Event

Conversation Strategies

Sunday, January 21st, 2018, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Speaker: Nicky Sekino

The English language and the Japanese language have different communication strategies. Because of this, English-speaking people sometimes find it difficult to understand the Japanese people even if the two parties are talking to each other in English.

English conversations are like playing catch. If someone throws a ball you will catch it. In terms of linguistics, the ball catching act is to show that you are listening to the speaker. For instance, if someone says, "I had caviar yesterday." You might say, "Did you?" The purpose is to show that you are listening to your conversation partner. In linguistics, this act is called rejoinder.

If English conversations are like playing catch, Japanese conversations are like playing tennis. In the game of tennis, you will hit the ball back without catching it first. For instance, if someone says, "I had caviar yesterday," you will have to think carefully about what to say if a casual rejoinder is not the norm. A logical conclusion is that the person is rich and you might say, "You're rich."

This is one example of communication differences between English and Japanese. The presenter will introduce more examples during the workshop.

About the presenter: The presenter is Mr. Nicky Sekino. He has an English first name and a Japanese last name. Because of this combination, some people wonder about his nationality. He is a Japanese man. Nicky is a nickname he uses when he teaches English. He started his carrier in the 1980s when he taught at vocational schools and universities. Three decades later today, he is now involved in the English education of business people. He does not lecture, but offers workshops. While participating in activities, his students will learn to use English. He has his MA in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Teachers College Columbia University. For pre-registration: E-mail Yuco Kikuchi

Organization: ETJ East Tokyo (English Teachers in Japan) (ETJ East Tokyo)

Cost: ETJ Members: 500 yen
Non-members: 1,000 yen

Venue: 2F, Shin-Koiwa Chiku Center Access: 5 min. walk from Shin-Koiwa on the JR Sobu Line Address: 2-17-1 Shin-Koiwa, Katsushika-ku Phone: 03-3653-7141

Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan

Contact ETJ East Tokyo

Yuco Kikuchi

Mobile phone: 070-6400-6464