japanese only thread! (1 Viewer)

[Takuya]

Anyway, I shall tell you about my English, and I how I came to be doing the dread English Extension 1 course...

My learning secret was arguably not the best, but after being equipped with some basic grasp of the language, I went out and started reading material which even University students wouldn't touch. I would spend ages (usually in the bathroom), trying to reading famous novels by authors such as George Orwell and F. Scott. Fitzgeral ... At first they were just pretty words and strange sentences, but I took the time to high light sections of text and learn the application of each. With the help of teachers in separating bits which I shouldn't learn due to slang / poor English, I managed to gradually understand. Note that at the same time I was continuing practising to recite phrases from textbooks. Before I knew it, I was informing restaurants of English mistakes and having a grand time boasting my new found literary excellence. I used to be a very studious person in Japan, and I would attend after school English classes often; in preparation for my Sydney lifestyle. I have truly about 20 large notebooks full of notes on the English language.

Since I arrived in Sydney, I have met a few Australian friends but only truly know one friend with whom I formed a band. He does *Beginners Japanese*. I have mostly Japanese friends and don't really have friends at school, but I keep my language proficiency up by reading books, watching the news on television and getting fined for skateboarding at Woolloomooloo Wharf.

edit: Did someone edit "band" to say "bond"?? It's band! We have a great Japanese punk rock band! We were to play at Kick up the dust but it's on the night of the English exam or something...

 

[Lexicographer]

Originally posted by Takuya
By the way, Lexicographer, do not be fooled by my elegant forum entries; I spend up to an hour typing each of these, hence the long delays in my responses.

I guessed that would be the case, but why bring light to something you may not want mentioned. Your posts are even longer than mine, after all.

 

[Lexicographer]

Originally posted by Takuya
...I came to be doing the dread English Extension 1 course...

THERE'S your Engrish. 'Nuff said.

 

[karnevil]

[removed]

 

[Takuya]

Originally posted by karnevil
True, but then on the same token how can you say the same about a non-Japanese person and their apparent lack of ability to speak perfect Japanese?

I am not criticising anyone's Japanese ability. If you do not like what I have said, beware. I am one who has spent many many years and thousands of hours trying to learn a second language, yet always thinking at the end of the year that I was perfect. I saw that I could always out-shine other students but the shock came to me when I arrived in Australia and felt so bad about my lacking ability.

All I am saying is what I have experienced as a student of English, and retelling what I have heard from successful and not-so-successful students of Japanese.

Learning Japanese will be a very rocky road for you, as was learning English for me. You will have to tolerate arrogance from Japanese people who despise foreigners studying the language (there are many such Japanese), impatience, disappointment, and many other negative things. Do not take such a light forum message to heart so much. Egos aside, you will almost have to accept being verbally treated as a child at first. It is hard, and it is a huge commitment.

If at any point you feel like you cannot continue, I say to hang in there for another year, and if not - stop completely and do something else you enjoy, or you'll end up stopping after wasting 10s of years studying something which you never really used. Some may or may not agree with this advice, but I am speaking with frustrated Japanese students of English in mind.

 

[Lexicographer]

[removed]

 

[karnevil]

Don't get me wrong Takuya. I love Japanese. I love the language, the country, and the people. I have dozens of regular Japanese email friends, I've hosted Japanese students who've gone on to become great friends, and even though I've been to Japan for 3 weeks only, I plan to return there one day very soon in a more permanent capacity. I don't plan on giving up on this language at any point during my life.

I just can't wait to get my Japanese results back from the BOS so we can see who really loves Jap and has the skills in here.

/end rant

 

[Takuya]

Originally posted by karnevil
yadda yadda yadda

Cool.

 

[Lexicographer]

Right, this is enough. I'm deleting our argument as well as editing all posts which refer to it. If you don't like the way I handle things you can PM me, but don't even think of trying to undermine me in a thread like this.

 

[mercury]

Takuya san are you still there? =p
You are yet to enlighten me on the subject of the differences between:

node and kara
reba and nara and tara
the proper usage of noni

waiting eagerly.....

oh, and guys, geez, be peaceful, this thread is for learning japanese, not arguing about uni courses or whatever. If you want to do it, do it in Japanese, that'd be impressive =p

And I agree with lex, that some long long stuff need to be deleted, they hog space. But on the other hand, cool down your arrogance a bit lex.... seems you are always talking about your ability to manpulate posts and stuff... if you overdo it, makes it seem like you are bragging. Sorry if i offended you, but that's my opinion.

 

[Lexicographer]

[removed]

No offence taken Mercury, your comment is perfectly valid, even if the impression was a tad off.

 

[mercury]

oh dear, i hope i don't sound slack! sou ja nai yo!
that's no my intention... we must appreciate the fact that as a mod, lex is trying to maintain order. But he's still human, and human have emotions, ne? tonikaku, kyo wa kore de.

Nihongo de hanashi mashou =p

 

[karnevil]

Hahaha okay whatever you say Lexi. *gives you a wowwy-pop*

 

[Lexicographer]

Right. This thread is irredeemable. Sorry guys, we'll have to give the great "all in Japanese" experiment another run next time.

Closed