Japanese is different that many European languages so it's really difficult to group it with them. I've heard that English and Japanese are 2 of the hardest languages to learn, even the Monterey Institute which is premier school also states this.

Japanese also has another factor which English doesn't have. You have this -- a lucid understanding between those speaking. Of course at times 2 speakers are not sure what the other is referring to but at many times they do and thereby fill in the blanks on their own. English is much the opposite depending on the 5W1H menatality (who, what, where, when, why, and how) which makes it difficult for many Japanese.

I do agree that the level of language has fallen in being that it has gotten lazy. You no longer hear beautiful allusions to poems and what not ... but ... I interact on a daily level with common people. Books and stories are normally related to people of high birth. Genji Monogatari was written by a court lady. Her superior Sei Shonagon the author of the Pillow Book was also a lady of high birth. I would love to read something of the early periods by farmers. But alas, they would be like the peasants and serfs -- illeterate and more occupied with making enough to have left over to eat.

The way of the sword and the way of the pen are very closely related in Japan. The way of the rice plant was much that, a way of dirty feet. Economics then and today are still surprisingly similar. Japan claims a high literally rate but they never statitically proved that with the amount of vocabularly a person can read. The states are always targetted about this but yet the amount of immigrants and poor folk play highly in this figure also I'm pretty sure that all students are required to take the tests while I think that the Japanese fudge the test by excluding students of lower ability.

But let's get back to the topic. Yes, some words seem missing but let's not forget that their are many phrases for situations that I can't even put together in English.

English is states being difficult since it uses a very limited vocabulary for daily conversation. I use a much larger vocabulary in daily conversation for Japanese. I may not use flowery expressions of make references to Basho but neither do most around me. During winter I came across the word "idomizu" (moved water) in reference to "recirculated water" In Japanese 1 word in English 2 words and that after I shortend the sentence.

Movie language I'm sure there has to be a reason. Either just laziness or the rush that is put on them to get a movie finished, don't forget that a voice over version is also available. And possibly it could be that such language is used much the same way newspapers in the States stick to high school level in order target the widest possibly audience. It would be interesting though to find out what the reasoning is behind this.

@never and without
never = zettai nai, zettai shinai, or even simply nai
without = nashi, nuki so if you go to Mickey D's you can say "pikiru nashi or pikiru nuki" no pickles or take out the pickles.


I'm not a linguist so it's really difficult to come up with a scholaristic view. And many times I'm wrong. So please take the above as just a viewpoint.