CH 78

Chapter 78. [Something Behind The Words]

<<Iroha is… Cheating.>>

<<Uh?>>

<<VTuber events are always held in Japan. I live in America and can’t attend most of them.>>

The VTuber industry is centered in Japan.

<<Most of the local live shows are in Japan.>>

<<I’ve been to a lot of VTubing events in Japan. I always go to Japan. It would be nice if Iroha could come to America sometimes.>>

<<That’s why we have large events in America.>>

<<That’s why I’m so happy to see a big event in America.>>

But still, it’s ‘cheating’.

I didn’t realize I had made you think that.

<<I don’t know, Iroha. I can’t live in Japan. But I can live in America. I want you to come here. I’m not sure if you can live with me in America.>>

<<That’s not a problem.>>

<<It doesn’t have to be right now. In the future is fine. High school, college.>>

Her voice sounded like she was pleading.

I can’t reject her right here.

So.

<<Well, you’re right. I don’t know about America, but if I were to move, I’d want somewhere quiet where I can’t hear the bugs.>>

I smiled vaguely and covered it up.

But I meant what I said.

Since the cat incident, I have been able to hear not only animal noises but also insect noises.

It’s so loud that I can’t stand it.

Cocktail party effect or selective attention.

It’s not I have trouble with everyday conversation because I can pick and choose what information I need.

However, there is a limit to how long I can continue to tune out the meaningful words I hear.

It’s the difference between ‘cats meeting’ and ‘college students making noise’ in the neighborhood.

I can stand it for a while, but if it’s a constant thing, it’s depressing.

Well, there is no difference between cats and college students.

Thanks to this, I can no longer take off my earphones outside.

<<Okay, that’s fine for now. But. Hmmm, I guess Iroha is Japanese. That’s an interesting expression, the voice of an insect. That’s a uniquely Japanese sensibility.>>

<<Hmmm? Did I say something funny?>>

<<Insects don’t talk. They make noises.>>

Angu Ogu called it “noise”.

***

The next day, on my way to school.

I stopped and took off my earphones, which were playing a VTuber’s song playlist.

Summer was approaching, and the insects were becoming more active.

I could hear their voices coming from everywhere.

How interesting are they saying?

-I want to be popular!-

-Let’s have sex with me!-

Well, that’s what bugs think!

But, I wonder if I, as a Japanese, wouldn’t have been able to hear them if I had not acquired this ability?

It seems that Japanese and foreigners have very different ways of hearing sounds.

It’s said that only Japanese, Polynesians, and some other ethnic groups can hear the cicadas, while many foreigners can’t or don’t “hear” them at all.

How does this difference arise?

It’s because the Japanese brain classifies sounds like the sound of insects and wind as “words”.

Westerners process insect sounds in their right brain, their sensory brain.

Japanese people process insect sounds with their left language brain.

Other sounds include waves, wind, rain, babbling brooks, and traditional Japanese musical instruments.

Experiments have shown that the Japanese process many of these sounds in the left part of the brain.

In addition, the sounds of insects are said to resemble vowels.

And Japanese has a large vowel component, while English has a large consonant component.

Perhaps that is why the Japanese were able to distinguish between them.

Maybe that is why the Japanese have more onomatopoeic and mimetic words.

Or vice versa.

Maybe it’s because there were more onomatopoeic and mimetic words in the Japanese language that they were able to hear voices.

They say that even Japanese people start to process things in their right brain when their mother tongue is English.

“This is also a kind of qualia, huh?”

Maybe it’s because I’m Japanese that I can hear the insects.

Maybe I’m hearing them.

“… Ugh.”

My brain begins to heat up, and I feel lightheaded and dizzy.

I put my earphones back on and turn the volume up.

I can hear not specific animals, but animals in general, and insects.

Maybe I’m decoding not the words, but some “instinct” that lies behind them.

For example, there is the “Bouba-Kiki Effect”.

Let’s say I have a round picture and a spiky picture.

When you do this, which is Bouba, and which is Kiki?

When shown these pictures, the majority of people, regardless of nationality, agree on the answer.

Even babies who have just been born – who have not yet learned the language.

In other words, this cheat-like ability to translate may not even fit into the realm of language.

I exhaled and looked up at the sky.

If my instincts could use language, I would have said.

Turn back.

After that day, I had acquired this ability, I stopped inputting a foreign language.

But it was too late.

Already, the growth of my ability had stopped at that level.

***

A few days later.

It was in a classroom at school.

[Iroha! I’ll make you my girlfriend! You can go out with me!]

I was suddenly get confessed by a male student.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatttttttt!?!?!?