How to think will the Japanese language will help you in the future?
Japan is the third-largest economy in the world after the United States and China. The Japanese economy is larger than those of Germany and the United Kingdom, which are ranked fourth and fifth-largest. It is often said that globalization opens international markets, which is one of the reasons why learning Japanese is important The Japanese language is the ninth most spoken language in the world, with 128 million people speaking it as their first language in only two countries. Globally, Japanese is spoken by 128.3 million speakers. It might be more difficult to find a Japantown than a Chinatown, but the Japanese diaspora can be found in several countries. Brazil has the largest Japanese community, followed by the United States, the Philippines, China, the United Kingdom, Peru and Canada. Japanese communities are also found in Europe, South America, Central America, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Pacific Islands, Qatar, Pakistan and Russia. As the Asian economy rises, more opportunities for work would be available. Japanese is a language that is not commonly taught or studied, like French, German or Spanish. Learning Japanese will boost your professional value. When you learn Japanese, you’ll have less competition in opportunities available in different fields, such as business, social sciences, humanities, technology, science, journalism and tourism. If you want to be a translator for the government or a language services provider, your competition is lower when you speak Japanese compared to other more commonly taught languages.
Japanese has many reasons to learn it, reasons that would greatly benefit your future. These are:
1. Japanese is a polite language
Japanese hardly has any offensive words in the language, and what it has, pertains to bodies of animals and humans(owing to Japan being an agricultural country)compared to other languages that have distasteful, vulgar content. Japanese argue respectfully and hence refrain from using such words in public.
2. An honorific language
Japanese is an honorific language. As a result Japanese people try to avoid speaking directly, loudly or offensively. It’s because they care for and are sensitive to other people’s feelings. The downside of this is that it creates mistakes in using honorifics.
3. Global perspective
More and more students around the world are taking up Japanese to be able to communicate in another language. Also, English is no longer the exclusive language of business, hence, it is critical that people start learning other languages in order to communicate in the language of the customer.
4. Provides more opportunities for international understanding
The Pacific Rim and Asia continue to increase their global importance. The relationships between the U.S. and Japan have strategic and economic significance. Thus, it is critical that more Americans should be proficient in Japanese. It’s common knowledge that the Japanese are very nationalistic and even if they can speak and write in another language they would prefer to have their written texts in Japanese. Thus, access to information could be easier if people know the language. Fluency in Japanese allows people to improve communication and gain deeper knowledge and higher understanding of Japan as a nation and as a culture.
5. Makes you understand Japanese culture
The Japanese culture is unique. It’s a combination of traditional and modern practices. Typically, social conducts are not something you will see in the West. Their cultural traditions are ingrained in the people, young and old, and these traditions dictate the way they react, interact and behave. These are also manifested in the way they write, read, hear and talk.
Understanding the Japanese language will open your eyes to Japanese history, martial arts, entertainment, culture and fashion.
6. You can qualify as an English teacher in Japan
Your proficiency in Japanese can be your stepping-stone to teach English in Japanese high schools or even work in some local Japanese organizations of the government. The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (JET) is an annual program where foreign students who pass the criteria and review process can stay and teach in Japan for one full year. It is a program to promote internationalization through the development of mutual understanding between Japan and other countries. Its aim is to increase Japanese education in foreign languages. You can continue to study the Japanese language during your stay.
7. You’ll have access to advanced technology
Japan is a nation that is geographically isolated. It is astonishing how the Japanese were able to rely on their scientific knowledge and creativity to make their country economically successful. They are leaders in various fields of technology such as fermentation processes, industrial robotics, semiconductor manufacturing, electronics and optical media. They are great innovators, attested by their being on top of the list of patent filings in the world. Each year, around 420,000 patent applications are filed by Japanese inventors.
8. Globalization
Globalization has opened new markets and allowed countries to engage in trade faster. However, there is always the problem of communication because nations speak different languages, which is why learning new languages is increasingly encouraged. Being able to speak other languages improves economic ties because communication is facilitated and understanding is enhanced.
Finally,
The ”spirit of words” or Kotodama in Japanese, makes the language important to the people. Haruhiko Kindaichi who creates dictionaries of the Japanese language, believes that the local accents are important in shaping the language, making it richer, since the accents and dialects fill up the gaps that the standard language cannot fill. You could also have better chances of promotion. If you’re working for an international corporation, speaking a foreign language like Japanese creates more opportunities for you to be assigned to an overseas branch.
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