Qualitative Analysis of Disagreement Strategy between Korean and Japanese Speakers of English in an Academic Context

Qualitative Analysis of Disagreement Strategy between Korean and Japanese Speakers of English in an Academic Context

  The purpose of this study is to analyze the disagreement strategy expressed by Korean and Japanese English speakers in academic discourses and to show how culture, power and interactional purpose influence the choice of their disagreement strategy. Twenty one Korean and seven Japanese participants were chosen to investigate cross-cultural and status differences, employing the qualitative interactional sociolinguistic approach (i.e. playback method, questionnaire and participant observation). Results show that Korean students rarely disagree with the course professors, while some strong disagreements are found in Japanese students when they disagree with professors. Furthermore, it is to be noted that Korean professors’ softened questions are used to serve educational purposes. Thus, the present study provides useful data in teaching disagreement strategy for the students in the inter-cultural academic discourses in order to maintain or avoid face threat. The study also suggests that the choice of disagreement strategy does not seem to always pose a threat to the participants’ relations because it can be affected by interactional purposes within an academic context.