Eh vs. ね

The more time I spend in Japan, the more similarities I find between Canada and Japan. This time, my discovery is that of the linguistic-cultural kind. Ever since coming to Japan, I hear people adding ね~ to the ends of spoken sentences as a way to acknowledge someone, to express agreement with another person, and also to say that you understand. In fact, I hear ね~ being used so much that I often add ね~ to the end of my sentences, even in English! I think ね~ is great. It is short, simple, and it is something that is very Japanese. In fact, to me, it is an essential part of everyday Japanese communication.

However, in Canada we also have a great way of expressing to each other that we understand or that we agree. It is ‘eh’. Phonetically, it is pronounced more like ‘エイ’. Canadians like to add ‘eh’ to the end of our sentences just like Japanese people like to add ね~ to the end of their sentences. The intonation of ね and ‘Eh’ are the same as well, as both rise. For example, I said in my last diary entry that both Canadians and Japanese like to talk about the weather. We are two countries that experience all four seasons every year; perhaps that is why we are similarly preoccupied with talking about the weather. But the way in which we talk about the weather is similar too! In Japan we often say ‘寒いですね？’, and in Canada we say ‘It’s cold today, eh?’. Both sentences are the same, and so is the way we express each sentence. Other ways of using ‘Eh’ can be like this: ‘What do you think, eh?’ Well, I want to know what you think! Do you think that the way Canadians use ‘Eh’ is close to how Japanese people use ね? Why do you think each of our countries have this unique ending to our sentences?

I think one of the reasons why Canadians and Japanese add these unique linguistic markers to the ends of our sentences is because both our cultures like to find more ways to agree with each other than to disagree with each other. Perhaps it is a reflection of both our society’s desires for peace and acceptance, eh? そうですね!