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    Japanese: Hints tips and learning resourses

    While the other Japanese threads have gone quiet, I've decided to indulge my addiction by starting my own. This is for all of us who are studying Japanese, regardless of level, to share our favourite learning resources as well as any hints and tips we might have. Yeah, my posts are long, but I don't think you understand what an obsession this is for me.. I can't help it!


    I am by no means fluent in Japanese. I have a loads to learn yet, but I HAVE sampled a massive variety of study techniques and resources. I thought then, it would be nice to share what I've discovered to be useful, with those here who also wish to learn Japanese, to save you from wasting valuable time on rubbish. Maybe you could share your gems too?



    LEARNING TIPS

    Here, I'm going to share with you those blocks to learning that I have faced over the years. These are (I believe) pretty common to many language learners so I hope that by telling you about them, I might be able to help you to learn the basics in far less time than it has taken me.


    BAD AT LEARNING LANGUAGES

    I've said this of myself since the earliest days. I didn't begin to speak English until I was 4 years old and couldn't spell with any kind of proficiency until I was in my late teens! Naturally, I assumed that I had no aptitude for linguistics.

    This is possibly the single worst block of all and is something I only very recently started to overcome. Earlier this year, I bought myself a book of cognitive exercises and hypnosis techniques, to improve ones learning ability. It seems to have made a difference in more areas than just language learning. The two most important points I took from it however were..

    1) Continuously telling yourself you're bad at something becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

    2) Most people grossly underestimate the effort required to achieve mastery at a subject and quit in the early stages, when it reveals itself to be harder than expected, or use this early struggle, as evidence to reinforce point 1) above.


    So my advice is to stop any thoughts of 'I'm no good at learning languages' and remember the following...

    1) It took every native Japanese speaker at least a year before they attempted even their first word, and around 6 years before they could speak with consistent grammatical accuracy. It takes them the full compulsory education to learn to read and write all the major kanji (around 2,500 of them). They made many, many mistakes along the way too, but they didn't let it throw them, they kept trying and trying until they get it right. You're attempting to do all of this in a few years, while running a home, holding down a job, managing relationships, going to university or whatever it is you do. Be kind to yourself and be proud of every single achievement, however small it might seem, because teaching yourself a language is difficult and you really are amazing for doing this!

    2) Dr. Daniel Levitin is a researcher into the time it requires to reach world class mastery of anything and his findings were pretty inspiring to me. While I am not suggesting we become masters of Japanese, it IS interesting research as it drills home the point that if you're not making much progress, it could be the infrequency and the short duration of your practise, rather than some innate inability to grasp new languages.

    Dr. Levitin discovered that typically, 10 thousand hours of practise are required to become masters at anything, from chess, to football. This amounts to 3 hours per day, or twenty hours per week, over a 10 year period.

    World class mastery isn't most people's aim in language learning, so 3 hours daily is a bit much to ask unless you really need rapid results. I'd suggest at least an hour a day is required though, ideally, split into shorter sessions so your concentration remains at its best throughout.
    Last edited by Jembru; 05 Apr 2012, 16:39.
    夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

    #2
    Re: Japanese: Hints tips and learning resourses

    AN IMBALANCE OF STUDY BETWEEN ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SKILLS

    Active skills in language learning, are speaking and writing, passive skills are listening and reading. There is a tendency when studying alone, to focus on reading and listening. You have the books, the CD's, maybe the youtube videos or dvds, so it is very easy to fall into the trap of ONLY practising the passive skills. This has a bigger impact on your proficiency than you'd imagine.

    Of all areas, speaking is the most frequently neglected, yet as it is an active skill, it isn't just something that comes naturally. Although you might speak English perfectly well, it is not necessarily the case that when you try to speak Japanese, the words will roll off your tongue. Even if in your mind you form the sentence perfectly, you won't be able to verbalise as well, until you've trained your vocal skills.

    The active and passive skills also support one another. When you learn to write a kanji, using the right stroke order and recognising its components, you'll find it far easier to identify when you see it in text. This also applies to speaking though. When you frequently speak out loud, you'll find your speech gets faster and faster. This in turn makes it easier to notice the individual components of rapid speech you hear (and Japanese is a bloomin' fast language).

    So.. my advice is to speak out loud as often as possible. If you are using CD's, pause the recordings and mimic the speaker, when reading from a book, whenever you see Japanese, even in examples or vocabulary lists, read it out loud. Read it over and over in fact, until it rolls off your tongue. If you are also learning to read and write, be sure to actively write each kanji as you learn it, although I think most people would do this.

    If at all possible, also try to get yourself a study partner, or even some Japanese friends. Check to see if there are any Anglo-Japanese societies in your area, or maybe try the internet. Honestly, nothing accelerates the learning of a language, like actually using it to communicate. My boyfriend and I speak Japanese a lot to one another, but it is largely basic sentence patterns and memorised set phrases etc. We sound pretty fluent due to our relaxed familiarity with the language we use, even though WE know our Japanese is rubbish. It is so much fun though, and it's what keeps us learning.



    RUSHING AHEAD

    I wanted to add this one only because this was definitely my issue in the early days. The first proper course I studied from is sadly out of print now, but I read the book from cover to cover in about 2 months! I honestly expected that was all I had to do to learn Japanese. Sure, some words did stick in my mind, especially those that were frequently repeated, but I had no chance of grasping the grammar that way and this book (which I still have a very abused and sorry copy of), goes into a lot of depth. I'd say it really does cover everything right up to keigo and colloquial speech (neither of which can be done justice in a single chapter, but at least they're introduced).

    Although I did eventually grasp the concept of needing to practise what I am learning and memorise the vocabulary lists, I still rushed. 'Oh, I got all the questions right, I must know this now.. next please!' I was frustrated that I'd put in all those hours of study and was getting nowhere!

    So these days, my method for slowing myself down is to use more than one learning resource at a time. This is what I did when I had lessons too. We studied from one book and my teacher supplimented it with reading exercises from another.

    These days, I still have a main coursebook that I follow, but then as I learn or revise a grammar point, I'll look up this same grammar in another book and study it some more, often getting a deeper feel for it, by seeing it explained differently, or used in a different context.

    I also listen to a podcast and have recently started to watch anime (my reasons will be discussed in another post), so when I do these things, I deliberately listen out for examples of the grammar I'm currently focused on.

    As I am going through this coursebook with JP, we also look for situations throughout the day to use our target language. Sure, it means we end up saying quite contrived sentences like, 'the more fruit you buy, the cheaper it becomes', but no ones going to know what we're saying and it's just a bit of harmless practise. This would work on your own too of course. You can say sentences to yourself in different situations throughout the day.

    My different methods of learning don't always supplement one another, but I try to match them up as far as possible and if you're like me and want more, more, more, it not only slows you down, but creates a stronger foundation. In theory at least, although in my case the evidence suggests otherwise ^^

    Finally, it's a good idea to have an idea of what your language goals are. If you are a manga fan for example, then kanji are going to be an important part of your studies, if you need Japanese for work, then you're going to want to stick to the plain-polite and honorific level of speech. If you want to take the JLPT, then reading and listening should be your focus (and be sure to check out the official vocab lists, as the vocabulary can be a little unusual for some reason). If like me, you need Japanese just for hanging out and chatting with friends, then reading and writing aren't going to be such a huge deal, but you will need to get to grips with listening and speaking, and be familiar with the more relaxed speaking styles.

    Having a clear goal in mind, will help you choose the best learning resources for your needs and keep you focused in the right direction.

    Okay, next post will be my resources.
    Last edited by Jembru; 07 Mar 2012, 15:51.
    夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Japanese: Hints tips and learning resourses

      This list might be somewhat weak on the reading and writing because these are not skills I focus on. I DO recognise some kanji, but at very best, including lucky guesses only about 200, which is probably a generous estimate and a fraction of what one needs to read even simple texts. That's not to say I devalue kanji. Even what little I know, has very much assisted me in getting to grips with vocabulary and how Japanese words are constructed.


      ONLINE RESOURCES

      My favourite online resource at the moment is About.com,



      The lessons here are so complete and there is something for everyone. I am particularly enjoying the Phrase of the Day section.



      This is a godsend because she writes everything as it would be spoken in casual Japanese. This is really helping me to see when and where contractions or omissions are made and I've also discovered alternative particles that I'd never noticed before. I really am learning one each day too. I've got them written on small credit card sized bits of paper that fit in a clear protective wallet (actually the plastic ones used by card collectors ^^), so I can carry it in my pocket and read it throughout the day. I'm using it as an opportunity to brush up my sight kanji too.

      Next is a program I used when I was having my lessons. Although my lessons were mainly for speaking, my teacher only had teaching resources in script so learning at least some reading skills was unavoidable. She recommended this to me to help me to catch up quickly and I have to say it really, really did help.



      The kanji are grouped together in their official groupings (as used in Japanese schools), if I remember rightly. So if you are following a course that teaches them according to these official groups, then this program is priceless. For those who are following Kijani's lessons, you can test your kana here too and maybe post your questions to her in that thread if you're having any difficulties. I'm sure she'd be happy to help.

      The next one has disappointed me recently but I can't help but share it because it's been so valuable in the past. It is the podcast I used to follow. Sadly, since I took my break from Japanese, they've changed it so only recent podcasts are free, the older ones are now only available to paid members. I don't really blame them, but it is a real shame at the same time.



      They've changed the layout and I can't work out how to find the actual mp3s, so I also have this page bookmarked for ease



      Again, this really appeals to my need for conversational Japanese and like About.com, contains the many, many aspects of speech frequently missing from the more 'conventional' courses. It isn't just the target language I listen for though, it is the banter in Japanese between Alex and Beb, or Asuka. It's really easy to follow because Alex isn't a native speaker so they speak quite simply (basically, the dumbed down Japanese that I'm used to ^^). It's also reassuring to hear that Alex, who has lived in Japan for (I think) seven years, and uses the language every day, still struggles with some aspects.

      It might be a little hard to follow if you're an early beginner though. I usually have to listen a few times before I can catch all the words and there is often loads of vocabulary introduced that I've never come across (although luckily they translate word for word for you). If it appeals however, I would recommend you pay for membership to unlock earlier lessons. The beginners' stuff was really good and still not stuck in the textbook language. I might still have some saved on my old laptop, and if so, I'd gladly email those recordings to anyone who's interested.


      That's all for internet resources, so onwards to books..
      Last edited by Jembru; 07 Mar 2012, 15:58.
      夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Japanese: Hints tips and learning resourses

        BOOKS

        This is my favourite way to study. It's hard to know where to start though... okay, lets start with the basics...


        Firstly, I want to tell you what I DON'T recommend. I don't recommend any of the Teach Yourself range. Sure, they're cheap, but they are full of mistakes, don't really go into any depth, don't particularly flow (in my opinion at least) and the voices on the recordings are mainly by non-native speakers and are so unnaturally slow it sounds like they've all sustained head injuries. Having taught English as a second language, I feel very strongly that slowing down recordings, even at the beginners level, does nobody any favours. They should be spoken clearly and correctly of course, and kept short to begin with, but should be at a natural speed to train the listener to focus on and pick out the key words. The announcement telling you your train is delayed while in Japan, won't be slowed down for you and if you wish to take the JLPT exams, you'll need to be prepared to pick out key information from quite long dialogues at natural speed.

        For similar reasons, I'd suggest avoiding anything by Berlitz too. They also rely on non-native language models and a Berlitz course I studied from, before moving to Japan, actually taught me incorrect uses of the language..(much to the amusement of my Japanese friends when I played it to them).

        Although it's not terrible, I don't really recommend Japanese for Dummies. I did buy this course, and it has some interesting vocabulary. It also illustrates how one needn't stick purely to the -masu form when speaking to strangers, but I believe knowing when and where to be flexible is an aquired skill, best left to more advanced level (and exactly why when speaking to strangers, even though they'll often tell me I'm being too polite, I stick like glue to the polite form. Better I sound stupid than rude!). It's really just too awkward, too impractical and too slow.


        WHAT I DO RECOMMEND

        The textbooks designed for classroom use, are often a good bet. Look for those composed in Japan, as these are often more carefully compiled and you can be more confident of accuracy. Of this category, I have used...



        MINNA NO NIHONGO 2

        This one is great if you really want to focus on your reading (provided you don't go for the English translation version), but I personally wouldn't advise you use it without either a teacher, or another coursebook. This is the book that I used for supplimentary reading practice while I had my 1 to 1 lessons. It keeps furigana (small kana indicating the reading of a kanji either above or below the character), to an absolute minimum and unlike the other books I'm about to introduce, it doesn't give explanations in English. Book one might be different however, but I've never seen book one.


        GENKI

        Personally, I find the layout of this a little dull, but I've heard the same said of my favourite course book (coming up next), so I guess it's different strokes for different folks. The first few chapters contain romaji as well as kana, to help ease you in, which is a nice touch, and it gives you phrases you can start using right away. The chapters are also quite large and offer plenty of practise exercises. It uses furigana throughout however, which might be frustrating to anyone who wants to focus on kanji. It's all too easy to become dependant on furigana. However, if you're disciplined, I'm sure you can ignore it, and it at least lets those of us who can read kana, but struggle with kanji, to still benefit from the book.

        Incidentally, this is the book they use on the university course here in Newcastle, although I believe they switch to Minna no Nihongo 2 and then 3 after this book (I recently joined the Anglo-Japanese society at the Uni so I'll double check this and update later).

        I believe there is an accompanying CD too. I've never heard the CD but I imagine it would be authentic recordings as it was written and published in Japan.

        Which brings me to my favourite of all...



        JAPANESE FOR BUSY PEOPLE

        I'm having to edit this because I'd written that JBP iii isn't available in the 4th edition, but I realised I've been confused and it was the 3rd edition I've been waiting for. It actually came out in 2007, so I've just ordered it!

        The first book is available in romaji too, although I'm not sure if the other two are (I've never seen the romanized versions of these two). For this reason, if you're planning on taking your studies beyond the first book, you should probably get the kana version and start as you mean to go on.

        There is little more I can say of this coursebook other than it rocks! The CD recordings are great, the lessons flow nicely, after book II it begins to build very rapidly and it offers plenty of practise exercises. I really recommend that you do the exercises in the book, and if you're really serious, get the exercise books that go with the main text books. These offer additional practice and give you even more recordings to get you used to listening and pronunciation.

        My only complaints are that it too continues to use furigana throughout book II (although I have personally tippexed this out. Book III however, only gives you the reading the first time the kanji appears in a text (a practise reflected in authentic Japanese journalism). This might be because of the mis-match of editions, or it might be a deliberate attempt to make book III more challenging. If the latter, then I personally think this idea should have been introduced earlier. Being spoon-fed for a whole two books seems a bit excessive in my opinion. Also, it doesn't appear to cover the vocabulary required for the JLPT exam, which seems a little weird to me, considering this too was written in Japan. Then again, from what I have seen, some of the JLPT vocabulary is a little odd, and Busy People is aimed at people needing Japanese for their job. This is also why I forgive it for being a little heavy on the formal speaking style.
        Last edited by Jembru; 05 Apr 2012, 16:56.
        夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Japanese: Hints tips and learning resourses

          OTHER BOOKS

          I mentioned that I like to supplement my studies with other material. Below is a selection of my favourite books for this, although none of them stand alone as a language course.


          JAPANESE VERBS AND ESSENSIALS OF GRAMMAR: RITA LAMPKIN

          I really find this book useful. It begins by introducing the different verb stems and then grouping together all their uses. So, for example, if you've learnt how to form the '-masu' form of a verb, you now know how to create the verb stem ending in 'i' (In the case of yodan/godan verbs anyway) just take off 'masu', flick to the section for this stem, and now you can learn lots of other verb endings that attach to this stem. In no time at all, you've tripled the ways you're able to use the verbs you've learnt so far!

          It contains vocabulary lists by subject, idioms, useful expressions and interjections too.

          Besides that, it functions like any other basic Japanese grammar. It doesn't go into as much depth as others do, and it is all in romaji which kinda sucks for those wanting to read and write, but so far for my needs, it's been useful.



          BASIC CONNECTIONS: MAKING YOUR JAPANESE FLOW: KAKUKO SYOUZI

          I simply can't sing this book's praises loudly enough! This book is AWESOME. For someone like me, who wants to learn casual conversational Japanese, this offers plenty of examples of how Japanese is spoken. All examples are given in Japanese (without furigana), romaji and then English and all speech and writing styles are included. There really is something for everyone.

          This isn't the only reason I like it though. The book is like a bridge to help take your language knowledge to the next level of authenticity. It troubleshoots the common mistakes amongst non-native speakers and helps you to sound more natural, as well as offering hints on how to follow longer texts containing multiple clauses etc.

          This is not to say it is only for advanced learners. I personally get plenty from it and my tragic level of proficiency, and I'm sure I'll continue to find it insightful as my knowledge and fluency improve.



          ANY PICTURE DICTIONARY

          No, that's not the name of the book. I have two of these, 'Let's learn Japanese picture dictionary' and 'Usborne's First Thousand Words in Japanese'. Yeah, yeah, it sounds childish, I know, but it's amazing how many basic everyday words are missing from the main coursebooks. I might love Japanese for Busy People, or Genki, but when I am speaking to JP, I need to know how to say 'spatula' (furaigaeshi), if I'm to ask him to pass it to me. These really are just a cute and fun way to patch up a few of the holes in your vocabulary. When JP and I can't be bothered to study properly, we'll just grab one of these books, open it up, and ask one another 'what is this?'. It's really helpful, although I'm actually pretty hopeless at remembering these words for some reason. I think I'll never, ever be able to remember 'globe'. He asks me this frequently, for his own sadistic amusement, and all I ever remember is that the second kanji is 'kyuu'.



          ESSENTIAL KANJI: P.G O'NIEL

          This is one of only two kanji books I own, but the other is still at my mother's and I can't remember its name or find it on amazon. Anyway, the other one is nice in that it groups the kanji together according to their radicals, but it only covers about 500 kanji I think, so I wouldn't hail it as a must-have.

          If you wish to gain mastery of kanji, then you really should invest in a good kanji dictionary, but if like me, you plan to just dabble, then the above book is a handy tool. It only contains the 2,000 most commonly used Kanji, and rather than arrange them in their official groups, it attempts to organise them by frequency of use. It gives all the important information necessary for learning, should you choose to use this as a teaching aid.. stroke order, on and kun readings, radical and example compounds.

          There is also a good reference section at the back, with the kanji arranged by number of strokes for easily looking up an unknown kanji, and a separate listing by reading, for looking up the kanji of a specific word. For my needs it is perfect, and I would imagine it could be a nice supplement for those of you wishing to take kanji a lot more seriously than I do.

          I'd love to mention some of my other books.. Making out in Japanese, Japanese Idioms... but this post is already massive and these books, while interesting, are hardly worthy of my 'must have' list.



          ANIME AND MOVIES

          Finally, I just want to quickly mention this. I've only just recently started watching anime as an aid to study and I wish I'd done it sooner. I used to believe one couldn't learn from anime and that anything you did learn, would be impractical and of little value. That was until I met my current partner. Although he's not fluent either, he often already knows the grammar or vocabulary I am currently working on and will give me surprisingly accurate examples before I start to study for myself. Yet he learnt entirely by watching anime and looking up words and phrases online for clarity. Although this is unusual and I don't recommend it (he's blessed with a photographic memory that we mere mortals can only dream of), he does speak well. His basic grammar knowledge is poor, but he gets by on instinct. He can't explain why he says things the way he does, but he knows what the meanings are and at least to my inept ears, he sounds pretty accurate.

          So I decided to give it a go. You need to watch without subtitles to get the benefit, but it really is good training to get you used to listening. I find some anime much easier to follow than others (at first, female speech is more familiar in the casual style as it retains more characteristics of the plain-polite style one usually studies first) and some, I can't follow much of at all, but I definitely come away with something after watching. For particularly complex anime, I find it helpful to watch once with subs on and then again without them, so I am aware of the gist. It's been really helpful in seeing how the structures I've been studying are actually applied in natural speech.

          I was also told not to use Japanese music as a study aid, because it is different from both spoken AND written Japanese. I plan to ignore this advice too and start exploring music a bit more ^^

          That's it for now. Hope my aimless rambling has been at least a little helpful. I'd really like to hear about other books and websites you have found helpful. I wish you all the best in your studies and hope you are able to make far faster progress than I have!

          Gambatte!
          Last edited by Jembru; 07 Mar 2012, 16:24.
          夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Japanese: Hints tips and learning resourses

            I've discovered the workbooks that go with Japanese for Busy People and want to rave about them somewhere, to anyone who'll listen. I really wish I'd found these years ago. I hate to plug so unashamedly, but if anyone is using this series (and I recommend it miles ahead of any other study material), then I urge you to splash out on the workbooks too.

            I'm currently working through the second workbook (I only bought the second and third) and I really wish I'd had it while I was first working through the second textbook. The workbook supports each of the 15 lessons in the main textbook by offering additional practice exercises of the target language. It also gives you extra vocabulary, as well as sometimes introducing vocabulary that you won't learn in the main textbook until later lessons. The reading and writing section is very clever. It follows the format of a blog by a Canadian girl living in Japan. Each blog entry discusses her experiences of life in Japan and explores Japanese culture. Thanks to her blog, I can now describe how to meditate in Japanese! ^^

            I'm using book III with my language exchange partner and I really don't want to rush ahead. I've therefore been studying book II over and over between lessons. Once I've finished workbook II, I'll be able to support my learning between meetings with workbook III. It's gonna be so awesome!

            Usually, I tend to undervalue my Japanese ability, because it is safer that other people think I am worse than I am, than better (I get embarrassed easily enough as it is). Right now, maybe it's the full moon or something, but I actually feel quite optimistic and dare I say it, I'm a little proud of how much my speaking and listening comp have improved since I made my New Year's resolution! No doubt I'll think I'm hopeless again in a week from now, but I'll enjoy the confidence while it lasts.
            夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Japanese: Hints tips and learning resourses

              I studied Japanese for years on my own. I think it's a beautiful language & I love the culture! I have a dream to go to Japan one day. My SO has been there before (he was in the Navy), & he's told me it's an interesting place to visit. I have tons of study material that I've not touched in such a long time. It makes me sad that I let my studies go because I've forgotten a lot that I learned (tho remarkably I can still read both of the Kanas, tho I'm now fairly slow at it LOL!). I got into the language when I heard the soundtrack to the anime Outlaw Star. My first obsession with it was through a song called "Hiru no Tsuki" by Akino Arai. After that I found tons other artists that I fell in love with & of course, started to do a little studying of the language.

              Anyhow, I think it's awesome you are studying the language. If I could speak any other language it would be Japanese, without a doubt! Someday I hope I can get back into it!! Good luck with your studies!!

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Japanese: Hints tips and learning resourses

                I did wonder from your screen name, but then a lot of people use Japanese names, so it isn't always conclusive proof.

                There seems to be a few folk around here who speak Japanese, although they tend not to be very active in the Japanese threads. Have you checked out the other threads? There is one for discussing the finer details of syntax..

                This thread is for questions about Japanese pronunciation, grammar, etymology, etc. I've intended this to be supplementary to kijani's The Japanese Language Learning Thread (v2.0) (http://www.paganforum.com/showthread.php?2029-The-Japanese-Language-Learning-Thread-(v2-0)), so please ask any major questions about learning


                Then there is one that took a nose dive for some reason (feel free to fire it back up.. *cough* bean, tuna, *cough*)

                Right, so we have the study thread, how about we have a second thread for having a bit of fun with Japanese? My idea is to play simple language games. I'll get us started, but anyone can jump in and suggest something. We can do harder things to challenge ourselves from time to time, but lets revert back to easier games, so that



                Then there is,

                Hey everyone! I'm starting this thread back up since we lost it when the site went boom. So here's version 2, yay! That said, if anyone's interested, we'll be starting with the simple stuff and working our way up from there. Anyone game?


                This one is probably too basic for you, but it's always nice to revisit the basics and maybe help out those who are just starting to learn.

                I'm trying to think of a way in which those of us studying Japanese, can practise together, but I can't think of anything that won't exclude beginners, or leave it open for those more advanced learners to dominate. The only thing I can think of is a kind of question and answer game, where someone answers the question of the poster above, then asks a question for the poster below to answer. Do you have any ideas and would you be willing to take part in something like that?

                EDIT: Obviously, I meant that the questions and answers would be in Japanese! ^^
                Last edited by Jembru; 13 Apr 2012, 23:45.
                夕方に急なにわか雨は「夕立」と呼ばれるなら、なぜ朝ににわか雨は「朝立ち」と呼ばれないの? ^^If a sudden rain shower in the evening is referred to as an 'evening stand', then why isn't a shower in the morning called 'morning stand'?

                Comment

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