Sound Characteristic of Japanese

Aug 4, 2015 13:20
Today, I learned about how Japanese language hears by foreigners.

Firstly, Japanese language is thought to be spoken fast.

We don't think so, but we feel Chinese and Thai languages are spoken very fast.

In fact, Japanese, Chinese and Thai languages are composed mainly of vowels, and there is no consecutive consonants.

Therefore, these languages seems to sound like tongue twisters.

Secondly, Japanese speakers seem to be thought as if they are angry.

Since Japanese language have almost no accents, changes of intonations are less, it sounds like angry.

Also, we need not to use high pitched sound in Japanese, so our voices tend to be low.

This low voice is also related to the fact that Japanese speakers look like angry.

I don't know whether these information is a perfectly true, but I'd like to be careful when I speak to foreigners in Japanese.
No. 1 aliengorilla's correction
  • Sound Characteristic of Japanese
  • Sound Characteristics of Japanese
     Plural form
  • Today, I learned about how Japanese language hears by foreigners.
  • Today, I learned about how the Japanese language is heard by foreigners.
  • Firstly, Japanese language is thought to be spoken fast.
  • Firstly, Japanese is thought to be spoken fast.
     Either "the Japanese language" or just "Japanese" is correct.
  • We don't think so, but we feel Chinese and Thai languages are spoken very fast.
  • This sentence is perfect! No correction needed!
  • In fact, Japanese, Chinese and Thai languages are composed mainly of vowels, and there is no consecutive consonants.
  • In fact, Japanese, Chinese and Thai languages are composed mainly of vowels, and there are no consecutive consonants.
     You are speaking of a group, so you need the plural form of "is"
  • Therefore, these languages seems to sound like tongue twisters.
  • Therefore, these languages seem to sound like tongue twisters.
  • Secondly, Japanese speakers seem to be thought as if they are angry.
  • Secondly, Japanese speakers seem to be thought of as angry.
     Another way to say that is "Japanese speakers seem to be angry"
  • Since Japanese language have almost no accents, changes of intonations are less, it sounds like angry.
  • Since Japanese has almost no accents, changes of intonations are less, it sounds angry.
     I am unfamiliar with Japanese so I don't know what you mean by changes of intonations.
  • Also, we need not to use high pitched sound in Japanese, so our voices tend to be low.
  • Also, we need not use high pitched sound in Japanese, so our voices tend to be low.
  • This low voice is also related to the fact that Japanese speakers look like angry.
  • This low voice is also related to the fact that Japanese speakers sound angry.
     "sound" would refer to the voice or pitch of a language.
  • I don't know whether these information is a perfectly true, but I'd like to be careful when I speak to foreigners in Japanese.
  • I don't know whether this information is a perfectly true, but I'd like to be careful when I speak to foreigners in Japanese.
I think most people think foreign languages sound fast. I had never heard of Japanese sounding angry though!
kanotown
  • Since Japanese has almost no accents, changes of intonations are less, it sounds angry.

    I am unfamiliar with Japanese so I don't know what you mean by changes of intonations.

Thank you very much for correcting my post! :D

> I am unfamiliar with Japanese so I don't know what you mean by changes of intonations.
I wanted to say something like "We speak in flat monotone(flat intonation). " It is said that Japanese have less intonation than other countries. I hope my English make sense.

> I had never heard of Japanese sounding angry though!
I'm relieved to hear that!
No. 2 Sharu's correction
  • We don't think so, but we feel Chinese and Thai languages are spoken very fast.
  • Instead, we feel Chinese and Thai languages are spoken very fast.
hahaha There's sooo much that I can tell you about 'no intonation' and my experience. My Japanese friend always tells me, "Sharu, you always speak with feelings (intonations). You don't need to do that -_-; "lol It's a bit challenging to control the intonation. But I'm learning to get it right :)
Also, I don't think they sound angry. My obasan-friend is realllly fast. And I think it's so cool !
I have a Q though. Don't you think 声優 guys speak with some intonation ?
kanotown
Thank you very much for the correction and your informative comment! :D
Haha, indeed many of us think intonations are not necessary too much during speaking, but some (and I) like the speech with feelings!

> Also, I don't think they sound angry.
I was relieved, thank you. Information of the internet is often inaccurate!

> Don't you think 声優 guys speak with some intonation ?
Yes, I think most of them speak with intonations! I heard that it's difficult to catch Japanese feelings, but 声優's feelings are easy to catch because of their intonation!

However, if the animation wanted to produce a sense of reality, 声優 guys might speak with almost no intonation(e.g. Studio Ghibli movie).
Sharu
My pleasure and that's good to know :)
Talking of seiyuu, I like how they speak 'ano ne -_-' , 'ha?!' and I get it right almost always ^^; But yes, the talk without intonation is also important to study.
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