I don’t know who dreamed up the idea that Japanese needs to be softened when spoken, but I’d like to box his ears.

It’s fine to write “Atsui desu,” it’s hot. But if you’re saying that, or almost anything else that expresses an opinon, you must add “ne” at the end. “Atsui desu, ne….” Draw out the “ne” for added squishy fun.

Heaven forbid you ever express your desires without adding the bells and whistles. “Atarashiku kutsu kaitai desu,” I want to buy new shoes, becomes the spoken “Atarashiku kutsu kaitai-n desu ga…”

I forget. In my excited rush to communicate, I form a sentence and blurt it out. I coo “The kitten is very cute” without the “ne.” People look at me askance. Apparently, leaving off “ne” is the verbal equivalent of TYPING WITH THE CAPS LOCK ON, ne… Posted by kuri at August 11, 2000 06:24 AM