You can see that language and culture are reflection of the mind of the people. Mind refers to the perception and value of the people for things. In computer term, you may say mind is OS and language and culture are apps. The secrete of the deep understanding of foreign language will learn the OS behind the apps.

When you write address in Western style, you write name first followed by number and street, local area, city/town, prefecture/state and country. In Japanese style, it is written in opposite order, starting with country. When you lost a way, Western people would say from there point of view as “Where am I?” (in English). While, Japanese say from the whole view of the area as “kokoha doko desuka”/ Where is here? (in Japanese),

Japanese people think first the whole picture and they are a part of it. It is engraved the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims in Hiroshima – please rest in peace. as no mistake is repeated. It has once become a topic of debate as it is not clear who is saying. Japanese people don’t blame someone directly but can understand the intention. In Japanese the subject of a sentence is mostly omitted.

In Western world map Atlantic Ocean is in the middle. North and South America is on the left side, and Eurasia continent is on the right side, while Japan is drawn in the far east. However, Japan is in the center on Japanese map. You should know that language OS is made based on these elements. It is advised that Japanese learners firstly take in Japanese perspectives.

Lesson Experience by the Author