Japan and American Comparison about Decorated Lettrs and Emotions

Coverage of cellular phone is over 80 percent, and a lot of people have cellular phone in Japan. Above all, a lot of people enjoy exchanging mail to use cellular phone. A lot of people inform heart to partner by use some decorated letters and emoticons. Especially emotions which made by combine letter and sign on the keyboard are perform an important role as means to tell heart of sender. However I found that expression of picture writing and emotions are different between Japan and overseas.

Decorated letters and emoticons are used as communication on the internet, such as mail or chat. The shape and expression of emotions are differing per country and area. When describing emotion by emotions, we can watch at that those emotions in Japan such as (^_^) , (>_<) , (*_*) , (‘_’) , (・_・) , (≧_≦). The other hand, we have to watch in profile ninety degree those emotions in America, such as :-s , :-o , :-p , :-D , :+) , ＞:-( . Then eye’s expressions of emotions, Japan are abundant to America, and mouth’s expressions of emotions, America have characteristic. That is to say Japan’s emotions express a lot of eye’s shape, and American express a lot of mouth shape. The reason why Japanese change eye shape of emotions are Japanese avoid plain expression. So, Japanese notice eye which appear honest feeling. The reason why American change mouth shape of emotions is American judges other people’s emotion, when American read feeling. The background of Japan that people are said “When people talk with a person, people talk to see eyes” by parents and teachers. Against the background of America that people are said “When people talk with a person, people talk to see lips”. These are related differ between Japan and America. These backgrounds affect the difference of the emotions. In addition, people use the difference words which use usually on the email and the chat. The expression which use on the email used shortened words to usually use. For example, the expression used shortened words FAQ (=frequently asked question), FYI (=for your information), AFAIK (=as far as I know), BTW (=by the way). In this way, the reason why people use shortened words is people want to tell things and feeling to other person. Japanese use shortened words too. For example, Japanese use JK (=joshi koukousei = school girl), KY (=kuuki yomenai = can not read atmosphere), DD (=daigaku debut- = a university debut), IH (= imi fumei = incomprehensible), FR (= family restaurants). However, Japan has the other reason. It is the fashion of the youth. JK’s mean is not only one, JK has other means. For example JK’s means are “jyoshi koukousei = school girl”, “ jyoudanha kaodakenisiro = make the joke only a face” and “ tuneni kangaeru = always think”. These are difference each groups. In other words, it is used as secret language between friends. Then, American doesn’t use period, comma and question mark on the email and chat to omit work of the letter input as much as possible. These are the result that attached great importance to the speed of an email and the chat. Then an email and chat have the face which emotional nuance is hard to tell. Therefore, people tell feeling to a partner with expression to express strong feelings. For example, there are “This is a v e r y important point”, “This is a *very* important point” and “This is VERY important point”. In this way people can emphasize with some capital letters, space and some stars then it is easy for receiver to understand what people emphasize. There is very plain thing to tell own feeling on the email.

As above I found that there is difference about the email between Japan and America. There is difference of the emotions style. These are difference of culture to direction of emotions and pay attention to the eye or lips. These have own mean and background of culture. Then people sometimes use shortened words in the email, and people devise it to make much of speed. There is not the difference of the border to make much of speed. As a result, people tell feelings and thought to a partner and people tell to be early only by some letters without using some sounds, the emotions and the shortened words were made. I think that these will be used not only Japan and America but also all over the world in future.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WJB-4JT38WP-1&_user=483697&_coverDate=03%2F31%2F2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000023260&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=483697&md5=101e29f335ed013cf5c42a4002a1c738
http://www.ntv.co.jp/sekaju/class/080202/01.html

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