Comments on: Practicing Listening to Japanese, part 4: just get used to it, already! http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/02/28/practicing-listening-to-japanese-part-4-just-get-used-to-it-already/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Sat, 11 Jun 2011 01:53:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Doug 陀愚 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/02/28/practicing-listening-to-japanese-part-4-just-get-used-to-it-already/#comment-5703 Doug 陀愚 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 06:28:54 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=10369#comment-5703 Hi guys: <strong>Robert:</strong> Ha ha ha, I know that feeling. If you're not used to hearing it all the time, it's hard to go from 0-60 right away. As for Irish, yup, I think you described the situation better than anyone. <strong>James des:</strong> Welcome to the JLR! I wonder how many other silent readers are out there (seems like a surge lately based on Google stats). Anyhow, I can't blame you for taking advantage of the resources you have. From my experience, I found getting a diversity of resources is even better, and thankfully many such sources exist on the Web among other places. As for me, I speak Japanese poorly. I never lived there, and can only get so far despite my efforts. My daughter speaks Japanese first, but her English is catching up a lot now. :) Hi guys:

Robert: Ha ha ha, I know that feeling. If you’re not used to hearing it all the time, it’s hard to go from 0-60 right away. As for Irish, yup, I think you described the situation better than anyone.

James des: Welcome to the JLR! I wonder how many other silent readers are out there (seems like a surge lately based on Google stats). Anyhow, I can’t blame you for taking advantage of the resources you have. From my experience, I found getting a diversity of resources is even better, and thankfully many such sources exist on the Web among other places.

As for me, I speak Japanese poorly. I never lived there, and can only get so far despite my efforts. My daughter speaks Japanese first, but her English is catching up a lot now. :)

]]> By: James des http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/02/28/practicing-listening-to-japanese-part-4-just-get-used-to-it-already/#comment-5699 James des Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:48:33 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=10369#comment-5699 Doug san konichiwa A couple of months ago, for fun, I googled 'japanophile' and found your website and ever since then I have been following your blog, ( which is very pleasant a nd informative by the way ). The first blog I read, if I remember correctly, was about why you shouldn't learn Japanese from your girl friend and it was very funny. I found this most recent blog of yours interesting and so I have some questions. What is Pandora TV and what was the simple question your wife was asking you ? The reason why I ask is because I presume that you speak decent Japanese by now. And what is JLPT ? You mention your daughter from time to time, is she a native English speaker learning Japanese ? or the other way round ? I thought it was funny that you mentioned that learning Nihongo by listening to anime clips is a poor method of learning because thats exactly how I was being taught. Actually, I recently and suddenly lost my language teacher. He is from Japan and was living in the US on a student visa. This past December he decided to visit family in Japan and upon his return to the US was rejected due to visa problems so long story short, learning through anime was his exact method used for teaching. I agree with what you are saying but I also found that for me, listening to anime was a great way to cut through the contemporary Japanese accent. But now days I have been reduced to listing to language courses on cd in my car. Its too bad for me because I really had some nice momentum with the learning and all. I appreciate what you said regarding the Buddhist theory on the mind and being careful of what you watch on TV. I was raised as a vegetarian Hare Krsna so I relate to this very much. Keep up the good work. James des Doug san konichiwa

A couple of months ago, for fun, I googled ‘japanophile’ and found your website and ever since then I have been following your blog, ( which is very pleasant a nd informative by the way ). The first blog I read, if I remember correctly, was about why you shouldn’t learn Japanese from your girl friend and it was very funny.

I found this most recent blog of yours interesting and so I have some questions. What is Pandora TV and what was the simple question your wife was asking you ? The reason why I ask is because I presume that you speak decent Japanese by now. And what is JLPT ? You mention your daughter from time to time, is she a native English speaker learning Japanese ? or the other way round ?

I thought it was funny that you mentioned that learning Nihongo by listening to anime clips is a poor method of learning because thats exactly how I was being taught. Actually, I recently and suddenly lost my language teacher. He is from Japan and was living in the US on a student visa. This past December he decided to visit family in Japan and upon his return to the US was rejected due to visa problems so long story short, learning through anime was his exact method used for teaching. I agree with what you are saying but I also found that for me, listening to anime was a great way to cut through the contemporary Japanese accent. But now days I have been reduced to listing to language courses on cd in my car. Its too bad for me because I really had some nice momentum with the learning and all.

I appreciate what you said regarding the Buddhist theory on the mind and being careful of what you watch on TV. I was raised as a vegetarian Hare Krsna so I relate to this very much.

Keep up the good work.

James des

]]> By: Robert http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2011/02/28/practicing-listening-to-japanese-part-4-just-get-used-to-it-already/#comment-5698 Robert Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:14:01 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=10369#comment-5698 bit off topic. re note 1. Irish seems to me like English in Japan. There are a lot of signs in it and everyone has studied it in school as a compulsory subject and very few actually speak it, but most can remember more than they think. However there are a few areas where it is spoken in daily life (West Cork, Donegal, Connemara) and because it's an official language it has to be used by sections of the civil service and is a requirement to be a teacher. I find with listening and speaking Japanese it takes time for my brain to engage. If I'm not expecting it or not concentrating I have moments similar to yours with my wife. The more immersive the environment the better. I do better in Japan. Recently having a house guest who didn't speak English made it necessary to up my game! Maybe it's time for "don't speak English" days in our household again.... good luck with your experiment. bit off topic. re note 1. Irish seems to me like English in Japan. There are a lot of signs in it and everyone has studied it in school as a compulsory subject and very few actually speak it, but most can remember more than they think. However there are a few areas where it is spoken in daily life (West Cork, Donegal, Connemara) and because it’s an official language it has to be used by sections of the civil service and is a requirement to be a teacher.

I find with listening and speaking Japanese it takes time for my brain to engage. If I’m not expecting it or not concentrating I have moments similar to yours with my wife.
The more immersive the environment the better. I do better in Japan. Recently having a house guest who didn’t speak English made it necessary to up my game! Maybe it’s time for “don’t speak English” days in our household again….

good luck with your experiment.

]]>