Paper short abstract:

This study clarifies the influencing factors faced by advanced learners of the Japanese language when emailing. We conducted tests with Chinese, Koreans and Japanese university students. As results, the social distance, burden for the sender, and influence of native cultures were clarified.

Paper long abstract:

In accordance with the development of information technology, e-mailing spread rapidly and now plays an important role in all aspects of our daily lives. Verbal behaviors such as requests, refuse, apologies or thanks that were originally carried out face-to-face are increasingly being carried out by e-mail. However, e-mail writing in a foreign language is not only about the operational capabilities of the language, it is also necessary to have an understanding and ability to adapt to the target culture, and an overall ability to use information media, thus it is not an easy task for foreign language learners. Similarly in Japanese education, there is a need for explicit instructions on email writing, but the collected data and research on the subject is still not enough.

The aim of this research is to clarify the influencing factors and problems faced by learners of the Japanese language for the acquisition of email writing skills. Targeting advanced learners of the Japanese language (JLPT N2, J-CAT 250points or above), I made considerations through comparison with native Japanese speakers on the characteristics and problems of the strategies used in request emails.

Using the online test system we developed, and focusing on university students in Japan, China, and South Korea; we took groups of 30 people each composed of Chinese learners, Korean learners and Japanese native speakers, asked them to write 6 request emails, then conducted a follow-up interview.

Based on the data, ① the social distance between the email receiver, ② the burden of the mail for the sender, and ③ how their native culture influences the use of the strategies in the request emails were clarified. Through this research, new insights concerning the way of teaching email writing skills in Japanese education were obtained.