Where Should I Start Learning Japanese Online?

[kasse]

I want to learn Japanese, but where should I begin? Are there any good free online websites?

 

[OAQfirst]

Close your eyes, hold out your finger, and press...

http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/Learn/Japanese.asp
http://www.studyjapanese.org/
http://learnjapanese.elanguageschool.net/
http://www.easyjapanese.org/
http://www.learnjapanesefree.com/
http://talksushi.com/

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Taking classes would probably be preferable. Proper pronunciation is very important for japanese.

 

[JasonRox]

Step 1 - Get Japanese girlfriend
Step 2 - Enjoy

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Step 1 - Get Japanese girlfriend
Step 2 - Enjoy

I have a friend who did that but he started by learning japanese so that he had reason to hit on all of the japanese exchange students. They are now married and have a son.

 

[redargon]

go to japan?

 

[Hurkyl]

I have a friend who did that but he started by learning japanese so that he had reason to hit on all of the japanese exchange students. They are now married and have a son.

They're all married?

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

They're all married?

That's why guys love japanese girls didn't you know? ;-p

 

[Werg22]

I must question your motive to learn Japanese. What are you going to do with it?

 

[signerror]

Knowing the language is not enough. You have to learn the social customs as well. Here's an intro-level documentary teaching the etiquette of sushi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruh0TJJopn8[/youtube] [MEDIA=youtube]ruh0TJJopn8[/MEDIA]

 

[redargon]

Knowing the language is not enough. You have to learn the social customs as well. Here's an intro-level documentary teaching the etiquette of sushi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruh0...u can eat sushi however you damn well please.

 

[kasse]

Aren't Japanese girls boring?

 

[kasse]

I must question your motive to learn Japanese. What are you going to do with it?

Move to Japan.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Move to Japan.

If you want to speak Japanese fluently, this is the best idea. I assure you that as soon as you stutter out a weak Cone itchy wa in a strong foreign accent, the natives will assure you that you speak Japanese quite fluently. Mission accomplished.

 

[drizzle]

I assure you that as soon as you stutter out a weak Cone itchy wa in a strong foreign accent, the natives will assure you that you speak Japanese quite fluently.

have you been there and tried this idea of yours?

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

have you been there and tried this idea of yours?

I lived there for nine years and according to the Japanese, I speak quite fluenty. If you speak any word of Japanese they will say "Knee hon go pera pera ja nie" which means "You're Japanese is fluent isn't it". Beginners will answer "A ring a toe." which means "thank you". Intermediate learners will reply "Tone demo nie" which means "Nothing of the sort.", the standard Japanese response to the constant Japanese flattery. When you really do become fluent you will answer "No, just one pera". Most Japanese will understand and appreciate that you trusted them to do so.

 

[drizzle]

I lived there for nine years and according to the Japanese, I speak quite fluenty. If you speak any word of Japanese they will say "Knee hon go pera pera ja nie" which means "You're Japanese is fluent isn't it". Beginners will answer "A ring a toe." which means "thank you". Intermediate learners will reply "Tone demo nie" which means "Nothing of the sort.", the standard Japanese response to the constant Japanese flattery. When you really do become fluent you will answer "No, just one pera". Most Japanese will understand and appreciate that you trusted them to do so.

now nine years…. sure you’ll be fluent, seriously is it hard to learn? I do like that language and the people there, but I guess I won’t get the language it appears so hard, most words when I heard it sounds like [coughing + a lot of zeds] it’s just hopeless for me

 

[rootX]

Move to Japan.

There are some companies that offer 4 month free Japanese courses. Work is about 8 to 12 months. They (mostly finanacial - software developers) were hiring few students last year.

There are also programs like this one:
http://www.thecoopjapanprogram.com/

It needs some time. If I weren't busy doing my minor I would have gone to Japan.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

now nine years…. sure you’ll be fluent, seriously is it hard to learn? I do like that language and the people there, but I guess I won’t get the language it appears so hard, most words when I heard it sounds like [coughing + a lot of zeds] it’s just hopeless for me

In my opinion Japanese is a very difficult language to learn. Not because of pronounciation, vocabulary, or grammar, but because of usage.
1. There is the concept of keigo, which means respect language. There is a way to say "please open the window" in Japanese, but it is jarring to their own ears. I think it would be how a superior would talk to an inferior. More likely a Japanese would say "It's stuffy in here." Given time, a Westerner might be able to make the connection, get up and open the window, but for a Japanese, the meaning is immediate.
2. There is the famous reluctance to say no. If you propose a course of action and the other party says "That would be difficult." or uses any negative language at all, or simply isn't positive, then they are saying no. Emphatically.
3. There are two sources for the modern language. Actually, the same situation exists in English, but it causes a special problem in Japanese because the spelling is the same for each source. As food, lamb and mutton mean much the same thing. Imagine how hard it would be to read if both were spelled the same. That is analogous to Japanese. Yama and San both mean mountain in Japanese, and are spelled exactly the same. So the last character in Oyama and Fujisan are the same, but pronounced differently. A foreigner, upon seeing the name for the first time would have no clue whether to say Oyama or Osan. I once took a day trip to Kunitachi, a suburb of Tokyo. When my friends asked me where I had been I said Kokuritsu, because that is a common word in Japanese and is spelled exactly the same as Kunitachi. Unfortunately, kokuritsu also means international and so they asked international what? It took 15 minutes for them to realize where I had been.
4. There is a general indirectness in Japanese conversation. Some part of it is devoted to evoking a certain emotional state in the listener. I expect that before shouting "fire" to warn people of the danger, the Japanese would start out with a comparison of Cherry blossoms to a blaze.

 

[Moonbear]

If you want to speak Japanese fluently, this is the best idea. I assure you that as soon as you stutter out a weak Cone itchy wa in a strong foreign accent, the natives will assure you that you speak Japanese quite fluently. Mission accomplished.

When my boyfriend goes to Japan, he has a hard time using the Japanese he learned. Everytime someone there finds out he's from the US, they want to practice their English with him. This is the easiest way to communicate in Japan.

 

[drizzle]

In my opinion Japanese is a very difficult language to learn. Not because of pronounciation, vocabulary, or grammar, but because of usage.
1. There is the concept of keigo, which means respect language. There is a way to say "please open the window" in Japanese, but it is jarring to their own ears. I think it would be how a superior would talk to an inferior. More likely a Japanese would say "It's stuffy in here." Given time, a Westerner might be able to make the connection, get up and open the window, but for a Japanese, the meaning is immediate.
2. There is the famous reluctance to say no. If you propose a course of action and the other party says "That would be difficult." or uses any negative language at all, or simply isn't positive, then they are saying no. Emphatically.
3. There are two sources for the modern language. Actually, the same situation exists in English, but it causes a special problem in Japanese because the spelling is the same for each source. As food, lamb and mutton mean much the same thing. Imagine how hard it would be to read if both were spelled the same. That is analogous to Japanese. Yama and San both mean mountain in Japanese, and are spelled exactly the same. So the last character in Oyama and Fujisan are the same, but pronounced differently. A foreigner, upon seeing the name for the first time would have no clue whether to say Oyama or Osan. I once took a day trip to Kunitachi, a suburb of Tokyo. When my friends asked me where I had been I said Kokuritsu, because that is a common word in Japanese and is spelled exactly the same as Kunitachi. Unfortunately, kokuritsu also means international and so they asked international what? It took 15 minutes for them to realize where I had been.
4. There is a general indirectness in Japanese conversation. Some part of it is devoted to evoking a certain emotional state in the listener. I expect that before shouting "fire" to warn people of the danger, the Japanese would start out with a comparison of Cherry blossoms to a blaze.

That is really fascinating..say, did you get affected by their wisdom?

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

That is really fascinating..say, did you get affected by their wisdom?

The zen you find at the top of the mountain is the zen you bring with you.

 

[drizzle]

The zen you find at the top of the mountain is the zen you bring with you.

...and it means?

 

[Werg22]

Move to Japan.

Have you watched Lost in Translation? If not, I think you should.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Have you watched Lost in Translation? If not, I think you should.

There's a very funny scene in that movie during the photo shoot. Bill Murray asks if he should expose his left profile or his right. The translator asks the photographer, but Bill looks on in disbelief as the translated question becomes a long winded speech that goes on seemingly forever. In fact, the translator is preparing the ground for the question because she is afraid how the photographer, an expert, will take it that Murray, the talent, presumes to know something about his trade.

 

[Werg22]

There's a very funny scene in that movie during the photo shoot. Bill Murray asks if he should expose his left profile or his right. The translator asks the photographer, but Bill looks on in disbelief as the translated question becomes a long winded speech that goes on seemingly forever. In fact, the translator is preparing the ground for the question because she is afraid how the photographer, an expert, will take it that Murray, the talent, presumes to know something about his trade.

The reason I mentioned it is because the movie offers a realistic view of Japan. It's a strange and sometimes unwelcoming place for a Westerner.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

The reason I mentioned it is because the movie offers a realistic view of Japan. It's a strange and sometimes unwelcoming place for a Westerner.

Your mileage may vary. I was treated very nicely there. If you ask me, Tokyo is just like NY except you can't read the signs. There was an incident where, when I walked into a bar, someone put a coin in the juke box to play some WWII martial music. I got the message, but that was once in 9 years. I had the same thing happen to me in Oklahoma where someone played 'Okie from Muskogee" and I was only passing through.

 

[drizzle]

common jimmysnyder!, what does [zen] mean..I don't like to feel like an [bakka]

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

common jimmysnyder!, what does [zen] mean..I don't like to feel like an [bakka]

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

 

[drizzle]

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

nothing...is it that, I thought of it the first time, but I just said [what is wise about that?]


joking

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

What is the sound of one hand clapping?

There is no hand, there is no sound, there is just clapping.