The Japanese language seems designed for the speaker who wants to deceive. In Japanese, the verb is always placed at the end of a sentence, a syntax that can be artfully manipulated. It permits the speaker to monitor the reactions of others present and, at the very last moment, insert the verb ... The Japanese language, in effect, allows him to speak from both sides of 'his mouth at the same time. On learning Japanese, St Francis Xavier, the 16th-century Jesuit, called it "The devil's tongue".'

LRB 22 October 1992 | PDF Download