Language is much more than the semantic meanings of a lexicon.
This becomes clear when studying a foreign language and culture quite contrasting to one's own. Looking at the Japanese language from the vantage point of an English-speaking Western culture, many aspects of language are set in vivid relief, which helps us better understand language itself as well as our own culture. This essay will therefore outline some basic aspects of any language, with sometimes amusing examples where Japanese differs strikingly from English. Everyday Japanese words that have no equivalent in English will be featured for what they disclose about Japanese culture. Then cross-cultural communication problems will be touched upon, with the addition of biculturalism to bilingualism suggested as a challenging solution.