Activity in Knowledge Workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ida Damen ◽  
Hans Brombacher ◽  
Carine Lallemand ◽  
Rens Brankaert ◽  
Aarnout Brombacher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Digital Library ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Knowledge Workers ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Computing Machinery ◽  
Common Strategy ◽  
The Common ◽  
Office Environments

Background: There is increasing interest in the role that technology can play in improving the vitality of knowledge workers. A promising and widely adopted strategy to attain this goal is to reduce sedentary behavior (SB) and increase physical activity (PA). In this paper, we review the state-of-the-art SB and PA interventions using technology in the office environment. By scoping the existing landscape, we identified current gaps and underexplored possibilities. We discuss opportunities for future development and research on SB and PA interventions using technology. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the Association for Computing Machinery digital library, the interdisciplinary library Scopus, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Xplore Digital Library to locate peer-reviewed scientific articles detailing SB and PA technology interventions in office environments between 2009 and 2019. Results: The initial search identified 1130 articles, of which 45 studies were included in the analysis. Our scoping review focused on the technologies supporting the interventions, which were coded using a grounded approach. Conclusion: Our findings showed that current SB and PA interventions using technology provide limited possibilities for physically active ways of working as opposed to the common strategy of prompting breaks. Interventions are also often offered as additional systems or services, rather than integrated into existing office infrastructures. With this work, we have mapped different types of interventions and provide an increased understanding of the opportunities for future multidisciplinary development and research of technologies to address sedentary behavior and physical activity in the office context.

German Ordnung

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahel Cramer
Keyword(s):  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Interpersonal Style ◽  
Culture Studies ◽  
Cultural Understanding ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
The Social ◽  
Cultural Themes ◽  
The Common ◽  
Core Value ◽  
Do So

This study aims to illustrate the intricate connections that exist between features of a certain language and underlying culture-specific conceptualizations. The analysis sheds new light on a German cultural core value, namely, Ordnung “order,” its relationship to other cultural themes, and the influence it exerts on German interpersonal style. To reach a better understanding of the German core value Ordnung “order” as it relates to other German cultural themes, we first provide an analysis of the common expressions alles (ist) in Ordnung “everything [is] in order” and Ordnung muss sein “there has to be order.” This will be followed by an analysis of the social descriptor term locker “loose.” We seek to illustrate the merits of a perspective in language and culture studies that is truly culture-internal and can thus facilitate cross-cultural understanding, and we do so by applying the principles of the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) approach to semantic and ethnopragmatic description.

scholarly journals On the Cultural Selection of Hua Chun: A Chinese Japanese Female Writer

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
Jirong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Culture ◽  
Third Space ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Japanese Culture ◽  
Cultural Experience ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Japanese Female ◽  
The One ◽  
Selection Of

Hua Chun, a Chinese Japanese female writer, embodies cross-border and cross-cultural characteristics in her creation. She pays attention to the ecological environment, chooses the theme of environmental protection, and chooses the “Earth Man” perspective to narrate. She shuttles between Japanese and Chinese cultures, transcends the embarrassment of personal and national sentiments and faces human nature directly. On the one hand, she actively integrates Japanese culture. On the other hand, she mourns the traditional Chinese culture. She creates a third space with mixed culture in her works through the cultural experience of crossing the border.

The Sense of Supernatural Agency

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Frederic Peters
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Human Mind ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Unique Combination ◽  
Human History ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Psychological Phenomenon ◽  
Cognitive Patterns ◽  
The Common ◽  
Supernatural Agency

Abstract The sense of supernatural agency constitutes a defining characteristic of the religious sphere of life. But what accounts for the continued cross-cultural recurrence of this psychological phenomenon over the course of human history? This paper reviews evidence indicating that the source of panhuman or universal cognitive patterns of thought and behaviour such as this lies in the common characteristics of the evolved human mind. Further, that the sense of the supernatural is constituted by a unique combination of commonly recurring cognitive processes that together give rise to a panhuman conviction in the reality of supernatural agencies able and (when minded) willing to assist each individual in situations deemed beyond the capacities of that individual. These cognitive processes are driven most acutely by existential anxiety in response to extrinsic physical, economic and social pressures indicating that religiosity is best understood as a social-psychological phenomenon.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document