Just finished the group class I was taking at the YWCA. Here’s what I’m planning to use for studying Japanese on my own for a while, before taking private lessons in the fall. 1. Japanese for All Occasions (book with CD — pictured above) by Taeko Kamiya 2. Remembering the Kanji (big book for learning the meaning/writing of kanji) by Heisig 3. Japanese Flash iPhone app (for vocabulary) 4. Study Aid iPhone app (in which you make you own flashcards — for kanji)
(posted July 16, 2011)
I recently learned an interesting thing about the English and Japanese languages: Japanese has only about 108 distinct sounds, while English has (are you ready?) over 1800!
I’d known for a long time that there were sounds in English that just don’t exist in Japanese, but I didn’t realize just there was that many. This gives me a lot more sympathy for my students as they try to wrap their mouths around the complexities of English pronunciation.
It also explains why so many Japanese words sound the same to me and are so hard to memorize. Or, at least, that’s my excuse now.
(posted Dec. 15 ‘10)
I recently learned an interesting thing about the English and Japanese languages: Japanese has only about 108 distinct sounds, while English has (are you ready?) over 1800!
I’d known for a long time that there were sounds in English that just don’t exist in Japanese, but I didn’t realize just there was that many. This gives me a lot more sympathy for my students as they try to wrap their mouths around the complexities of English pronunciation.
It also explains why so many Japanese words sound the same to me and are so hard to memorize. Or, at least, that’s my excuse now.
(posted Dec. 15 ‘10)
Living in Japan was the best way to learn Japanese. The pressure of language school, with its daily homework and at-least-weekly tests; the daily need and opportunity to use what I was learning in class — these things helped me stay motivated and focused on the task.
Since returning to Canada in December, I’ve been wanting to keep up with my Japanese studies but finding it hard to stay motivated. But some recent events and conversations have reminded me of the importance of continuing to work at my Japanese, even — or perhaps especially — while I’m away from Japan.
Now, I could go out and invest in some expensive new study materials. I even had a church offer to buy me a fairly expensive software-based course. But I decided I would be better off to actually use the stuff I already have, rather than wasting loads of money on yet another study aid that is probably intended for absolute beginners (which I am not) anyway.
I’ve come to realize that the thing I’ve been missing is a routine. It’s amazing how a lack of productivity in any area can often be solved by simply making specific tasks a regular routine.
I’m just getting started with my new study routine, but having a plan and making it public are also helpful keys to success. So here’s a rundown of my new routine for studying Japanese. Five days a week, at least 2 hours a day, I’m using what I’ve got and focusing on four main areas:
1. Vocabulary — using my iPod touch and Japanese Flip.
2. Kanji — using my Nintendo DS and this kanji-practice game (which I’d only recommend if you already have some basic reading/writing skills, as it’s actually intended for Japanese people and therefore has no English at all).
3. Reading — using Japanese manga (comics). Right now I’m reading a kids comic, Doraemon, but I have some others that are geared towards a teen / young adult audience. I’m working my way up to them.
Along with the reading and kanji studies, I make use of a great — and free — Japanese dictionary app for my iPod touch, called Kotoba.
4. Listening — Using podcasts like this one, and CDs like these.
5. Real-life — I’ve been keeping in touch with Japanese friends via email and Facebook, and that’s been super helpful. I’ve also got a couple of Japanese friends right here in my own hometown. I’m hoping to make better use of the local connections, and continue to keep in touch with those back in Japan.
Routines: Super important. Super helpful. Super hard to get into. But now that’s public, I guess I should get to it. Wish me luck.
It occurred to me today that It’s been quite a while since I blogged about my language studies. Actually, I haven’t blogged about much of anything; I’ve posted lots of pictures and stuff but haven’t shared many thoughts or stories lately. I’m going to try to get back to more regular blogging, especially now that I’m officially only updating one blog (this one) instead of two. By the way, if you’ve just joined us from JapanLog, welcome!
Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh yeah — languages studies…
Studying Japanese has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Seriously. A linguist I am not. I was horrible at French back in high school, and remember practically nothing. My spelling’s also pretty bad, though it has improved with some help from a little thing computers do called “spell check”. So it should be no surprise that Japanese would be a challenge. Also, rote memorization is tough for me, and with language study there’s a lot of that.
People talk about “hitting the brick wall” in their studies. I feel like I’ve hit several of them over the past year and a half. But, the good news is, I am improving. Maybe not as quickly as I’d like to be; but improving nevertheless. I’m encouraged by those “a-ha” moments that happen once in a while, when something I didn’t for a long time get suddenly clicks.
I’m also encouraged in those the moments when I actually stop and think about where I am compared to a year ago; when I see how far I’ve come rather than just seeing how far I’ve got to go.
This morning in church, I had one of those moments. We were singing a song and I realized that I actually understood almost all of what I was singing. It helped that today was one of our less-traditional services. Usually we sing from a hymnbook; like English hymnbooks, Japanese ones use a lot of out-dated language and “churchy” language. Today’s songs were more modern and thus used more common language. And I realized all of the sudden during one of those songs that I knew just about ever word. I looked the one up that I couldn’t, and understood.
It was a nice moment. I find I’m having more of them lately. Sometimes it’s when I have a good conversation with a friend. Or when I’m sitting in a meeting and understand the gist, even if I don’t get every word.
Though I’ve got a really really long way to go before I’m even close to fluent, I’m thankful that I can look back and see some real progress.