"Unpredictablity" of tone or accent exists in many languages like Italian or Chinese, but there's a very reasonable limit to what that means. As words get created and recombined, things become predictable as long as you know the base-patterns. But in Japanese, the most obscure combination of words result in the most random pitch-accent.
Take a look at how to count 1 through 5 of flat objects, clothing, and shoes:
iCHImai, NImai, SAnmai, YOnmai, goMAI …. it's all over the place. Here's another:
iCCHAKU, niCHAKU, SAnchaku, YOnchaku, goCHAKU. And another:
iSSOKU, NIsoku, SAnzoku, YOnsoku, GOsoku
Neither the number nor the counter word gives any clue as to how these words would be pronounced. The word for "Nine [cups]" has a completely unique pitch accent, and has zero relation to the pronunciation of "Nine [cows]". Pronouncing a phrase like "5 songs" in Italian is easy, in Chinese difficult, and in Japanese is just a mind-numbing enigma.
by raignermontag