日本語の大きな特徴には、母音が多いということ以外に、唇をあまり使わずに、口の奥で構音する（言葉をつくる）という点もある。

Besides having many vowels, another major characteristic of Japanese is that the lips are used relatively little and articulation—the formation of speech—takes place toward the back of the mouth.

試しに、鉛筆かボールペンか何かを、横向きにくわえてしゃべってみよう。

Try holding a pencil, ballpoint pen, or something similar sideways in your mouth and speaking.

逆に日本語だからこそ、喉声が完成されたのかもしれない。

Conversely, perhaps it was precisely because of Japanese that this throat-based voice could be developed to perfection.

日本語の大きな特徴には、母音が多いということ以外に、唇をあまり使わずに、口の奥で構音する（言葉をつくる）という点もある。

Besides having many vowels, another major characteristic of Japanese is that the lips are used relatively little and articulation—the formation of speech—takes place toward the back of the mouth.

日本語の大きな特徴には、母音が多いということ以外に、唇をあまり使わずに、口の奥で構音する（言葉をつくる）という点もある。

Besides having many vowels, another major characteristic of Japanese is that the lips are used relatively little and articulation—the formation of speech—takes place toward the back of the mouth.

日本語の大きな特徴には、母音が多いということ以外に、唇をあまり使わずに、口の奥で構音する（言葉をつくる）という点もある。

Besides having many vowels, another major characteristic of Japanese is that the lips are used relatively little and articulation—the formation of speech—takes place toward the back of the mouth.

つまり、口元を動かさずに、喉で言葉をつくってる感じだ。

In other words, it feels as though words are formed in the throat without much movement around the mouth.

外国人にとっては、「1」これがすごく不気味に思えるらしい。

To foreigners, 「1」this apparently seems extremely eerie.

日本語だとちゃんと聞きとれるようにしゃべれるが、例えば英語だと、何言ってんだかわからなくなる。

In Japanese, you can still speak clearly enough to be understood, but in English, for example, it becomes impossible to tell what you are saying.

日本語は口の奥で構音するが、英語などは口の先っぽで構音するからだ。

This is because Japanese is articulated toward the back of the mouth, whereas English and similar languages are articulated toward the front.

というよりも発音すること自体、ほとんど不可能になってしまう。

Or rather, pronunciation itself becomes almost impossible.

母音が多いだけでなく、発音のしかたからしても、日本語は喉声向きにできている。

Japanese not only has many vowels; even its manner of pronunciation makes it well suited to a throat-based voice.

母音が多いだけでなく、発音のしかたからしても、日本語は喉声向きにできている。

Japanese not only has many vowels; even its manner of pronunciation makes it well suited to a throat-based voice.

逆に日本語だからこそ、喉声が完成されたのかもしれない。

Conversely, perhaps it was precisely because of Japanese that this throat-based voice could be developed to perfection.

（中野純『日本人の鳴き声』ＮＴＴ出版による）

(Based on Nakano Jun, “The Cries of the Japanese,” NTT Publishing)

日本語の大きな特徴には、母音が多いということ以外に、唇をあまり使わずに、口の奥で構音する（言葉をつくる）という点もある。

Besides having many vowels, another major characteristic of Japanese is that the lips are used relatively little and articulation—the formation of speech—takes place toward the back of the mouth.

だから、日本語をしゃべっていると、能面とかポーカーフェイスといわれる無表情な顔になる。

As a result, when speaking Japanese, the face becomes expressionless, like what is described as a Noh mask or a poker face.

外国人にとっては、「1」これがすごく不気味に思えるらしい。

To foreigners, 「1」this apparently seems extremely eerie.

試しに、鉛筆かボールペンか何かを、横向きにくわえてしゃべってみよう。

Try holding a pencil, ballpoint pen, or something similar sideways in your mouth and speaking.

日本語は口の奥で構音するが、英語などは口の先っぽで構音するからだ。

This is because Japanese is articulated toward the back of the mouth, whereas English and similar languages are articulated toward the front.

口の先っぽに「口かせ」をはめられちゃうと、どうにもならないのだ。

If a “gag” is put over the front of the mouth, there is simply no way to manage.

同じアジアのお隣さんの国でも、全然違うのだ。

Even between neighboring countries in the same part of Asia, the difference is complete.

母音が多いだけでなく、発音のしかたからしても、日本語は喉声向きにできている。

Japanese not only has many vowels; even its manner of pronunciation makes it well suited to a throat-based voice.

逆に日本語だからこそ、喉声が完成されたのかもしれない。

Conversely, perhaps it was precisely because of Japanese that this throat-based voice could be developed to perfection.

だから、日本語をしゃべっていると、能面とかポーカーフェイスといわれる無表情な顔になる。

As a result, when speaking Japanese, the face becomes expressionless, like what is described as a Noh mask or a poker face.

日本語だとちゃんと聞きとれるようにしゃべれるが、例えば英語だと、何言ってんだかわからなくなる。

In Japanese, you can still speak clearly enough to be understood, but in English, for example, it becomes impossible to tell what you are saying.