Uchi-Soto (Inside-Outside): Language and Culture in Context for the Japanese as a Foreign Language (JFL) Learner

ABSTRACT UCHI-SOTO (INSIDE-OUTSIDE): LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IN CONTEXT FOR THE JAPANESE AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (JFL) LEARNER by © Jamie Louise Goekler 2010 Master of Arts in Teaching International Languages California State University, Chico Fall 2010 Japanese as a Foreign Language (JFL) learners have frequently been exposed to learning materials which are neither contextualized culturally nor linguistically from the target language perspective. This research review addresses the cultural and communicative gaps which exist in many JFL textbooks and enhances JFL students’ awareness of similarities and differences between the Japanese culture and their own. To teach JFL from an emic perspective, teachers must first provide students with cultural and communicative content that matches target culture and linguistic norms; students must come to recognize the meaning of uchi (insider) and soto (outsider) if they are to communicate from an insider perspective. This body of research provides information on cultural, linguistic, and paralinguistic factors essential to communicative competence x in Japanese. This information will help JFL students develop communicative competence by becoming linguistic and cultural insiders, viewing Japanese from an emic perspective. Students will also learn about the implications of insider relationships and how they influence language and social relations. This research details uchi-soto relationships, hierarchy, honorific language use, communication styles and strategies, gendered language, and aidzuchi (Japanese discourse markers and techniques).