Turning Japanese

Judy. When we started this journey nine and a half years ago, I decided to study languages. Since I was no longer learning lines, it would not only be useful for our travels, but keep my brain sharp as well. Duolingo, despite its flaws, was a good choice for me, since it was easy to use on my iPad. 

It has worked out well. I’m pretty darned conversational in Spanish and French. So last summer, knowing we’d be coming to Japan, I started learning Japanese. 

WHOA! As you’ve probably already guessed, Japanese is a whole different ball game. Nine months in, I’m borderline useless. I remember some words, and have made connections by telling restaurant personnel that their food is delicious (one chef came out to meet us and bowed us all the way to the door!), and have struggled to speak with Miyo, the delightful lady who owns the Korean restaurant we have frequented. We’ve spent some time with our dear Servas friend, Wakaba, and her mother, Jitsuko, a 91-year-old ball of fire. Wakaba corrected some of my attempts, which was great. She’s offered to chat with me on the web, and I may take her up on that after I take a break.

 

Wakaba and Jitsuko-san work on our proper requests at a tempura restaurant

Somehow Miyo and I managed to converse!

Those times are where I’ve made my best advances. In Spanish-speaking countries, the intercambios, where one speaks for a period in Spanish, then English, have helped tremendously. But I’ve not had that opportunity with Japanese. And it IS difficult. Quite honestly, the hardest part is reading it. 

Japanese has three writing systems: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. These three symbols can appear in the same sentence, or even the same word. Hiragana and katakana each have  46 letters, but kanji is the rogue brother who came over from China and added thousands of symbols that make no sense whatsoever unless you were born here. 

This town's name is written in English, katakana & kanji combined, and in hiranga

Restaurant is spelled out in katakana

One thing that helps is that katakana is used mostly with foreign words and scientific terms, like dress or toast, or even the word for computer which is not borrowed from the English. After six months, I'm okay with hiragana and katakana, but very few kanji symbols stick with me. 

And, just for fun, sometimes western letters are tucked in as in the word for medium size

Furthermore, the words are not separated, butrunonlikearunonsentence. Plus, old-school Japanese is written vertically, although now much is written horizontally. And of course, books are backwards to the western way of thinking.

Old school vertical sign

Hard to see, but this commuter is reading vertically, and "back to front"

Still, despite the difficulty, I’m glad I’m trying. The few words I’ve spoken have elicited smiles and bows and responses. And the language itself is an insight into Japanese culture. Respect is a key word here in Japan, and it’s reflected in the language as well. Despite the yelling in Samurai films, people here speak fairly gently, and certainly respectfully. 

So, despite my flubs, I’m glad I try, because the smiles and help have eased my way. Not everyone here speaks English—something that scared us when we started. But smiles, “Japenlish” and Google Translate have helped us really enjoy this appealing culture. 

And, as I remind myself, “What do you call someone with a foreign accent? Brave.” I’m trying to be brave.