Speaking

Japanese Speech

Speaking Japanese itself may not be that hard. Of course, different adverbs can mean different things, but often the meaning can be understood even if only words are connected. Also, the order of sentences can often be understood as long as one is aware of the SOV form. Of course, there are many difficulties if you want to communicate at the native level, but in terms of communication, Japanese is a relatively easy language. Of course, this may be due to the “kuki wo yomu” (reading the air), which means to speak while considering the intentions of the other person.

Here is a summary of such difficult points when speaking Japanese.
1，English is pronounced in a way that is uniquely Japanese.
2，Using double negatives?
3、If you say the subject every time, it becomes tedious.

Japanese Katakana

English that has been adapted to Japanese

The Japanese language has katakana, which is an expression that primarily represents foreign words.(See link for katakana). However, Japanese people sometimes rearrange these foreign words into Japanese so that they do not resemble the original language. For example, the word “tension” is used in Japanese when “feeling up” or “feeling down. This is because the word “tension” has been created as a new word in Japan. Also, the Japanese word “handle” refers to the “driving handle. It is never used with a verb by mistake. Thus, it is difficult to distinguish between words that have different meanings in foreign languages and Japanese.

Well, some people think that if the meanings are just different, there is nothing to do but to memorize them, but along with this, the pronunciation is also converted to the Japanese style. The two most commonly used words are “light” and “right. These two pronunciations are reversed in Japan, which is something that Japanese people have difficulty with. The meaning of “look for right” is “I am looking for light. Of course, you can understand that it is “light” by prediction, but it is very difficult to consciously correct this. It would be less confusing to learn it as a new word instead of the same language.

There is also a pattern of conversion to new terms like “alcohol” and “energy”. The word “alcohol” has become “Arukooru” and “energy” is now pronounced “Enerugii.” This is based on the pronunciation of the Japanese romaji reading of English. (Romaji reading is the way Japanese people pronounce Japanese words using the alphabet.)

If you are careful when pronouncing Japanese katakana, it will be easier for others to understand you when you speak.

double negative

Is double negative used a lot in Japan?

Double negatives are a method of expression that may be used in leaving an impression. Of course, it is also an expression used in Japan. What, so easy then! What a thought, you may be a little misunderstood. The Japanese double negative has a slightly different meaning

Double negative used when you don't want to affirm completely

Japanese tends to avoid direct expressions.
For example 

「できなくもない」
"Nothing is impossible." or "Nothing is impossible.

 In Japanese, this expression means something like this. I think I can do it, but I don’t want to do it if I can. It is because I do not have the self-discipline. There is a possibility of failure.” It is like this: “I think I can do it, but I don’t want to do it if I can. In other words, it means, “I don’t want to do it willingly because I will not succeed 100% of the time.
Another example would be the same: “I can’t even eat a carrot. I can eat carrots. But I don’t like them”.

Double negative with "implication".

This “include” may have various meanings, but here I will introduce two types.

1, “including” in the sense of prediction
2, “inclusive” in the sense of conditions

"including" in the sense of prediction

So, first, let me explain what I mean by forecasting.

「彼女は不幸とは言えない」
"She was not unhappy."

The above sentence would naturally be translated as “She was not all that happy. But she was not unhappy either. It may be used in cases where not everything can be said to be happy. Thus, it may be used when there is an “implication” that it is not one or the other.

"inclusive" in the sense of conditions

Next comes the “implication” of conditions.

「わかった。その提案に乗らなくもない」
I see. I may "take you up on that offer or may not "take you up on that offer .

If you come up with some good terms after this, I’ll take you up on your offer, and if not, I won’t. If not, I will not take it. In other words, the person making this statement has the authority to make a decision, and the situation may be that if this person does not cooperate, the plan or something else will not work. In such a case, in Japanese, to make the other person provide further explanation or conditions

Try to speak without subject

Japanese who omit the subject

It is safe to say that Japanese is a language that omits the subject. If you have become accustomed to speaking Japanese, try to get hold of this phenomenon of omitting the subject. This is very difficult to do, but as you develop the habit of using it yourself, you will also find it easier to listen when conversing with Japanese people. This is because your thought process will become accustomed to this phenomenon.

There are some cases that may or may not be omitted at this time.

A 　昨日、東京タワーに行ったんだ。（I went to Tokyo Tower yesterday.）
B　どうだった？（How was it?）
A　雨が降っていたから、景色はよくなかったんだ。（It was raining, so the view wasn't great.）
B　残念だね。（That's too bad.）

When talking about yourself

You may omit the subject if you are talking about yourself when you begin a conversation. You may also omit the subject when the other person asks you a question.

「昨日、（私は）秋葉原に行ったんだ。」（　I went to Akihabara yesterday.）

The meaning of this example sentence can be understood without the red letters. Basically, remember never to include the subject “I”.

When commenting on a topic that the other person has discussed

You also do not need a subject when you are referring to the topic presented by the other party.

The same can also be said about “my girlfriend”.

「昨日、（私は私の）彼女と秋葉原に行ったんだ。」
（　I went to Akihabara with my girlfriend yesterday.）

When we say ” girlfriend,” we mean “my girlfriend.
In Japanese, it is interpreted as “the speaker’s girlfriend,” so if the other party has been talking about this topic and you say “she,” it also means “the other party’s girlfriend.

When talking about the object of the previous sentence

The subject can also be omitted when referring to what the other person is talking about.

A　雨が降っていたから、景色はよくなかったんだ。（It was raining, so the view wasn't great.）
B　残念だね。（That's too bad.）

In English, “that” is often used in a similar way: B is commenting on A’s comment that the scenery was bad. In this case, too, the subject can be omitted.