Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1913 — JAPAN IS RICH IN WORDS [ARTICLE]

JAPAN IS RICH IN WORDS

It Has More Than Nine'for “I," to Be Used According to Circumstances. There are great differences between the richness and poorness of words in the different countries. Japan la certainly richer in its words than Eng. land. Just tor example, we have more than nine words for the word “I.’* The emperor alone calls hipuelf '“Chin,’’ and all his subjects call them- | selves “Watakushl,” “Wash!,” “Ore,” ’ “Boku," "Sesaha.” “Soregaahi,” "Ware,” “Yo,” etc., according to circumstances. The second or thrld per* son changes as much as the first per. son, “I,” and all the verba accordingly. When I started to learn the English, first time, I asked my American teacher: “What shall I call myself before the emperor?” He said “1.” “Then what shall I say before my parents?" vs “What shall I say before my man friends? ’And before my woman friends?” MJ * "I was quite astonished and said: "How simple, but how rude Is the English language I"—Atlantic Monthly.