Ibunka!_Unit 10 / OSF 10

10 Asking a Favor

One Step Further ACTIVITIES

Here are some more responses from the Ibunka Survey on the topic of asking favors. Let’s examine them for underlying cultural trends. We can see that the language in many responses hints at two basic patterns.

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SURVEY

LOOKING FOR PATTERNS

CULTURAL PATTERN A: Ask favors directly In some cultures, it is considered respectful to ask favors from friends and acquaintances in a straightfoward manner.

CULTURAL PATTERN B: Ask favors indirectly In other cultures, hinting at one’s problem and ZDLWLQJ IRU IULHQGV DQG DFTXDLQWDQFHV WR R΍HU WKHLU help is considered respectful.

Read through the Ibunka Survey responses below. Highlight in one color the words and phrases that hint at Cultural Pattern A: Ask favors directly DQG LQ DQRWKHU FRORU WKH SDUWV WKDW UHȵHFW Cultural Pattern B: Ask favors indirectly. You can work and discuss this in pairs or small groups.

. YMNSP /FUFSJXJ UJTUQJ YJSI YT HMFSLJ YMJNW XY^QJ IJUJSINSL TS Y\T YMNSLX \MFY \J WJ FXPNSL KTW FSI \MT \J WJ FXPNSL +TW J]FRUQJ . HFS FXP F KFRNQ^ RJRGJW TW HQTXJ KWNJSI KTW FS^YMNSL INWJHYQ^ , but if the person I need a favor from and I have a less intimate relationship, . HFWJKZQQ^ HTSXNIJW YMJ YNRNSL FSI MT\ . XMTZQI HTRRZSNHFYJ J[JS YMJ XRFQQJXY WJVZJXY . -DSDQHVH IHPDOH SURMHFW PDQDJHU KDV OLYHG LQ WKH 8. 1

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. YMNSP YMFY &RJWNHFSX have no qualms about saying "no" to requests from others. So in a way, it's quite easy to ask for help. I K YMJ^ HFSƍY IT NY TW \TSƍY IT NY YMJ^ \NQQ QJY ^TZ PST\ honestly .S YMJ HFXJ TK /FUFSJXJ UJTUQJ . KJJQ . MF[J YT FQ\F^X GJ HFZYNTZX . -DSDQHVH PDOH VWXGHQW OLYHV LQ WKH 86 2

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Living in Japan, I have had some unpleasant J]UJWNJSHJX \NYM UJTUQJ \MT give gifts as an NSINWJHY \F^ TK FXPNSL KTW KZYZWJ KF[TWX .Y KJJQX VZNYJ ZSHTRKTWYFGQJ YT RJ )UHQFK PDOH WHDFKHU OLYHV LQ -DSDQ 3

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.S /FUFS . MF[J STYNHJI YMFY XTRJYNRJX \MJS HTQQJFLZJX FXP RJ KTW F KF[TW YMJWJ NX FS unspoken J]UJHYFYNTS YMFY . IT \MFY NX WJVZJXYJI &QYMTZLM YMJ phrasing of the question may RFPJ NY XTZSI QNPJ YMJWJƍX F HMTNHJ YMJ XZGYJ]Y NX YMFY . FR J]UJHYJI YT IT NY regardless of how I might feel about it. &DQDGLDQ PDOH WHDFKHU OLYHV LQ -DSDQ 4

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I have the impression that /FUFSJXJ UJTUQJ YJSI YT F[TNI FXPNSL INWJHYQ^ KTW MJQU , perhaps GJHFZXJ NY RFPJX YMJR FHHTZSYFGQJ to the person who helped. %ULWLVK IHPDOH ELRORJLVW OLYHV LQ -DSDQ 5

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