Chances are, if you’ve ever had a conversation in Japanese – or even any other language – with a native Japanese person, you might have been slightly disconcerted by their constant interjections.
That’s because nodding along, saying things like “I see” ("naruhodo"), “Oh really?” ("so desu ka?") and just plain grunting is considered a polite way to indicate to a speaker that you’re following along in a conversation.
This technique is called “aizuchi” in Japanese and, sure, it seems common sense in any culture to occasionally give a nod of the head or look up from your riveting game of Candy Crush Saga to indicate you have at least a passing interest in what’s being said, but the Japanese really turn it into an art form.
We’ll let YouTuber and Japan resident Micaela give you a sample of what it sounds and feels like below and then give our thoughts on this uniquely Japanese phenomena.
Micaela is generally absolutely right in that "aizuchi" can seem a little annoying to foreigners who aren’t used to it, but in reality, it isn’t, strictly speaking, always used to show a listener you’re following along. Like in other cultures, depending on tone and body language, "aizuchi" can also be used to indicate you want the speaker to get to the point or just wrap it up with the whole talking thing.
So, when a Japanese person says, “aa, so,” he/she could be indicating that they’re interested in what you’re saying, but it could also be a polite way of telling you, “Hey, I’m sure whatever you’re saying is very interesting, but right now I’m a little more interested in this delicious meatball sub, so could you come back later?”
Micaela’s point about conversations in Japanese tending to revolve around the listener’s obsession with your foreignness is also something that longtime foreign Japan residents can probably identify with.
If you’re learning Japanese, getting used to both hearing "aizuchi" and using them yourself is a great and pretty easy way to make your Japanese sound more natural and cut down on misunderstandings.
Here are a few suggestions (along with rough translations, but you’re better off learning how to use them by mimicking those around you) for great borderline-grunting sounds you can use to customize your "aizuchi." Say them with an upward intonation to indicate intense interest, or in a flat monotone and with a blank, uninterested expression if you just want the speaker to shut up:
“Eeeeeeeeh!” (“Whaaaat?”/”No way!”)
“So nan da!” (“Oh, that’s right!”/”Right, I get it!”)
“Naruhodo ne” (“Ah, so that’s how it is.”/”Right, I see.”)
“Nnnnnnnn” (A deep and meaningful “I’m considering what you’re saying.”)
“Fuuuuuuun” (“I’m listening, and it’s intriguing!”)
“Un un un!” (“Right, right right!”)
We hope you find these useful, Japanese learners.
Source: Kotaro Blog
Read more stories from RocketNews24.-- Six (and a half) essential resources for learning Japanese-- Eight Japanese words we’d love to import into English-- English language education in Japan: Are native speakers essential?
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9 Comments
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Himeros
Well who doesn't nod along or acknowledge their understanding/agreements by making "mmm" or "Hmm" sounds. It's not like you ever just vacantly, unresponsively stare at someone you're speaking with (I hope).
4(+5/-1)
Tim_Fox
This isn't unique to the Japanese language. It's funny how all these articles follow the French notion of their own cultural exceptionalism.
5(+6/-1)
timtak
Yeah, too right, sure, really, great, but wait. There are some difference. One is that Japanese tend to repeat what someone else has said (for agreement), whereas English speakers are likely to repeat what they themselves have said (for emphasis), according to a colleague's research.
1(+1/-0)
Algol510
Huh? What? Say that again, please. Oooh, right, I got it now. I loved my stay in Japan in the 60,s. It was so nice to deal with so many extremely courteous people.
2(+3/-1)
OssanAmerica
"this uniquely Japanese phenomena."Uh-huh. Yup. Right. Yea. I hear ya. No way. Get out.Yes, very "uniquely" Japanese.
5(+7/-2)
timeon
For me the "Eeto desu nee" is very useful, when I get a question, especially a difficult one, it gives me a few seconds to prepare. Well, in English I use "Let me see" or repeating the question, or the simple "well".
1(+1/-0)
philly1
@ OssanAmerica "this uniquely Japanese phenomena." Uh-huh. Yup. Right. Yea. I hear ya. No way. Get out. Yes, very "uniquely" Japanese.
For sure. The only unique thing about it is the ubiquitous nature and irritatingly invasive nature of it--if it's not your cultural norm. Much like the screaming of irashaimase as you pass by shops or the high-pitched girl-child voices of women who greet you with their ohayo gozaimasu or good moaning, it's normal and goes unnoticed in Japan except by non-Japanese.
-2(+1/-3)
serendipitous
And using aizuchi can easily trick a Japanese person into thinking your Japanese abilities are amazingly good.
2(+2/-0)
Todd Allen
It's not uniquely Japanese however, in terms of frequency, aizuchi is 2.6 times more frequent (Kita & Ide, 2007).
1(+1/-0)
