Abstract
The purpose of this study is to analyze "informative" scenes of model conversations found in four elementary Japanese textbooks, by applying the idea "context of situation" proposed in Halliday and Hassan(1985). The notion "informative" is defined in this paper as supplying information, which is new for the receiver and which the informer believes to be true (cf. Grice 1975, Leech 1980). The following three points are investigated: 1) character of the information itself, 2) standpoint of the informer, 3) relationship between informer and receiver. The conclusion is that there exists a certain tendency in each textbook. The most significant difference is found in the informer's standpoint and his/her attitude to the receiver.
