What is Japanese language like?
The Japanese language is often thought of as a vague language, but this is mainly due to an effort to be polite and the fact that the Japanese people do not like to express denial or say things too forthrightly.
“sodesune” would be a typical vague Japanese expression. It means “I think so”, but it can be used in situations where you both agree or disagree.
Another reason the Japanese language is vague is that there are no plurals. Some words have plurals like “hitobito” (people), but most words do not have plurals. For example, Japanese people often say “tomodachi” (friend), but you don’t really know if it is a friend or friends.
Also, there are a number of words with the same pronunciation that have several different meanings. One is normally able to understand the meaning through the context. For example, “hashi” can be “a bridge” or “chopsticks” or “an edge”. “Sumimasen” could be used for “I am sorry”, “thank you” or “excuse me”.
