Current Japanese pedagogical practices frequently simplify the teaching of the desu/masu and plain forms and introduce them as a binary choice to express formality and informality. Many commonly used textbooks do not incorporate the findings of studies such as Cook (1998) which have shown how these forms subtly and dynamically index formality and informality (Matsumoto & Okamoto, 2003). As Cook (2001) suggests, Japanese learners need explicit instruction to become aware of how these forms are used in relation to various co-occurring contextual features. Such awareness raising is necessary to empower learners to make choices in displaying formality or informality as an interaction unfolds, which could lead them to develop social relations actively and dynamically.
This study longitudinally investigates 1) how beginning learners talk about displaying formality/informality with the forms and 2) how they utilize the forms in conversation sessions with Japanese native speakers (NSs) after receiving explicit instruction over one or two semesters. Explicit instruction included raising learners' awareness about the local cultural expectations and preferences for displaying one's stance of being formal or informal through the use of the forms (Ochs, 1996). Learners engaged in four ten-minute conversation sessions per semester. These sessions - two at mid-semester and two at the end of the semester - were audio-taped and transcribed. Written reflections were collected immediately after each session.
iscourse analysis showed that some learners dynamically expressed formality and informality with the two forms in more expanded environments, i.e., in assessment turns and topic initiation turns. Analysis of the written reflections revealed that most learners could talk about the forms in terms of a) planning to pay attentions to the NS's use, b) noticing the NS's use, and c) using the forms themselves. Various contextual features were also mentioned in the reflections. These tendencies were not observed in the control group.