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Japanese Language Facts
Japanese is not directly related to any other language (family).Despite the complexity, Japan boasts an adult literacy level of 99%.
Even though Japanese is only spoken in Japan as first language, there is a good number of dialects with considerable variation.
Spoken in: Japan, Guam, Marshall Islands, Palau, Taiwan.
Region: East Asia, Oceania.
Total speakers: 127 million.
Official language of: Japan, Angaur.
Statistics:
- Japan - 127,333,002
- United States - 804,000
- Brazil - 380,000
- Peru - 109,000
- Canada - 43,000
- Mexico - 35,000
- Argentina - 32,000
- Germany - 20,000
- Singapore - 20,000
- Hong Kong - 12,000
- Paraguay - 12,000
- United Kingdom - 12,000
- Taiwan - 10,000
- Paraguay - 7,000
- Dominican Republic - 1,500
- United Arab Emirates - 1,300
- Panama - 1,200
- Mongolia (?)
- Philippines- 2,899
- Thailand (?)
Japanese uses 4 distinct systems of writing: kanji, hiragana, katakana and romanji. Hiragana is syllabic and the most original writing system in Japan. It is used for simple words, conjugations, particles and children's literature as it is the first set of writing which is taught. Katakana is used to write foreign words. Kanji is based on the Chinese writing system and consists of about 2000 signs. Recently, romanji, a romanization of Japanese words - has developed, too.
Japanese uses 4 different ways of addressing people: kun, chan, san and sama. Kun is somewhat condescending, chan is used for intimates and children, san is the universal mode and sama is deferential.
Vocabulary can vary according to gender of the speaking person: women use other vocabulary than men.
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