An Analysis of the Closing Section of Business Telephone Conversations

Focusing on how Learners of Japanese in China (JFL) Deal with Complaints

Abstract

This paper investigates the closing section of business telephone conversations by learners who are studying business Japanese in China (JFL).

The closing section of telephone conversation was focused on because of its importance in maintaining good business relations. This survey was carried out using a role play of a complaint scene. The points of analysis, based on problems pointed out by previous studies, are as follows:

(1) Will JFL be able to understand the meta message that appears to introduce the closing?

(2) What kind of expression of leave-taking will appear in the utterance

(3) Is the final confirmation of the closing able to be done smoothly?

The above three points were analyzed through comparison with native speakers of Japanese. It was found that JFL either tend not to be able to follow the steps in the closing section, ending the conversation abruptly, or are unable to end the conversation. Moreover, it appeared that some cases go without leave-taking, and in other cases similar characteristic expressions were observed. From these findings, this paper supports the conclusions of the previous studies and, in addition, suggests the possibility of a difference in the socio-cultural norms for leave-taking.