No in Japanese of Recent Article

The order of words in a sentence is totally different.

Since I speak Japanese and English, I can tell that learning Japanese is not easy for English speakers.

First of all, the order of words in a sentence is totally different.
In English you say "I will go to school today", but in Japanese you have to say "I today to school will go".

Let's say I ask you "Won't you go to school today?"
What would your answer be?
Probably, your answer is "Yes, I will" or " No, I won't".
But Japanese people answer like "Yes, I won't" or "No, I will".

I think that this cause is a difference of the culture.
I explained this on "What's Japanese for YES".
Refer to it, please.

Well, look at the example.

English	Japanese
Are you Mr.Satou?	あなたは佐藤さんですか？ anata wa Satou sann desuka?
No, I'm not.	いいえ、違います。 iie, chigaimasu.
You speak French don't you?	君はフランス語を話せるんだよね？ kimi wa furannsugo wo hanaserun dayone?
Wrong. I don't speak it at all.	いいえ、僕は全然話せません。 iie, boku wa zennzenn hanase masen.
Mr. Suzuki is a dentist, isn't he?	鈴木さんは歯医者さんだよね？ suzuki sann wa haisya san dayone?
That's not right. He is a physician.	いや、違うよ。彼は内科医だよ。 iya, chigauyo. kare wa naikai dayo.
Your intelligence quotient seems to have about 200.	君の知能指数は２００ぐらいありそうだね。 kimi no chinou shisuu wa ni-hyaku gurai arisou dane.
Never !!	まさか！違うよ！ masaka! chigauyo!
Let's go to Karaoke !	カラオケに行こうよ！ karaoke ni ikou yo!
No way! I have to finish this work today!	ムリ！ 今日中にこの仕事を終わらせなきゃないから。 tonndemo nai ! kyou jyuu ni kono shigoto wo owarase nakya naikara
I don't like noisy music.	私は騒がしい音楽って好きじゃないんですよ。 watashi wa sawagashii onngakutte sukijya nainndesuyo.
Me, neither.	僕も好きじゃないな。 boku mo suki jyanai na.
Who ate up the my SUSHI ?	私の寿司を全部食べたの誰 !? watashi no SUSHI wo zennbu tabetano dare?
Not me !	俺じゃないよ! ore ja naiyo !
Have you been to China?	中国に行ったことある？ shuugoku ni itta koto aru?
No, never.	いや、一度もないよ。 iya, ichido mo naiyo.
Do you still smoke?	今もまだタバコ吸ってる？ imamo mada tabako sutteru?
Not anymore. I quit.	いや、もうやめた。 iya, mou yameta.
Would you like some more coffee?	No, thank you.
No, thank you.	いえ、もういいです。 ie, mou ii desu.

 

The Japanese has strange peculiar virtue

Well, did you feel anything by having seen the above-mentioned conversation?
No in English is "いいえ(iie)." when translating literally into Japanese.
But, we (the Japanese) hardly use the word "いいえ(iie)".

The Japanese hates to answer originally, "No".
Perhaps, many people think that Japanese are so humble and shy that they can't say no for a favor or a business proposal.
But it is not true.

A Japanese country is an island nation, and 100 million people live there.
It is difficult to live in this island nation without "Cooperation in the interpersonal relationship".
We (Japanese people) are taught "Cooperation in the interpersonal relationship" between from infancy to youth.

• I must not deny others' opinions.
• I should not draw a conclusion in a hurry.
• I must do the effort to concede.
• After hearing others' opinions, I should think again.
• I must not take the action that stands out in the group.
• I must worry about others.

We (Japanese) always unconsciously have such an idea to keep harmonizing.
And, the idea of the Japanese seems to be very strange speech and behavior for the American and the European, etc.

 

Vague answer of Japanese that gives you expectation

Even with the conclusion of "No", the Japanese doesn't actually immediately say the conclusion.
It is not "The Japanese doesn't say the answer of No." but it is "The Japanese cannot say the answer of No." in reality.

Moreover, it is "Troublesome Japanese people's virtue".
It is a cause of the trouble in the business meeting with the foreigner though this "Virtue" is general on the Japanese business.
Business meetings is that the Japanese cannot or will not take a decision on the spot, so the Japanese will say, "we will look into it".
English people will naturally expect a positive conclusion.
But, the Japanese often has a conclusion for this case in reality.

Are you feel it strange, aren't you?.
That's true.
They do say no in many other ways which does not include a negative word.
It is because a guilty conscience is felt.
It is "Guilty conscience" in a meaning different from "Virtue".

If you are said by the Japanese "we will look into it.", you should give it up.
You will lose your valuable time if you wait for their answers.

A Japanese saying no is not direct but you need to know a certain subtleties in the language to correctly interpret.

 

By Hararie