Other curiosities

• Japanese uses three writing systems: Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji.
• Kanji imported from China: Kanji characters were adopted from Chinese. Each character has a unique meaning and pronunciation.
• Hiragana and Katakana: Japanese words are written in Hiragana, while foreign words and onomatopoeias are written in Katakana.
• No grammatical gender: Japanese does not use grammatical gender or definite/indefinite articles, unlike many other languages.
• Levels of politeness: The Japanese language has several ways of expressing politeness and respect, known as “keigo”.
• No plurals: Japanese nouns do not have a distinct plural form.
• Different counting vocabulary: Different words are used to count objects, people, and animals depending on their shape and nature.
• Buddhist influence: Japanese terms and expressions often come from Buddhism. They are usually simple and easy to understand.
• No conjugation by person: Simplifying grammar involves avoiding verb conjugation by person.
• Multiple linguistic borrowings: Japanese has borrowed numerous words from languages like English, Portuguese, and German.
• Vertical and horizontal writing : Japanese writing is traditionally vertical, from top to bottom and right to left, although horizontal writing is also used. This style has been in use for centuries and is still common today.
• Language with honorifics: In Japanese social relations, honorifics such as “-san”, “-sama”, “-kun”, and “-chan” are crucial. These honorifics demonstrate respect and formality in various social situations.
• Influence on Pop Culture: Japanese is crucial in the world of anime, manga, and video games. These media have many specific terms that are unique to them.
• Japanese Sign Language: Japan has a unique sign language that differs from sign languages used in other countries.