請求信函文章結構之中日對照研究

A Comparison Study of the Structure of Request Letters in Chinese and Japanese

本研究以台日大學生寫給長輩的請求信函為研究對象，主要分析在中文和日文較慎重的請求信函裡，所需具備的基本構成要素及文章展開結構之差異，並探討其背後所隱含的文化因素。分析結果如下：（1）日文與中文較慎重的請求信函中，呈現出「開頭應酬語→自我介紹→理由說明→請求→結尾語」的共通結構。（2）日文與中文請求信函主文的基本展開結構中，雖然核心的共通部分為「理由＋請求」，但在文章展開結構中，日文為「【預告請求】→【提示理由】→【表達顧慮(道歉型)】→【請求】→【表達顧慮(道歉型)】→【再次請求】」；中文為「【提示理由】→【請求】→【事先表達感謝】」，呈現出明顯的差異。（3）日文與中文在請求策略的選用上，分別受到日本文化中的「辨別」和「負債」之概念，與中華文化的「關係」和「人情」的概念所影響。

The purpose of this study is to analyze the differences between the Chinese and the Japanese formal request letter structure, and to explore the implicit cultural factors of Chinese and Japanese request behaviors of research participants. The result of this study can be summarized in three main elements. (1) The mutual structure of both formal request letters was “greeting→self-introduction→explanation→request→closing sentence & ending'' (2) Though the core mutual parts in the structure of both request letters are the “explanation & request'', the procedure of a Japanese request letter is usually presented “preliminary notice of request→explanation→consideration expression→request→consideration expression→re-request'', while the Chinese one starts with “explanation→request→preliminary expression of appreciation.'' Obviously both express themselves differently. (3) The Chinese and the Japanese participants apply different strategies in their request letters. The Japanese are influenced by their core concepts/values of “wakimae'' and “fusai'', while the Chinese “guanxi'' and “renqing''.