Help, please?

[spiritwolf126.livejournal.com]

I've decided I'm going to get my lazy butt motivated enough to learn at least basic japanese. So far I'm working off lessons on the internet, but I can't find some good ones. Does anyone have a link or two to a website with some good lessons? I would really appreciate any help.

Comments

[mint-ice-tea.livejournal.com]

If you're in the states your library website might have Mango Languages. Start from here: mangolanguages.com/libraries/

I love languages (though I haven't ventured outside the latin alphabet yet...) and I've been using Mango for German and Irish and I really like it. :)

[mint-ice-tea.livejournal.com]

(I also meant to add "Use the link for library locator at the bottom." XP)

[spiritwolf126.livejournal.com]

Thanks hun, I'll go check it out.

[durffy.livejournal.com]

Ah, that's so exciting that you're wanting to learn Japanese! I remember when I first got into manga/anime, and how Angelique (Marfisa's beautiful site) was one of the biggest inspirations! (I mean, I kept thinking "This is awesome! What else is out there that hasn't been translated? I need to learn this language!")

If you're in the states, your library may have a copy of Oxford's "Take Off in Japanese" with CDs or cassettes. One of the coolest features is that every unit finishes with another episode of a continuing story, the voice actors are just AMAZING! I studied it every day for a year, and was actually keeping a diary in Japanese as I studied!

Also, find someone to practise with every day, so you don't forget what you've learned.

Sorry about the long comment! ^_^

[spiritwolf126.livejournal.com]

Awesome, thanks. I like the diary in japanese idea; I write as a hobby so I'm positive I have a couple notebooks lying around without any purpose right now, I'll just dig one of those up. I think I might be able to get my friend to study it with me, he's almost as big an anime freak as me. I'll look for the Oxford book, thanks for telling me about it. Just for a guesstimate, how long did it take you to learn the language well enough to pass speak/reading/writing it? I took spanish and it always bored me, so I never learned it well. But I think since I actually want to learn Japanese I'll enjoy it a lot more and it won't be so hard.

[durffy.livejournal.com]

"Just for a guesstimate, how long did it take you to learn the language well enough to pass speak/reading/writing it?"

Well, from the Oxford book, I learned to speak right away in very simple sentences. And it was a joy to watch anime and (every now and then) understand what they were saying without the subtitles. I learned the hiragana after a week of reading/writing/using flashcards. Katakana was about the same. Not very good at all with kanji still. :(

I'm still learning and taking classes, but I'm not very fluent yet.... Mostly because I didn't have anyone to pracitce with for a long time.

Hmmm...hope this answered your question! Also hope you give learning Japanese a try. Just relax and have fun with it!!!

[greatest-wasp.livejournal.com]

I would suggest getting "Minna-no Nihongo" from your library. It was quite popular couple years ago and that's what - besides Etoile - got me started. It comes with CDs or cassetes as well.

And I would also be more into reading\watching\playing w/w/o dictionary rather than into trying to memorize the formal rules. When I first got Etoile - some five years ago - it was a pain to play but after a couple of nights I started to think in Japanese.

[sailorstarsun.livejournal.com]

I suggest you take this to a community where it wouldn't be COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC.

[indigozeal.livejournal.com]

I suggest you take this to a community where it wouldn't be COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC.

Mommy, Daddy, don't fight.

[indigozeal.livejournal.com]

Regarding the recommendation to focus more on practical application than memorizing the rules: when you're starting out, you're going to need to memorize nearly every rule you come across, as they're (naturally) the very fundamentals of the language. Once you get good enough to understand your favorite Japanese media with copious dictionary help, you might be tempted to eschew book learnin' largely in favor of what you'll glean from reading books and games, etc. That technique will get you so far, but then it will get you in trouble with misunderstanding certain constructs that are easily misconstrued with limited knowledge. (I speak from experience. This is what they mean by "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing"; a little knowledge makes you feel empowered enough to act but doesn't give you enough info to make accurate decisions.)

Indeed, once you get to that intermediate level, start playing & reading, by all means, but continue with formal instruction. (This can be tough, as intermediate-advanced materials are considerably tougher to find. It helps if you gear your learning to the JLPT tests, even if you have no intention of taking them; that gives you a certain chunk of useful vocabulary and grammar constructions to master before moving on.)

Good luck!

[spiritwolf126.livejournal.com]

First of all, I respect the fact that you don't want to see something like this, but I have an honest question. Did you get on this just to complain? Because if you did, then it shows that you're immature. This is a fan community, that is true, but there's NOTHING in the rules that says I can't ask for some help. If you have a problem with a thread posted by a member, why read it? It's a waste of your time reading it, and my time reading your complaint. That said, I would kindly (and unusally patiently) ask that you please do not annoy others with your attitude. It's rude, quite frankly and nobody appreciates it.

[bringdementia.livejournal.com]

I personally use http://www.byki.com/ (<-that). It basically uses a flashcard system (amongst others), which is incredibly helpful if you've got a weak memory like me. The most important thing though when learning a language is that you don't lose motivation. Just don't give up and you'll find yourself speaking, writing and understanding the language in no time.