I am learning Japanese.
I used to think I was good at languages. I even prided myself on being a polyglot - after all, I do speak four languages (I should probably clarify that three of those are Indian languages).
Then I started learning Japanese. And I don't think I am good at languages anymore. Don't mistake me - this is not a self-pitying rant. I just realized how much I had underestimated the efforts that go into learning a new language. There are multiple barriers that one must cross to be able to master any new skill, languages not excluded. Japanese put my linguistic arrogance to bed.
Japanese is a very contextual language. What words mean literally may not be what they mean in a particular context. This characteristic makes it rather difficult to understand what you are learning, because a lot of Japanese phraseology cannot be translated literally into your primary language. To give you an example, an approximation of the literal meaning of 'yoroshiku onegaishimasu' is 'please take care of me'. However, if you end an email with the phrase, you are saying 'yours sincerely'. In contrast, you could also use the same phrase when you meet someone for the first time, in which case you are saying 'nice to meet you'.
Phew! Is it just me or was that mind-boggling? How to use what terms in what context is an integral aspect of learning Japanese.
Interestingly enough, modern Japanese society is staunchly non-violent. The Japanese Constitution officially renounces the country's right to declare war - probably the only country in the world to have done so. And the language reflects this societal repulsion to violence and confrontation.
In all my time here, I have not heard a single person yell or scream at anyone else. Living in Bombay teaches you to get used to the human cacophony that is a trademark of life there - fishwives hawking their wares, children accosting each other across their gully cricket pitch, taxi drivers talking to each other from opposite ends of the road. When I first came to Tokyo, the thing that struck me most was the utter lack of noise. Not vehicular noise, or the noise of trains rumbling past, or the noise of people eating in a restaurant. What struck me was the lack of noise in everyday conversation. The people here are polite, soft-spoken, graceful in speech. How do they do that?! I attribute some of it to the magic of their language.
My (neophytic) impression is that the Japanese language has strong foundations in politeness, honour and general good behaviour. I read somewhere that the absolute worst cuss word in everyday Japanese means 'idiot', and that the etymology of that word goes back to the 14th century!
The process of learning Japanese has taught me patience. Not just in everyday speech, but also in behaviour and attitude and thought. It is akin to meditation for me. I do not expect to be proficient in Japanese when I am ready to leave for India, but I do hope to have evolved into a more patient (and hopefully, more graceful) person. I think the Japanese language has that power.
I used to think I was good at languages. I even prided myself on being a polyglot - after all, I do speak four languages (I should probably clarify that three of those are Indian languages).
Then I started learning Japanese. And I don't think I am good at languages anymore. Don't mistake me - this is not a self-pitying rant. I just realized how much I had underestimated the efforts that go into learning a new language. There are multiple barriers that one must cross to be able to master any new skill, languages not excluded. Japanese put my linguistic arrogance to bed.
Japanese is a very contextual language. What words mean literally may not be what they mean in a particular context. This characteristic makes it rather difficult to understand what you are learning, because a lot of Japanese phraseology cannot be translated literally into your primary language. To give you an example, an approximation of the literal meaning of 'yoroshiku onegaishimasu' is 'please take care of me'. However, if you end an email with the phrase, you are saying 'yours sincerely'. In contrast, you could also use the same phrase when you meet someone for the first time, in which case you are saying 'nice to meet you'.
Phew! Is it just me or was that mind-boggling? How to use what terms in what context is an integral aspect of learning Japanese.
Interestingly enough, modern Japanese society is staunchly non-violent. The Japanese Constitution officially renounces the country's right to declare war - probably the only country in the world to have done so. And the language reflects this societal repulsion to violence and confrontation.
In all my time here, I have not heard a single person yell or scream at anyone else. Living in Bombay teaches you to get used to the human cacophony that is a trademark of life there - fishwives hawking their wares, children accosting each other across their gully cricket pitch, taxi drivers talking to each other from opposite ends of the road. When I first came to Tokyo, the thing that struck me most was the utter lack of noise. Not vehicular noise, or the noise of trains rumbling past, or the noise of people eating in a restaurant. What struck me was the lack of noise in everyday conversation. The people here are polite, soft-spoken, graceful in speech. How do they do that?! I attribute some of it to the magic of their language.
My (neophytic) impression is that the Japanese language has strong foundations in politeness, honour and general good behaviour. I read somewhere that the absolute worst cuss word in everyday Japanese means 'idiot', and that the etymology of that word goes back to the 14th century!
The process of learning Japanese has taught me patience. Not just in everyday speech, but also in behaviour and attitude and thought. It is akin to meditation for me. I do not expect to be proficient in Japanese when I am ready to leave for India, but I do hope to have evolved into a more patient (and hopefully, more graceful) person. I think the Japanese language has that power.
