Japanese
Content
Essay3
FEG2000
The main grammatical differences between English and Japanese
Aiko YAA!A"A a#yamanaka$%cl#ac#%k
&#'ntrod%ction
(ince ' came to )ondon* ' ha+e kept saying that Japanese is completely different from English# The difference between them e+en led me st%dying )ing%istics* so ' always ha+e feeling that ' want to know the cr%cial things which affect o%r way of thinking# Altho%gh there are many differences which m%st be compared* it is better to choose basic grammatical topics which ' can analyse at this stage# (o* firstly* ' will introd%ce the word order of Japanese and some particles# (econdly ' will de+elop the word order into a negati+e sentence and a ,%estion# Ando finally ' will concl%de the characteristics of the word order of Japanese which can be fo%nd in other feat%res#
2#Japanese word order is (#-#.# whereas English word order is (#.#-#
Japanese word order of normal sentence is different from English one# Japanese / a ta s h i (
w a 1o r g a 1
gengogak% 0 s
w o1
benkyo% s%r%# . o
'
'
pa1
pa1
) i n g % i s t ici c s s ) i n g % i s t ici c s
pa1
st%dy #
o pa1
st%dy #
&1
21
There are two ways to draw diagrams# 'n eample &1* the articles are treated as independent words# 'n eample 21*#the articles are interpreted as apart of no%ns# s%bect or obect1 Eample &1 is s%pposed to be appropriate beca%se the particles
2
ha+e same role as prepositions* b%t eample 21 may be clearer than &1 in order to compare English eample shown below# English ' (
st%dy .
s
'
) i n g % i s t ici c s # -
o
st%dy
) i n g % i s t ici c s #
a1
Yet* this Japanese sentence is also grammatical altho%gh this word order is not same as eample &1 or 21# Japanese G engogak%
w o1
w a ta s h i
w a 1 o r g a1
benkyo% s%r%
o s ) i n g % i s t ici c s
pa1
'
pa1
st%dy #
31
4ere* we ha+e completely echanged (#-#.# order which is not %n%s%al nor pec%liar both in writing in con+ersation#
3#5ose the word order really matter6 The roles of particles#
To tell the tr%th* we Japanese can %nderstand these sentences witho%t diffic%lties# Japanese 7enkyo% s%r% .
w a ta s h i w a 1 o r g a 1 ( o
gengogak% w o1 -
s ( t%dy
' pa1
) i n g % i s t ici c s p a 1
3
81
/ a ta s h i w a 1 o r g a 1 (
'
s
benkyo% s%r% .
pa1
gengogak% w o1 0 o
st%dy
) i n g % i s t ici c s p a 1
91
(entences like 81 and 91 can be %ngrammatical beca%se they +iolate the basic order that the +erb is always the ending# The reason why these eceptions are also acceptable is not the matter of the word order* b%t the r%le of the articles s%ch as ga1* wa1 wa1 and andwo wo1# 1#Th Thee way way we Japan Japanese ese can %nde %nderst rstan and d sent senten ence cess is than thanks ks to the the eistence of these articles rather than the word order# (o we can %se eample 31 which has an obect :)ing%istics: at the beginning in order to emphasise which s%bect in this case not a s%bect for grammar#1 ' st%dy is# 't can be possible that the eample 31 is parallel to topicalised sentence like this eample#
English ) i n g % i s t ici c s -
' (
st%d y# .
) in g % i s t ic s
s ) i n g % i s t ici c s
'
o st%d y#
) in g % i s t ic s
b1
This sentence is the res%lt of the mo+ement in terms of synta# (o this point may be different from Japanese eample 31 which is originally -#(#.# order# !ow before ' mo+e to net stage* ' m%st eplain how to operate Japanese articles ar ticles by showing acti+e passi+e eamples#
8
Japanese
acti+e
" are w a1or ga1 ( 4e
" a n o o w a 1 o r g a 1 ( p a s s i + e ( he
p a s s i + e
" a r e n i1 A gent 7 y h im
k a n o o w o 1 -
a isi s % r % .
her
lo + e s
k a r e n i1 A gent h im
;1
a is a r e r % . p a s s i+ e 1 by
is lo + e d
k a n o o w a 1 o r g a 1 ( she
<1
a is a r e r % . p a s s i+ e 1 is lo + e d
=1
They may look complicated* b%t they are coherent if we foc%s on these articles# For eample* the article wa1 or ga1 is always %st after the s%bect whoe+er the person is# (imilarly* the article wo1 always follow the obect* the article ni1 is always %st after the agent# 'n addition* the relationship between eample ;1 and <1 is acti+e and passi+e* and the word order is the basic pattern that there is the s%bect at the beginning# -n the other hand* the relationship between eample <1 and =1 is that they are consisted eactly eactly same words* words* incl%d incl%ding ing combina combinatio tion n of
words words and particl particles* es* b%t ordered ordered
differe differentl ntly# y# !eedless !eedless to say* say* they both are translat translated ed into into same same passi+ passi+ee Engli English sh sentence : (he is lo+ed by him#: Afte Afterr all Japa Japane nese se no%n no%ns* s* in this this case case pron prono% o%ns ns do not not chan change ge their their form form according to their position beca%se they can be con+inced with different types of particles eplained abo+e#
'n contrast* English prono%ns change their form depend on the position# For instance* :she: in a s%bect position t%rns into :her: when it is in a obect position# The former is called nominati+e* the latter is called obecti+e#
9
8#7asic pattern of negati+e sentence and ,%estion#
There are the eamples of negati+e sentence and ,%estion#
Japanese / a s hi w a 1 (
g e n g o g a k% w o 1 s
b e n k y o % s h ini n a i . o
'
) i n g % i s t ici c s
st%dy
no t
>1
English s '
do no t
st%dy
) i n g % i s t ici c s #
c1
Japanese A n a ta w a 1 (
gengogak% w o1 s
Y o%
) i n g % i s t ici c s
benkyo% s%r% ka1 . o st%dy
,1
&01
English
5 o . ?f
yo% (
s t% d y . ?n
) i n g % is t ic s 6 -
d1
'n negati+e sentence* there are cr%cial cr%cial difference difference between Japanese and English# English# The word which stand for negati+e :not: in English* :nai: in Japanese are located opposite position# English :not: is before the +erb* while Japanese :nai: is after the +erb#
;
'n ,%estion* there are also distinction between these two lang%ages# The word which can signal %s as a ,%estion :do: in English* :ka: in Japanese are added at the beginning in eample d1 and at the ending in eample &01# 'n eample &01 the +ertical arrow may be for the +erb :st%dy:* b%t ' treat :ka: as an particle beca%se an article affect the main word in this case +erb1# The other reason why the +ertical arrow points the particle :ka: is to contrast English eampled1#
9# /ord order again# The ending is the most important#
As was mentioned earlier* Japanese word order can be +ery fleible thanks to the articles# Yet* the word order is one of the most significant characteristics of Japanese# 'f we look at eample >>1 and &01* when do we recognise the fact that they are negati+e or ,%estion sentence6 (o %st before the final word* we cannot know whether the sentence is normal* ,%estion or negati+e# 'n cont contras rast* t* in Engl English ish we co%l co%ld d know know that that the the sente sentenc ncee is ,%es ,%esti tion on at the the beginning in eample d1# /e co%ld also hear negati+e word :not: relati+ely earlier at least before the main +erb :st%dy:1 in eample c1#
;#(%bordinate cla%se
res%lt and reason
(inc (incee we ha+e ha+e eam eamin ined ed singl singlee sente sentenc nces es so far* far* ' will will epl eplai ain n abo% abo%tt the the relationship between a main cla%se and a s%bordinate cla%se# These are eamples of them#
<
Japanese "yo % w a1 (
te rm n o o w a ri @ s
d es % node . b e c a% s e
w a ta s h i w a 1 (
a n s h ini n s % r % @ . s
r
T oday
th e e n d o f te rm
des%
node
'
@
reaso n
.
&&1
r e s % lt
English ' am ( .
r e lil i e + e d @
b e c a % s e t o d a y is n! .
r e s % lt
reaso n r
r
s
'
am
th e e n d o f th e te r m # n ! n !
s
r e lil i e + e d
b e c a % s e to d a y
is
th e e n d o f th e te r m #
e1
The word order within the cla%ses is as same as pre+io%s eamples* altho%gh eample &&1 and e1 are (#.#@# sentence* not (#.#-# The important thing that we ha+e to know is the relationship between the reason and the res%lt# 't is ob+io%s that Japanese and English are opposite# 'n other words* in English* we co%ld know the res% res%lt lt firs first* t* whil whilee in Japa Japane nese se** we ha+e ha+e to wait wait the the res% res%lt lt %nti %ntill seco second nd half half## (%rprisingly* the second half is the main cla%se* and the first half is the s%bordinate cla%se in Japanese# To be honest* ' am not ,%ite s%re abo%t the relationship between them beca%se the reason* s%bordinate cla%se* may be m%ch more important than the res%lt* main cla%se* in terms of the contet# Especially* like eample &&1* the res%lt may not be so important beca%se this is not something new* nor some action which can ca%se other e+ents# From my point of +iew* this is my feeling at the moment1 ' want to stress the reason anyway#
=
Yet* it may depend on the hearer# 'f the hearer who is heard eample &&1 is somebody in my school* he or she may want to know how ' feel rather than the reason beca%se e+erybody already know today is the end of of term#
<# Boncl%sion
'n pre+ pre+io io%s %s eam eampl ples es** ' foc% foc%sed sed on the the chara charact cter erist istic icss of Japa Japane nese se that that important words s%ch as :not: in negati+e* and :ka: in ,%estion are always the ending# oreo+er* a res%lt is also the ending# These feat%res so%nd negati+e# (ince ' rethink abo%t this characteristics* ' can find positi+e effects of them# Firstly* the ending can be memorable in con+ersations# (econdly* beca%se of this feat%re* feat%re* Japanese people are patient patient to listen by the ending# ending# 'n other words* Japanese Japanese people appreciate what other people say# This does not mean that English people do not so#1 'n cont contras rastt Engl Englis ish h is m%ch m%ch more more con+ con+en enie ient nt and and dete determ rmin ined ed from from the the beginning* so that is why English is s%pposed to be s%itable for debates* in other words* logical thinking# Those differences may ca%se c%lt%ral difference* or may be ca%sed by c%lt%ral differences# )ang%age feat%res are so di+erse that we ha+e to learn other lang%ages in order order to %nderst %nderstand and them# them# !e+ert !e+erthel heless* ess* e+ery e+ery lang%a lang%age ge works works effecti effecti+ely +ely## /e Japanese do not ha+e any problem to %se and %nderstand o%r lang%age e+en tho%gh Japanese is completely different from English as ' s%ggested in the introd%ction of this essay# (ince ' am a nati+e speaker of Japanese* ' ha+e ne+er analysed Japanese before# This opport%nity m%st make me aware of Japanese characteristics characteristi cs which ' will
>
st%dy in more depth# 'n addition* this essay is like a report which is consisted by my knowledge so far# 7asically* eamples and some of analysis abo%t Japanese are my own* b%t ' referred some books below to get general ideas#
@eference
Asher* @onald# &>>8# Encyclopedia &>>8# Encyclopedia of Language Language of Linguistics# Linguistics # -ford? ergamon ress# 7right* /illiam ed# &>>2# International &>>2# International Encyclopedia of Linguistics# Linguistics# -ford Cni+ersity ress# 4%ddson* @icharc# &>>=# English &>>=# English Grammar # )ondon and !ew York? @o%tlege# "%no* (%s%m%# &><3# The Structure of the Japanese Language# Language# assach%setts? The 'T ress#
&0
FEG2000
The main grammatical differences between English and Japanese
Aiko YAA!A"A a#yamanaka$%cl#ac#%k
&#'ntrod%ction
(ince ' came to )ondon* ' ha+e kept saying that Japanese is completely different from English# The difference between them e+en led me st%dying )ing%istics* so ' always ha+e feeling that ' want to know the cr%cial things which affect o%r way of thinking# Altho%gh there are many differences which m%st be compared* it is better to choose basic grammatical topics which ' can analyse at this stage# (o* firstly* ' will introd%ce the word order of Japanese and some particles# (econdly ' will de+elop the word order into a negati+e sentence and a ,%estion# Ando finally ' will concl%de the characteristics of the word order of Japanese which can be fo%nd in other feat%res#
2#Japanese word order is (#-#.# whereas English word order is (#.#-#
Japanese word order of normal sentence is different from English one# Japanese / a ta s h i (
w a 1o r g a 1
gengogak% 0 s
w o1
benkyo% s%r%# . o
'
'
pa1
pa1
) i n g % i s t ici c s s ) i n g % i s t ici c s
pa1
st%dy #
o pa1
st%dy #
&1
21
There are two ways to draw diagrams# 'n eample &1* the articles are treated as independent words# 'n eample 21*#the articles are interpreted as apart of no%ns# s%bect or obect1 Eample &1 is s%pposed to be appropriate beca%se the particles
2
ha+e same role as prepositions* b%t eample 21 may be clearer than &1 in order to compare English eample shown below# English ' (
st%dy .
s
'
) i n g % i s t ici c s # -
o
st%dy
) i n g % i s t ici c s #
a1
Yet* this Japanese sentence is also grammatical altho%gh this word order is not same as eample &1 or 21# Japanese G engogak%
w o1
w a ta s h i
w a 1 o r g a1
benkyo% s%r%
o s ) i n g % i s t ici c s
pa1
'
pa1
st%dy #
31
4ere* we ha+e completely echanged (#-#.# order which is not %n%s%al nor pec%liar both in writing in con+ersation#
3#5ose the word order really matter6 The roles of particles#
To tell the tr%th* we Japanese can %nderstand these sentences witho%t diffic%lties# Japanese 7enkyo% s%r% .
w a ta s h i w a 1 o r g a 1 ( o
gengogak% w o1 -
s ( t%dy
' pa1
) i n g % i s t ici c s p a 1
3
81
/ a ta s h i w a 1 o r g a 1 (
'
s
benkyo% s%r% .
pa1
gengogak% w o1 0 o
st%dy
) i n g % i s t ici c s p a 1
91
(entences like 81 and 91 can be %ngrammatical beca%se they +iolate the basic order that the +erb is always the ending# The reason why these eceptions are also acceptable is not the matter of the word order* b%t the r%le of the articles s%ch as ga1* wa1 wa1 and andwo wo1# 1#Th Thee way way we Japan Japanese ese can %nde %nderst rstan and d sent senten ence cess is than thanks ks to the the eistence of these articles rather than the word order# (o we can %se eample 31 which has an obect :)ing%istics: at the beginning in order to emphasise which s%bect in this case not a s%bect for grammar#1 ' st%dy is# 't can be possible that the eample 31 is parallel to topicalised sentence like this eample#
English ) i n g % i s t ici c s -
' (
st%d y# .
) in g % i s t ic s
s ) i n g % i s t ici c s
'
o st%d y#
) in g % i s t ic s
b1
This sentence is the res%lt of the mo+ement in terms of synta# (o this point may be different from Japanese eample 31 which is originally -#(#.# order# !ow before ' mo+e to net stage* ' m%st eplain how to operate Japanese articles ar ticles by showing acti+e passi+e eamples#
8
Japanese
acti+e
" are w a1or ga1 ( 4e
" a n o o w a 1 o r g a 1 ( p a s s i + e ( he
p a s s i + e
" a r e n i1 A gent 7 y h im
k a n o o w o 1 -
a isi s % r % .
her
lo + e s
k a r e n i1 A gent h im
;1
a is a r e r % . p a s s i+ e 1 by
is lo + e d
k a n o o w a 1 o r g a 1 ( she
<1
a is a r e r % . p a s s i+ e 1 is lo + e d
=1
They may look complicated* b%t they are coherent if we foc%s on these articles# For eample* the article wa1 or ga1 is always %st after the s%bect whoe+er the person is# (imilarly* the article wo1 always follow the obect* the article ni1 is always %st after the agent# 'n addition* the relationship between eample ;1 and <1 is acti+e and passi+e* and the word order is the basic pattern that there is the s%bect at the beginning# -n the other hand* the relationship between eample <1 and =1 is that they are consisted eactly eactly same words* words* incl%d incl%ding ing combina combinatio tion n of
words words and particl particles* es* b%t ordered ordered
differe differentl ntly# y# !eedless !eedless to say* say* they both are translat translated ed into into same same passi+ passi+ee Engli English sh sentence : (he is lo+ed by him#: Afte Afterr all Japa Japane nese se no%n no%ns* s* in this this case case pron prono% o%ns ns do not not chan change ge their their form form according to their position beca%se they can be con+inced with different types of particles eplained abo+e#
'n contrast* English prono%ns change their form depend on the position# For instance* :she: in a s%bect position t%rns into :her: when it is in a obect position# The former is called nominati+e* the latter is called obecti+e#
9
8#7asic pattern of negati+e sentence and ,%estion#
There are the eamples of negati+e sentence and ,%estion#
Japanese / a s hi w a 1 (
g e n g o g a k% w o 1 s
b e n k y o % s h ini n a i . o
'
) i n g % i s t ici c s
st%dy
no t
>1
English s '
do no t
st%dy
) i n g % i s t ici c s #
c1
Japanese A n a ta w a 1 (
gengogak% w o1 s
Y o%
) i n g % i s t ici c s
benkyo% s%r% ka1 . o st%dy
,1
&01
English
5 o . ?f
yo% (
s t% d y . ?n
) i n g % is t ic s 6 -
d1
'n negati+e sentence* there are cr%cial cr%cial difference difference between Japanese and English# English# The word which stand for negati+e :not: in English* :nai: in Japanese are located opposite position# English :not: is before the +erb* while Japanese :nai: is after the +erb#
;
'n ,%estion* there are also distinction between these two lang%ages# The word which can signal %s as a ,%estion :do: in English* :ka: in Japanese are added at the beginning in eample d1 and at the ending in eample &01# 'n eample &01 the +ertical arrow may be for the +erb :st%dy:* b%t ' treat :ka: as an particle beca%se an article affect the main word in this case +erb1# The other reason why the +ertical arrow points the particle :ka: is to contrast English eampled1#
9# /ord order again# The ending is the most important#
As was mentioned earlier* Japanese word order can be +ery fleible thanks to the articles# Yet* the word order is one of the most significant characteristics of Japanese# 'f we look at eample >>1 and &01* when do we recognise the fact that they are negati+e or ,%estion sentence6 (o %st before the final word* we cannot know whether the sentence is normal* ,%estion or negati+e# 'n cont contras rast* t* in Engl English ish we co%l co%ld d know know that that the the sente sentenc ncee is ,%es ,%esti tion on at the the beginning in eample d1# /e co%ld also hear negati+e word :not: relati+ely earlier at least before the main +erb :st%dy:1 in eample c1#
;#(%bordinate cla%se
res%lt and reason
(inc (incee we ha+e ha+e eam eamin ined ed singl singlee sente sentenc nces es so far* far* ' will will epl eplai ain n abo% abo%tt the the relationship between a main cla%se and a s%bordinate cla%se# These are eamples of them#
<
Japanese "yo % w a1 (
te rm n o o w a ri @ s
d es % node . b e c a% s e
w a ta s h i w a 1 (
a n s h ini n s % r % @ . s
r
T oday
th e e n d o f te rm
des%
node
'
@
reaso n
.
&&1
r e s % lt
English ' am ( .
r e lil i e + e d @
b e c a % s e t o d a y is n! .
r e s % lt
reaso n r
r
s
'
am
th e e n d o f th e te r m # n ! n !
s
r e lil i e + e d
b e c a % s e to d a y
is
th e e n d o f th e te r m #
e1
The word order within the cla%ses is as same as pre+io%s eamples* altho%gh eample &&1 and e1 are (#.#@# sentence* not (#.#-# The important thing that we ha+e to know is the relationship between the reason and the res%lt# 't is ob+io%s that Japanese and English are opposite# 'n other words* in English* we co%ld know the res% res%lt lt firs first* t* whil whilee in Japa Japane nese se** we ha+e ha+e to wait wait the the res% res%lt lt %nti %ntill seco second nd half half## (%rprisingly* the second half is the main cla%se* and the first half is the s%bordinate cla%se in Japanese# To be honest* ' am not ,%ite s%re abo%t the relationship between them beca%se the reason* s%bordinate cla%se* may be m%ch more important than the res%lt* main cla%se* in terms of the contet# Especially* like eample &&1* the res%lt may not be so important beca%se this is not something new* nor some action which can ca%se other e+ents# From my point of +iew* this is my feeling at the moment1 ' want to stress the reason anyway#
=
Yet* it may depend on the hearer# 'f the hearer who is heard eample &&1 is somebody in my school* he or she may want to know how ' feel rather than the reason beca%se e+erybody already know today is the end of of term#
<# Boncl%sion
'n pre+ pre+io io%s %s eam eampl ples es** ' foc% foc%sed sed on the the chara charact cter erist istic icss of Japa Japane nese se that that important words s%ch as :not: in negati+e* and :ka: in ,%estion are always the ending# oreo+er* a res%lt is also the ending# These feat%res so%nd negati+e# (ince ' rethink abo%t this characteristics* ' can find positi+e effects of them# Firstly* the ending can be memorable in con+ersations# (econdly* beca%se of this feat%re* feat%re* Japanese people are patient patient to listen by the ending# ending# 'n other words* Japanese Japanese people appreciate what other people say# This does not mean that English people do not so#1 'n cont contras rastt Engl Englis ish h is m%ch m%ch more more con+ con+en enie ient nt and and dete determ rmin ined ed from from the the beginning* so that is why English is s%pposed to be s%itable for debates* in other words* logical thinking# Those differences may ca%se c%lt%ral difference* or may be ca%sed by c%lt%ral differences# )ang%age feat%res are so di+erse that we ha+e to learn other lang%ages in order order to %nderst %nderstand and them# them# !e+ert !e+erthel heless* ess* e+ery e+ery lang%a lang%age ge works works effecti effecti+ely +ely## /e Japanese do not ha+e any problem to %se and %nderstand o%r lang%age e+en tho%gh Japanese is completely different from English as ' s%ggested in the introd%ction of this essay# (ince ' am a nati+e speaker of Japanese* ' ha+e ne+er analysed Japanese before# This opport%nity m%st make me aware of Japanese characteristics characteristi cs which ' will
>
st%dy in more depth# 'n addition* this essay is like a report which is consisted by my knowledge so far# 7asically* eamples and some of analysis abo%t Japanese are my own* b%t ' referred some books below to get general ideas#
@eference
Asher* @onald# &>>8# Encyclopedia &>>8# Encyclopedia of Language Language of Linguistics# Linguistics # -ford? ergamon ress# 7right* /illiam ed# &>>2# International &>>2# International Encyclopedia of Linguistics# Linguistics# -ford Cni+ersity ress# 4%ddson* @icharc# &>>=# English &>>=# English Grammar # )ondon and !ew York? @o%tlege# "%no* (%s%m%# &><3# The Structure of the Japanese Language# Language# assach%setts? The 'T ress#
&0
