This rigorous exploration of Japanese and American discourses examines the compositional and inventional processes as well as the rhetorical practices of Japanese and Westerners that underlie much of the misunderstanding and miscommunication between members of the two cultures. The theory and practice of rhetoric are shown to have always been important forces in Western civilization. Japan, which favors an implicit communication style that employs rhetoric to promote social harmony, lacks this theory. The world views of the West and Japan are explained through close analysis of the sociocultural-linguistic features peculiar to each, including the contrary ways that the classical modes of appeal, ethos, logos, and pathos, function for each. This revealing study provides compelling reading as well as a solid grounding for further research by compositionists and sociolinguists as well as scholars and researchers involved in gender studies.
"A thoughtful and provocative exploration." -Professor Gary A. Olson, University of South Florida.
"A thoughtful and provocative exploration." -Professor Gary A. Olson, University of South Florida.
