Conversations
in Japanese can be quite daunting, especially when
you're first learning. As I've said before, don't
expect to understand everything that goes into the
language after just this class - and this lesson is
no different. I'm not going to put you on the spot
by having you think about how to converse with others
in Japanese, but I will explain some of the details
that go into it here, as well as give a couple examples.
The
first thing to know is that in general, Japanese people
understand the nature of a foreigner who might not
know about all the nuances of their culture and outlook.
With this in mind, they try not to point out the mistakes
they might make in talking with them in Japanese.
While it's not expected that the typical foreigner
may not need to conform to all of the customs, it
is nevertheless nice to know about some of them (after
all, that's why you're reading this, right?).
Japanese
speech has different levels of politeness. It has
been said that there are at least four levels of politeness
in speech, from the rude and blunt to the extremely
deferential and honoring. Because of this there are
many different ways to say the same thing, and even
individual words can have several forms depending
on the politeness (usually, the longer the sentence,
the more polite it is). Only someone who is fairly
advanced in the language may know on the spur of the
moment which words to use in which situations. For
our purposes, it is merely helpful to know that the
politeness levels do exist and are a significant part
of Japanese culture.
A
couple examples and commentary on conversational situations
(taken in part from Japanese for Busy People). Try
to say them to yourself and break down the words into
their component syllabi if necessary:
-Introducing
People
Hayashi:
"Tanaka-san, kochira wa Sumisu desu."
(Mr. Tanaka, this is Mr. Smith.)
Sumisu: "Hajimemashite. Sumisu desu. Dozo yoroshiku."
(How do you do. My name is Smith. I'm very glad
to meet you.)
Tanaka: "Hajimemashite. Tokyo Denki no Tanaka
desu. Dozo yoroshiku."
(How do you do. I'm Tanaka from Tokyo Electric.
I'm very glad to meet you.)
Hayashi: "Sumisu-san wa ABC no bengoshi desu."
(Mr. Smith is ABC's lawyer.)
Tanaka:
"Watashi no meishi desu. Dozo."
(This is my business card. Please...)
Sumisu:
"Domo arigato gozaimasu. Kore wa Tanaka-san
no namae desu ka."
(Thank you very much. Is this your name?)
Tanaka:
"Ee, so desu. Tanaka desu."
(Yes, that's right. Tanaka.)
Because
they are meeting for the first time, Smith and Tanaka
use the word "hajimemashite", which also
means "to begin". If the conversation
is formal, there will usually be bowing involved,
although foreigners are not expected to know how
to bow. You'll also notice that Tanaka gives Smith
his business card. The exchange of meishi (business
cards) is commonly done between professional introductions
and is very important to the Japanese in framing
the person you are speaking to and what they do.
One is expected to take an interest in the business
card and "appreciate" it, asking questions
if necessary before putting it away. Simply putting
it away is considered rude.
-Visiting
Someone's Home
Tanaka:
"Sumisu-san, yoku irasshaimashita."
(Mr. Smith, how nice of you to come.)
Sumisu: "Konnichiwa."
(Hello.)
Tanaka:
"Dozo ohairi kudasai."
(Do come in.)
Sumisu:
"Shitsurei shimasu."
(May I?)
Tanaka:
"Dozo kochira e. Dozo okake kudasai."
(This way please. Do sit down.)
Sumisu:
"Arigato gozaimasu. Tsumaranai mono desu ga..."
*gives wrapped cakes*
(Thank you very much. This isn't much, but...)
Tanaka:
"Ah, keeki desu. Arigato gozaimasu."
(Ah, it's cakes. Thank you very much.)
It
is considered a break in the status quo or norm
for the host when a visitor enters their home in
Japanese culture. This is why Smith uses the phrase
"shitsurei shimasu", which is taken to
mean "may I" here but which also means
"rudeness", as in "I'm coming in,
if I may intrude". You'll also notice that
Smith brought a little gift for Tanaka - usually
these are inexpensive food items which should be
wrapped and presented to the host, with the expression
"Tsumaranai mono desu ga" (this isn't
much", which could be compared to "this
is a little something for you" in English).
As
you can see, there are many different nuances in
the Japanese language, many of which tie into the
Japanese culture as a whole. While it is not possible
to touch upon all of the details, it is helpful
to know about them and how the Japanese seem to
put importance on their language and customs as
it relates to their culture. It is definitely something
to keep in mind as you learn the Japanese language
and perhaps use it in conversation.
>>Go
to Lesson 5 - Suggested Vocabulary/Survival Guide
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