Japanese is a Language for Deepening Heart-to-heart Communication

Nihongo Spirit | 日本語は心の交流を深める言語

Japanese is a Language for Deepening Heart-to-heart Communication

With the development of AI and device translation, more and more people are wondering if they will ever need to learn a language. Certainly, if it is just used as a device to tell people what they need to do while traveling, etc., we may not have to. However, language is more than just a means for communication. People feel the most joy when they are able to share their thoughts and feelings with one another. e same may be said for food, for example. If the purpose of a meal is simply to sustain life, a supplement that contains satisfactory levels of nutrition is all that is needed. However, nutrition is not the only thing that people look for in a meal. In addition to smell, texture, and satiety, there is also the pleasure of cooking, choosing a menu, and eating with others. When conveying subtle emotions, speakers of English are said to use tone of voice, facial expressions, and gestures to express themselves. Japanese people, on the other hand, are known to have few facial expressions and gestures when they speak, and non-Japanese often point out that it is difficult for them to know their emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure. However, the Japanese language is so rich in vocabulary, one may convey emotions in the absence of facial expressions. With the Covid-19 pandemic, Japanese people wear masks as a matter of course, whenever they go out in public. It is said that this is due to a sense of compassion for others. However, there is also a view that it is possible to communicate emotions behind a mask without having to interpret facial expressions.

AIえーあい
e-ai
AI
ya
and
機械きかい翻訳ほんやく
kikai’honnyaku
device translation
no
of
発達はったつ
hattatsu
the development
で、
de,
with
言語げんご
genngo wo
a language
学習がくしゅうする
gakushuu suru
to learn (again)
必要ひつよう
hitsuyou ga
they will ever need
なくなると
naku naru to
if
おも
omou
are wondering
ひと
hito ga
people
えました。
fue mashita.
more and more
たしかに、
tashika ni,
certainly
旅行りょこう
ryokou
traveling
など
nado
etc.
de
while
必要ひつようなことを
hitsuyou na koto wo
what they need to do
つたえるため
tsutaeru tame
to tell people
だけの
dake no
just
道具どうぐ
dougu
a device
として
to shite
(it is used) as
なら、
nara,
if
そのとおりかもしれません。
sono toori kamo shire masenn.
we may not have to
しかし
shikashi
however
言語げんごは、
genngo ha,
language
たんなる
tannnaru
just
伝達でんたつ
denntatsu
communication
no
for
道具どうぐではありません。
dougu deha ari masenn.
is more than a means
ひとは、
hito ha,
people
たが
otagai
one another
ni
with
こころ
kokoro ga
their thoughts
とおったとき、
kayotta toki,
share
おもいを
omoi wo
(and) feelings
共有きょうゆうできた
kyouyuu dekita
they are able to [share]
ときに
toki ni
when
もっと
mottomo
the most
よろこびを
yorokobi wo
joy
かんじます。
kannji masu.
feel
これはたとえば、
kore ha tatoeba,
for example
食事しょくじ
shokuji
food
でも
demo
for
おなじことが
onaji koto ga
the same
える
ieru
be said
でしょう。
deshou.
may
食事しょくじ
shokuji
a meal
no
of
目的もくてき
mokuteki ga
the purpose
たん
tannni
simply
生命せいめい維持いじ
seimei’iji
(is) to sustain life
なら、
nara,
if
栄養えいよう
eiyou wo
(of) nutrition
たす
mitasu
that contains satisfactory levels
サプリメントさぷりめんと
sapurimennto ga
a supplement
あれば
areba
is
事足ことたります。
koto tari masu.
all that is needed
しかし、
shikashi,
however
ひと
hito ga
people
食事しょくじ
shokuji
a meal
ni
in
もとめるのは
motomeru no ha
that look for
栄養えいよう
eiyou
nutrition
だけでは
dake deha
the only thing
ありません。
ari masenn.
is not
にお
nioi
smell
ya
and
食感しょっかん
shokkann,
texture
満腹まんぷくかん
mannpuku’kann
satiety
ni
to
くわえ、
kuwae,
in addition
料理りょうりをする、
ryouri wo suru,
cooking
メニューめにゅー
menyu- wo
a menu
えらぶ、
erabu,
choosing
ひと
hito
others
to
with
べる
taberu
(and) eating
たのしさ
tanoshisa
the pleasure (of)
mo
also
あります。
ari masu.
there is
微妙びみょう
bimyou na
subtle
感情かんじょう
kannjou wo
emotions
つたえる
tsutaeru
conveying
とき、
toki,
when
英語えいご話者わしゃ
eigo’washa ha
speakers of English
こえ
koe
voice
no
of
トーンとーん
to-nn
tone
ya
and
表情ひょうじょう
hyoujou,
facial expressions
ジェスチャーじぇすちゃー
jesucha- wo
gestures
使つかって
tsukatte
to use
表現ひょうげんすると
hyougenn suru to
to express
われます。
iware masu.
themselves are said
一方いっぽう
ippou de
on the other hand
日本人にほんじんは、
nihonnjinn ha,
Japanese people
はな
hanasu
they speak
ときに
toki ni
when
表情ひょうじょう
hyoujou
facial expressions
ya
and
仕草しぐさ
shigusa ga
gestures
すくなく、
sukunaku,
(are known to have) few and
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn no
their
喜怒哀楽きどあいらく
kidoairaku ga
emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure
つたわりにくい
tsutawari nikui
it is difficult for them to know
と、
to,
that
外国人がいこくじんから
gaikokujinn kara
non-Japanese
よく
yoku
often
指摘してきされます。
shiteki sare masu.
point out
しかし、
shikashi,
however
日本語にほんごには、
nihonngo niha,
the Japanese language
表情ひょうじょう
hyoujou
facial expressions
de
of
しめさなくとも
shimesa naku tomo
in the absence
感情かんじょう
kannjou wo
emotions
つたえられる
tsutae rareru
one may convey
豊富ほうふ
houfu na
so rich
語彙ごい
goi ga
in vocabulary
あります。
ari masu.
is
コロナ禍ころなか
korona’ka
the Covid-19 pandemic
では
deha
with
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn ha
the Japanese people
外出がいしゅつ
gaishutsu no
they go out in public
さいには
sai niha
whenever
当然とうぜん
touzenn no
a matter of course
ように
you ni
as
マスクますくをします。
masuku wo shi masu.
wear masks
これは、
kore ha,
this
他人たにんへのおもやり
taninn heno omoiyari
compassion for others
no
of
気持きもち
kimochi
a sense
ga
to
影響えいきょうしている
eikyou shite iru
is due
to
that
われます
iware masu
it is said
ga
however
マスクますく
masuku
a mask
de
behind
表情ひょうじょう
hyoujou ga
facial expressions
よめめなくても
yome nakute mo
without having to interpret
こころ
kokoro no
emotions
コミュニケーションこみゅにけーしょん
komyunike-shonn ga
to communicate
とれる
toreru
it is possible
から
kara
because
という
to iu
that
見方みかた
mikata
a viewpoint
mo
also
あります。
ari masu.
there is

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