Comparative Study of Imperative Requests in Indonesian and Japanese Languages

Introduction

The research paper investigates the imperative of requests and politeness strategies in Indonesian and Japanese languages, aiming to identify similarities and differences through comparative analysis. Data was gathered from novels, movie dialogues, emails, questionnaires, social media (LINE, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook), and daily conversation corpora.

Key Concepts

  • Imperative of Request: Expressions used to ask someone to do something, focusing on politeness and mitigation of direct commands.

  • Politeness: Linguistic strategies employed to maintain social harmony and avoid face-threatening acts.

  • Comparative Studies: A method of research that examines similarities and differences between two or more subjects.

  • Onkei Hyōgen (Gratitude Expression): Japanese expressions showing gratitude from the speaker.

  • Ganbō Hyōgen (Desire Expression): Japanese expressions indicating the speaker's desire.

  • Sonkeigo, Kenjōgo, and Teineigo: Japanese honorific speech levels.

  • Teineitai and Futsūtai: Polite and basic forms in Japanese.

  • Kalimat Permintaan and Kalimat Permohonan: Indonesian terms for imperative requests.

  • Tindak Tutur: Speech act.

  • Phatic particles: Words or phrases that serve to maintain social relationships rather than convey information

Japanese Imperative of Request

The Japanese language exhibits various imperative request types, including honorific speech (Keigo) with sonkeigo, kenjōgo, and teineigo, as well as polite forms (teineitai) and basic forms (futsūtai). Combining these elements yields numerous expressions with differing politeness levels.

Examples of Politeness Degrees

  1. 教えろ (oshiero.): Tell me!

  2. 教えて (oshiete.): Tell me!

  3. 教えてもらえる？ (Oshiete moraeru?): Can you tell me?

  4. 教えてもらえますか。 (Oshiete moraemasuka?): Could you tell me?

  5. 教えていただけますか。 (Oshiete itadakemasuka?): Would you tell me?

  6. 教えていただけませんか。 (Oshiete itadakemasenka?): Would you tell me?

Components Affecting Politeness

  • Modality: Moraeru adds softness after the verb.

  • Formality: Polite form moraemasuka increases politeness.

  • Polarity: Positive (masu) and negative (masenka) forms.

  • Assertiveness: Assertive (danteikei) "Desu/masu".

  • Tentativeness: Tentative (suiryōkei) "Deshōka”.

  • Jujuhyōgen: "Itadaku/kudasaru".

  • Particles: "ne/yo/ka".

Onkei Hyōgen and Ganbō Hyōgen

Expressions show gratitude from the speaker (onkei hyōgen) and one's desire (ganbō hyōgen).

  • "Itadaku/kudasaru" are examples of onkei hyōgen.

  • "~te hoshii or -tai desuga…" are examples of ganbō hyōgen.

Common Request Forms

  • ~te moratte ii desuka (combination of permission ~te ii and request ~te morau).

Indonesian Imperative of Request

In Indonesian, imperative requests are referred to as kalimat permintaan and kalimat permohonan. Kalimat permintaan often uses tolong (help) or phrases containing minta (ask), while kalimat permohonan is marked by mohon (beg/pray). The particle -lah softens the imperativeness.

Politeness Markers

  • Tolong and Mohon: Used to lighten the imperative degree and create a more polite expression.

  • -Lah: Added to verbs to soften the expression.

Construction

Imperative requests are constructed by adding mohon, tolong, etc., before a verb, with -lah potentially increasing politeness.

Comparative Analysis

The research emphasizes the necessity of comparative research to highlight the similarities and dissimilarities between Indonesian and Japanese imperative requests.

Key Differences

  • Interrogative speech (using the particle ka) is common in Japanese requests, while Indonesian tends to use declarative speech.

  • The Indonesian language should have an imperative request uttered in an interrogative speech to construct a more polite expression.

Theoretical Framework

The research connects imperative and politeness to pragmatics, where meaning is defined by the speaker's relation. It also incorporates morphology to analyze imperative construction.

Pragmatics

Essential for analyzing components in Japanese imperative requests, such as positive/negative forms and assertive/tentative forms.

Morphology

Crucial in discussing morpheme changes and combinations in imperative requests of both languages.

Research Objectives

  1. Identify the imperatives of requests in Japanese and Indonesian.

  2. Analyze the similarities and dissimilarities between imperative requests in both languages.

Methods

The study employs a comparative method, collecting data from novels, movie dialogues, emails, questionnaires, SNS, and daily conversation corpora.

Data Analysis Steps

  1. Focus on tolong and mohon for Indonesian imperative request markers because they are often used in daily conversation.

  2. Compare two imperatives by changing the form, adding other components, and describing its politeness.

  3. Regarding the Japanese language, the give (te kureru/ te kudasaru) – receive (te moraeru/ te itadakeru) modality, positive-negative, declarative–interrogative speeches will be compared.

  4. Compare assertive–tentative, with the addition of particle ne/yo – without addition, request form (irai gata) – request permission form (irai kyoka gata).

  5. Process data into graphs to describe the forms and politeness in each language.

  6. Compare similarities and dissimilarities.

Data Volume

300 sentences (150 Indonesian, 150 Japanese).

Findings

  • Indonesian: Active transitive, active intransitive, and passive verbs are used. The particle -lah is more common in novels and movie dialogues. Tolong and mohon are found more in SNS.

  • Japanese: Various imperatives were found, including receive and give types with assertive, tentative, and interrogative forms, ganbō hyōgen forms, and requesting with particle yo ne forms.

Results and Discussion

Indonesian Examples

  1. Tolong tutup pintu itu!

  2. Pintu itu tolong ditutup!
    *Both mean "Please close that door!"
    *Number 2 uses a passive verb, making it more indirect and polite.

  3. A Ling, lihat ke langit!

  4. A Ling, lihatlah ke langit!
    *Both mean "A Ling, look at the sky!"
    *Number 4 uses -lah, softening the request and making it more polite.

  5. Nanti kalau adik-adik ada hal-hal yang tidak tahu dan tanya-tanya minta tolong direspon, ya.

  6. Nanti kalau adik-adik ada hal-hal yang tidak tahu dan tanya-tanya mohon direspon, ya.
    *Both mean "Please respond if the juniors do not understand and have a question.”
    *Number 6 using mohon is more polite because mohon is used in formal situations and expresses more earnestness.

  7. Tolong tanya ke hotel Hakuwa per malam berapa.

  8. Bisa/boleh tolong tanya ke hotel Hakuwa per malam berapa?
    *Both mean “Please ask Hakuwa hotel how much per night!”
    *Number 8 is more polite as it uses an interrogative speech (Bisa/Boleh), giving the audience the option to decline.

Japanese Findings
Ganbō Hyōgen vs. Onkei Hyōgen

  1. Ohayou. Myanmaa no ryuugakusei ga Hirodai ni kitara, oshiete hoshii!

  2. Ohayou, Myanmaa no ryuugakusei ga Hirodai ni kitara oshiete kudasai!
    *Both mean "Morning, please tell me if there is an international student from Myanmar at the Hiroshima University."
    *Number 10 using onkei hyōgen is more polite because it expresses gratitude and is less direct.

Give (~te kureru/~te kudasaru) vs. Receive (~te moraeru/~te itadakeru) Forms:

  1. Zuru-san!Ima Chuutaa no minna de kenshuusei ni messeeji wo kaiterun desuga, Zuru-san mo kaite kuremasenka??

  2. Zuru-san!Ima Chuutaa no minna de kenshuusei ni messeeji wo kaiterun desuga, Zuru-san mo kaite moraemasenka??
    *Both mean “Zul, now the tutors write a message for the visiting students, will you write it too?”
    *Number 12 using the receive type is more polite because the speaker asks whether he can benefit from the act.

Positive vs. Negative Forms:

  1. De, eigo no shukudai no sakubun wo, ore no kawari ni kaite kurerukana?

  2. De, eigo no shukudai no sakubun wo, ore no kawari ni kaite kurenaikana?
    *Both mean “So, can you write the composition homework for me?”
    *Number 14 using the negative form is more polite because it suggests the audience may not accept the request, giving them the option to decline.

Declarative vs. Interrogative Forms

  1. Sore, totte kudasai!

  2. Sore, totte kuremasuka?
    *Both mean “Please take that!”
    *Number 16 using the interrogative form is more polite because it allows the audience to decline.

Assertive vs. Tentative Forms:

  1. Tomokaku, ooisogi de irashite itadakemasuka?

  2. Tomokaku, ooisogi de irashite itadakemasendeshōka?
    *Both mean “Anyway, would you come as quick as possible?”
    *Number 18 using the tentative form is more polite because it softens the question and does not force a response.

Requesting With Suffixes (yo and ne):

  1. Neko wa hayaku dashite kudasai!

  2. Neko wa hayaku dashite kudasaiyo!

  3. Neko wa hayaku dashite kudasaine!
    *All mean “Please take out the cat quickly!”
    *Number 19 with no suffix is the most polite because adding “yo” or “ne” decreases politeness.

Requesting vs. Permission Requesting Forms:

  1. Hai, jya, kantan ni jikoshoukai wo shite moraemasenka?

  2. Hai, jya, kantan ni jikoshoukai wo shite moratte ii desuka?
    *Both mean “Yes, okay, could you briefly introduce yourself?”
    *Number 23 using the permission requesting form is more polite because it seeks approval from the audience.

Summary

Active and passive voice, adding -lah will increase politeness. The request makers tolong and mohon have a role in changing an impertative to requesting expressions, and mohon are more formal. Tolong and mohon tend to appear in declarative sentences, therefore, permission and possibility asking sentences are used (boleh and bisa.)

Conclusion

  • In Indonesian, passive verbs, adding -lah, using mohon, and interrogative speech are more polite.

  • In Japanese, onkei hyōgen, negative and tentative components, and interrogative speech are more polite. Avoid adding Yo and ne suffixes when speaking.