Openings and closings in intercultural email communication: A case study of Taiwanese, Japanese, and Italian students

Abstract

This study investigates the distinct features of email openings and closings that emerge when EFL students interact with their global peers in cross-cultural exchanges. The data are drawn from two email exchange projects- one between Taiwanese and Italian students and the other between Taiwanese and Japanese students-which took place over the course of 2 years. Using conversational analysis and discourse analysis, this study analyzed a corpus of 768 emails and revealed interaction patterns in openings and closings among the different ethnic groups. Results showed that the most frequently used opening strategies were salutation + name, followed by greeting, question, no opening, and gratitude. Closing strategies included signature, farewell/ending salutation, expectation, no closing, and gratitude. Ethnic differences in the use of opening and closing strategies were also identified. By highlighting the variability of email communications, this paper can provide a preliminary understanding of electronic discourse in pragmatic terms.