I already talked about the Japanese writing style in my previous post where I covered some basic features of Japanese writing (you can check it out here). However, it was rather general, and this time I will try to elaborate on the topic a bit more. I also discussed writing and its usefulness in the language learning process. Unfortunately, things get messy when your target language's culture creates a world of differences.
It's pretty straightforward.
An introduction where is state the reason for writing (thesis statement = one idea)
A body where you support the thesis with relevant arguments
A conclusion where you restate the thesis and add your opinion
It's a rigid and easy-to-remember structure. Such an outline also helps to get the message across in the fastest way. I like using writing exercises to teach speaking (it facilitates logical structuring of thoughts; they often don't know where to start or how to start speaking), new vocabulary, to perpetuate the vocabulary and grammar they've already learned. Such exercises show how learned vocabulary and grammar work in reality as well. Knowing essay structures also helps with reading and listening as each paragraph contains specific information. Instead of frantically looking for information in every paragraph (which takes a lot of time), you'll go to the ones which most likely contain the information you're looking for (this knowledge may help during exams).
Here things get messy. I wanted to use my own teaching method to teach myself vocabulary and grammar; however, I didn't know where to start. I looked into this topic more, and it will take me years to master writing in Japanese.
Three types of essay structures in Japanese
In ESL industry, the standard division of essay is a comparative essay, argumentative essay, opinion essay, and narrative essay. In Japanese, though, I couldn't find anything like that. Instead, I found three types of argument structuring that explain how to organize your arguments throughout the essay to arrive at the conclusion which may or may not be stated explicitly (unlike in English).
The three types are "ki-shoo-ten-ketsu" model, the so-called "tempura" strategy, and the "return to baseline theme" model.
Ki indicates the introduction;
shoo indicates the development of the introduction;
ten indicates the abrupt introduction of a tangentially related subtheme (another idea occurs while in English, one idea prevails throughout the whole essay);
and ketsu indicates the conclusion.
"Simply put, a paper written according to the ki-shoo-ten-ketsu model would begin with a theme which is introduced in the "ki" phase and developed in the "shoo" phase; in the "ten" phase, though, a subtheme (or subthemes) is introduced, which is then developed throughout the remainder of the essay. This subtheme introduced in the "ten" phase of the essay often represents an "abrupt" intrusion of a second (or even a third) main idea for the paper, the "abruptness" here the result of the lack of a foreshadowing in the introductory paragraph. As a result, the native English reader may be surprised and disoriented at suddenly confronting the new topic." (Ben Mulvey, 1992)
It's said to be an inductive type of argumentation. (Induction means inference of a generalized conclusion from particular instances). There is no thesis statement at the beginning instead, there are examples (on one or several topics) that lead to the author's conclusion. Furthermore, each of the examples presented in the initial paragraphs serves to explain the examples in the paragraphs that follow it. They sort of complete each other (example A [paragraph 1] explains example B [paragraph 2] that explains example C [paragraph 3] and so on…). This specific-evidence-to-general-result-(or conclusion) construction presents several problems for English readers attempting to grasp the unity in such essays. Without introductory orienting statements, English readers have difficulty both identifying and anticipating the movement in the essay (Hinds 1990: 91). Such structuring often forces readers to reread the paper with a whole new perspective. It's mostly seen in Japanese newspaper articles.
Return to baseline theme (extremely rare)
It is said that this structure is the closest to the English essay structuring. Hinds (1987) describes the "return to baseline theme" strategy as one where the essay has both an introduction and a thesis statement, yet where the body of the essay is carried out in an extremely recursive (something keeps repeating) manner. Furthermore, Hinds states that "each paragraph in an essay restates the main theme of the essay before providing a different perspective or development of that theme" (1987: 45).
The strategies are writer-friendly formats rather than reader-friendly formats. English papers, on the other hand, focus on the readers. The main aim is to convey information in an easy to understand way. The Japanese, though, shift the responsibility to the readers. They present the arguments and a possible conclusion, but it is up to the readers to decide the aim of the paper.
When I think about it, it is totally in line with Japanese culture where people don't want to force their opinions on people.
To conclude, I'll never be able to write in Japanese. At this point, it all seems too abstract.
https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=2052&context=etd-project
https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/japanese-argument-structure/
