Communication can be categories into two parts, verbal and non-verbal communications. Verbal communication is an interaction between two person face to face whereas non-verbal communications is simply focus on the use of hands, face, body postures and body language.
The Japanese Language (verbal)
Japanese is the sixth most spoken language in the world, with over 99% percent of the country's population using it.
The origin of the Japanese language has many theories in reference to it, some believe it is similar to the Altaic languages, namely Turkish or Mongolian. It is recognized and acknowledged to be close to the Korean language.
Dialects are used in areas, particularly in Kyoto and Osaka, but standard Japanese, based on the speech of Tokyo, has become more popular through the use of television, radio and movies.
Japanese Language: Japanese (日本語 nihongo) is spoken in Japan, and essentially nowhere else. The Japanese language is distinct from Chinese and Korean, although the written form uses Chinese (kanji) characters.
Believe it or not, Japanese rely on
- facial expression
- tone of voice
- posture to tell them what someone feels.
They often trust non-verbal messages more than the spoken word as words can have several meanings. They believe that context in which something is said affects the meaning of the words. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the situation to fully appreciate the response.
Simple expression such as :
- Frowning.
- Tilting the head
- Scratching the back of the head
- Scratching the eyebrow interpreted that it is a sign of disagreement
Most Japanese maintain an impassive (giving no sign of feeling or emotion : expressionless) when speaking.
It is also considered disrespectful to stare into another person's eyes, particularly those of a person who is senior to you because of age or status.
Japanese tend to use words as only part of the message. Other factors, such as silence, subtle body language, mood, tone, and intuition
Indicating agreement
The Japanese do not judge information given to them so they do not indicate agreement or disagreement. They only nod to indicate they are listening. To the Japanese nodding or saying “yes” only means they are listening to what you are saying. It does not indicate agreement.
Body Language
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1z92kDZejY
Distance and Touching
The Japanese like more space between themselves than others. Bowing too close to each other could be dangerous!
The Japanese smile to communicate various emotions: anger, embarrassment, sadness, and disappointment. Interpretation depends on context.
Eye contact is thought of as rude in Japan. They will often look down at their shoes or off in the air. Take care to not stare.
Silence in Japan is golden and is often used as a negotiating strategy.
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