Persuasive Writing in English by Japanese EFL Learners : A Study on Their Frequent Use of First Person Singular Pronouns

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  • 日本人学習者による英語説得文 : 一人称単数代名詞の多用傾向に関する一考察
  • ニホンジン ガクシュウシャ ニ ヨル エイゴ セットクブン イチニンショウ タンスウダイ メイシ ノ タヨウ ケイコウ ニ カンスル イチ コウサツ

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The aim of this study is to see how frequently first person singular pronouns are used in persuasive writings written in English by Japanese EFL learners, to explain the phenomenon from a socio-cultural perspective, and to show that understanding the English speaker's way of thinking is necessary in writing instruction. The data was derived from English essays written by 44 Japanese university students. The essay title is "Are school uniforms necessary or not?" The following results were obtained: 1) About half the students use first person pronouns every 0-14 words in their compositions; 2) The total number of cases of first person pronouns is 491. The sentences which include them express the writer's opinion, experience, feelings, evaluation concerning school uniforms; 3) Students who use first person pronouns are classified into two types according to the main purpose of using them; 4) Students who use first person pronouns with a relatively high frequency mainly use them to express their experiences, while the students who use first person pronouns with a relatively low frequency mainly use them to express their opinions. This paper explains that their use is affected by the Japanese communication style and the traditional writing education in Japan. It is concluded that besides grammar and structure, understanding the English speaker's way of thinking is important in writing instruction.

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