Japanese: F–10 Sequence / Levels 9 and 10 / Understanding / Role of language and culture
Content description
Understand that the Japanese language carries embedded cultural information and assumptions that can be difficult for speakers of other languages to interpret
Elaborations
providing examples of exchanges in Japanese that require cultural as well as literal interpretation, such as responses that deflect personal considerations (for example, replying positively to the enquiry お元気ですか), or strategies to preserve values of humility and honour
discussing how the cultural value of 内/外 is expressed through language, such as the use of prefixes and suffixes when referring to people outside the immediate ‘group’, the choice of informal or formal register, and decisions about what to share/not share in general conversation
exploring cultural concepts embedded in Japanese language which embody important core values and behaviours and for which there is no direct English translation, for example, えんりょ and 和
discussing their own and others’ attitudes towards cultural diversity and difference, including the use of stereotypes and generalisations, and considering how these affect communication
considering how contemporary expressions of individuality exemplified in some forms of contemporary Japanese youth culture relate to traditional concepts of conformity and collective identity
