Notions of “money” and “house” in the language consciousness of Russians and the Japanese

Abstract

Cross-cultural research is crucially important in the modern globalized world where different cultural notions clash and interact. This article sheds light on the notions “money” and “house”, which represent attitudes to property, in the perception of Russians and the Japanese. The research method is an association experiment that allows to explain the grounds for mutual understanding or possible misunderstanding in the instances of interethnic contacts. Analysis of association fields formed on the basis of two Russian and one Japanese sampling shows that modern Japanese tend to perceive money as beneficial, while modern Russians tend to perceive it as something evil and related to governance. 21st-century Japanese respondents and 21st-century Russian respondents proved to be more work-oriented than their early 1990s Russian counterparts. Regardless of cultural differences, both Russians and the Japanese admitted their need of money as an indispensable element of modern life. A house is understood in both cultures as a place to live in, but 1990s Russians found it less cozy and comfortable than 21st-century Russians and the Japanese.