Author: Dadayev, Esenmyrat

Annotation: This study explores the cultural differences in requesting behavior between Japanese and Turkmen languages, focusing on the challenges faced by Turkmen learners of Japanese. Requests are essential in communication, varying based on relationships, age, and the burden of the request. While previous research has examined Japanese request expressions, detailed analysis of differences between native Japanese speakers and learners from different linguistic backgrounds is lacking. The study highlights the rapid growth of Japanese language education in Turkmenistan, with learners increasing from around 50 in 2015 to approximately 13,000 in 2023. This growth necessitates effective teaching methods that consider cultural differences in request expressions. The research aims to identify differences in the frequency and order of speech elements in requests, understand the cultural background influencing these differences, and analyze the interlanguage characteristics of Turkmen learners of Japanese. Using a free-response questionnaire, the study finds significant differences in the use of elements such as greetings, titles, and apologies. Japanese speakers emphasize apologies and consideration for the listener, while Turkmen speakers use greetings and titles to show respect. The study proposes integrating explicit instruction, comparative learning, exploratory learning, and meaning-focused approaches to improve teaching request expressions in Japanese.

Keywords: Request behavior, cultural differences, Japanese Language education, Turkmen learners, pragmatic analysis

Pages in journal: 53 - 57