[Sunday Culture] Why the Japanese Phrase "Sou Desu Ne~" Is Commonly Used for Agreement

More Backchanneling Expressions in Korean Compared to English and Chinese
Due to Language Characteristics That Reflect Awareness of the Other's Response in Conversation

One of the biggest characteristics of the Japanese language is probably its rich variety of reactions. Expressions like 'Hai, hai,' 'Sou desu ne,' 'Naruhodo,' and the uniquely Japanese 'E~' are just some of the many ways to show agreement. When you think of other languages like English, you don’t come up with as many different ways to show agreement as in Japanese.

Today, we will explain why there are so many expressions for showing agreement in Japanese.

In Japanese, the act of showing agreement is called 'Aizuchi (相づち).' You might have seen scenes in Japanese historical dramas or animations where a master and apprentice take turns hammering a sword. The hammer is called 'tsuchi.' The kanji literally means to strike the hammer in rhythm with each other. The term was given because showing agreement is similar to exchanging responses in rhythm. So, while in Korean we say 'to show agreement,' in Japanese they say 'to insert aizuchi.'

Photo by Irastora

Japanese people consider someone who uses aizuchi well in conversation to be good at communication. Because of this, there are many papers and studies on aizuchi. This is due to the unusually large number of expressions compared to other languages like English or Chinese. Not only in business but also in casual conversations with friends, expressions like 'Tashika ni (たしかに, certainly),' 'Naruhodo (なるほど, I see),' and 'Zettai (絶?, absolutely)' are frequently used.

According to research, this is because of the Japanese style of speaking. English conversations clearly distinguish between speaker and listener, but Japanese is different. The Japanese conversational style is said to follow a 'Kyowa (共話, co-conversation)' model. The listener responds based on their understanding of what was said, and through this back-and-forth, the two people effectively create the conversation together.

Additionally, other linguistic theories suggest that when Japanese people speak, they focus more on maintaining interpersonal relationships throughout the conversation rather than just conveying information. They pay attention to whether the other person might feel offended, whether it’s okay to continue talking, or if the other person is enjoying the conversation.

Because of this, to improve communication skills, one must continuously practice aizuchi. In fact, if you search for aizuchi, you will find many articles introducing various aizuchi expressions used in business.

So, what kinds of aizuchi are commonly used? First, in business, there is a rule called the 'Sashisuseso' rule, based on the 'sa' row of the Japanese hiragana.

The first is 'Sasuga desu ne (さすがですね).' Literally, it means 'as expected,' but it usually conveys admiration or the idea that you knew the person would be like that. It is an expression that instantly satisfies the other person’s desire for recognition.

The second is 'Shiranakatta desu ne (知らなかったですね),' meaning 'I didn’t know.' It is often used to express that you were unaware of something and thank the other person for informing you.

The third is 'Sugoi desu ne (すごいですね).' The meaning of 'Sugoi' is well known even in Korea. It means 'amazing' and is used to praise the other person.

The fourth is 'Sensu ii desu ne (センスいいですね),' a compliment meaning 'You have good sense' or 'You are stylish.' The last is the interrogative form 'Sounan desu ka (そうなんですか),' which means 'Is that so?' and is used as an expression of agreement.

Because there are so many different expressions, simply responding with 'Uh-huh' or 'Yeah, yeah' is considered very rude.

Languages carry various cultures within them. Japan is a country where the culture of 'Meiwaku (迷惑),' meaning not to cause trouble to others, is so strong that people are very conscious of others in their relationships. This tendency seems to have created the unique characteristics of the Japanese language.