Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Apr 11, 2016
The Google artificial intelligence program AlphaGo has defeated South Korean go grandmaster Lee Se-dol in a historic tournament in Seoul.
Language | BILINGUAL Apr 4, 2016
Luckily for English speakers, machine translation still can't match a native's touch
by Mark Schreiber
The consensus is that translation will one day inevitably be taken over by computers — but we're not there yet.
Language | WELL SAID Apr 4, 2016
Minding your manners and judging others' with 'shitsurei'
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Introducing some ways of using 失礼 (しつれい), meaning "impoliteness." ...
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Apr 4, 2016
Italy has put forward the Neapolitan pizza as a candidate for inclusion on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list for next year.
How-tos | LIFELINES Apr 3, 2016
Seeking Japanese courses for mature students; reconnecting with a lost mother
by Louise George Kittaka
A British reader is keen to come to Japan and learn the language, and a woman in the U.S. hopes to get in contact with her Japanese birth mother.
Language | BILINGUAL Mar 28, 2016
Condolences: What to say when there's nothing you can say
by Daniel Morales
In the event of a death, even though there may be nothing you can say that will help the grieving, you have to try. This is a particular challenge in a second language.
Language | WELL SAID Mar 28, 2016
Learning the ins and outs of even-ifs using 'ni shiro'
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Introducing the meaning and uses of ～にしろ (even if), which is a more formal version of ～ にしても. ...
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Mar 28, 2016
A lone tree in central Hokkaido that served as one of the main photo spots in the area has been cut down due to its worsening condition and the bad manners of tourists to the site.
Language | BILINGUAL Mar 21, 2016
Lessons in history and bureaucracy lurk within Japan's geographical layer cake
by Colin P.A. Jones
Although in English we say Japan has 47 prefectures, Japanese uses four terms to express the same concept. And that's just for starters.
Language | WELL SAID Mar 21, 2016
A certain ratio: the relative strengths of wariai, wari to and wari ni
by Akemi Tanahashi and Hitomi Tashiro
Introducing the meaning and adverbial uses of the noun 割合 (わりあい, ratio). ...
Language | COMMUNICATION CUES Mar 21, 2016
'Konmari' decluttering book finally tops U.S. best-seller list
The English version of a Japanese book on how to declutter rooms has topped U.S. newspaper USA Today's weekly best-seller list.
Language | BILINGUAL Mar 14, 2016
Japanese go out on a limb for health (but not for love)
by Kaori Shoji
You could say that health has become a national obsession — one of the most obvious side-effects of Japan's super-aged society.