quick look on invaluable Japanese culture (2) features of japanese language

(2) Features of Japanese language

Oldest language

Geographic specialties of Japan gives another remarkable influence on it’s language. It is unique and completely different from Chinese and Korean. It is presumed to be one of the oldest language and does not belong to any language group of the world.

Moreover, Japanese language is used only by Japanese people and it is used only in Japanese islands. Most nations in the world , there are mixed races and cultures . It is not rare that plural languages are used in one nation, or one particular language is used in several nations. However Japan which is surrounded by sea, has developed unique culture and society basing on a single race and language.

Kana letters

In ancient Japan , there were only early stage picture characters available. Then, people started to use Chinese characters as written letters. But they were wise enough to develop specially modified letters, called Kana. They used Kana to make up for Chinese characters to keep Japanese traditional pronunciation and sequence .

Owing to Kana, they could keep traditional myth and songs unchanged and also they could develop unique women’s literatures in 10^th centuries, remarkable Japanese poem such as Tanka and Haiku or special play such as Nou and Kabuki.

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Thick vocabulary on natural phenomenon and personal relations

Each language has it’s own pattern of vocabulary depending on fields in which they have special interests. A tribe who lives in tropical woods assorts plants much more precisely than a modern botanical book. A tribe who feeds cattle has precise knowledge about parts of body and has a wide vocabulary.

Japanese language has a small range of vocabulary on parts of body, but a huge vocabulary on natural phenomenon and personal relations. For example, there are wide varieties of expressions about the deed that one man gives a something to other man, depending on each situation and particular relations between those men, such as seniority, rank and so on. Those are so complicated that it is quite difficult for foreigners to understand difference. But above shows clearly that how much Japanese people pay attention on personal relationship.