IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Jan 1988

Not to say is better than to say: how rhetorical structure reflects cultural context in Japanese-English technical writing

J.T. Dennett

Abstract

Technical writing in English by Japanese authors is examined. It is pointed out that Japanese rhetorical structure addresses an underlying communication goal that is very different from the goal of Aristotle's persuasive discourse; Japanese technical writers also consider elements such as beauty, surprise, and easy flow as desirable measures of good writing. This fundamental difference in approaching the problem of writing often produces confusing results.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Journal
IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
Published
1988-01-01
DOI
10.1109/47.7816
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
Closed
Topics
classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism discourse analysis technical communication
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (5)

  1. Spyridakis et al. (2002)
    The effect of inductively versus deductively organized text on American and Jap…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. Fukuoka et al. (1999)
    The organization of Japanese expository passages
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  3. McDaniel (1994)
    The role of contrastive rhetoric in teaching professional communication in Engl…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  4. Subbiah (1992)
    Adding a new dimension to the teaching of audience analysis: cultural awareness
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  5. Fisk (1992)
    People, proxemics, and possibilities for technical writing
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

Cites in this index (0)

No references match articles in this index.

Also cites 1 work outside this index ↓
  1. 10.2307/356630
     ↗
CrossRef global citation count: 10 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication Mar 2016
    Content Strategy: An Integrative Literature Review ↗
    Dave Clark
    classical rhetoric modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory discourse analysis technical communication book reviews
  2. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Jan 2006
    Guest Editorial: A Response to Patrick Moore's “Questioning the Motives of Technical Communication and Rhetoric: Steven Katz's ‘Ethic of Expediency’” ↗
    Steven B. Katz
    classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism discourse analysis technical communication editorial matter
  3. Technical Communication Quarterly Apr 2003
    Review of Technical Communication, Deliberative Rhetoric, and Environmental Discourse: Connections and Directions ↗
    Anne K. Jones
    classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism discourse analysis technical communication book reviews
  4. Technical Communication Quarterly Apr 2002
    Techne and Technical Communication: Toward a Dialogue ↗
    Jay Gordon
    classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism discourse analysis teacher development technical communication
  5. Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jan 2002
    Book Review: Technical Communication, Deliberative Rhetoric, and Environmental Discourse: Connections and Directions, And No Birds Sing: Rhetorical Analyses of Rachel Carson's, Greenspeak: A Study of Environmental Discourse ↗
    Heather Sehmel
    classical rhetoric rhetorical criticism discourse analysis technical communication book reviews