Japanese Anyone?...

[gvamp]

Well while cleaning out my closet last week I found some software that will helps you learn Japanese, so in my free time I'm going to start learning Japanese and hopefully become bilingual at it.

[Timothy2035]

Sounds good, then you can perhaps meet Toho execus one day when you land that big job at G4 TV. :p :)

[EricDent]

Um, did I miss something??? Is Gvamp trying to get a job @ G4TV?

I would like to try to learn a little Japanese (besides the little I know off of Anime), but not sure if I could handle the 3 different alphabets.

[Timothy2035]

Um, did I miss something??? Is Gvamp trying to get a job @ G4TV?



Well when the Forum Members Piccy Thread was done were we posted our pics, I said how gvamp looks like he was a techie show host at G4. To me, gvamp favors Chris Gore a little bit as well. Gvamp just has that G$ techie charisma.

[James Ballard]

I used to try similar software, tapes, etc., several years ago. I suppose it works for some people, but I honestly didn't find it very useful ultimately. I think being in an environment where you have to actually use your Japanese in conversation, rather than repeating something out of a book parrot-fashion, drastically increases your speed of learning. That's why I think it's better to take classes (or move to Japan where you're completely immersed!).

The Hiragana and Katakana scripts/alphabets don't take very long to learn at all. You can pretty much master them in a matter of weeks.

[gvamp]

Well I started my lessons on my first CD-ROM today and the basic stuff is fairly easy to get used to but some of the stuff is really weird as you know "Ring" in Japanese is Ringu whereas "Apple" in Japanese is Ringo so if you say one mispronouation then your talking about two diffrent things.

Numbers are fairly easy 1 is ich,i 2 is ni and 3 is san.

Once I get some of the basics down I'll going to start learning to write Japanese and luckly for me my software comes with a disc devoted to such a thing and as James said you can pretty much learn to write Japanese shortly.

[Timothy2035]

Well gvamp maybe your first Japanese sentence can read "Mothra rules kaijudom!" :)

[gvamp]

Doubtful Tim replace Mothra with Godzilla or all kaiju, right now I'm just trying to learn the basics.

[EricDent]

How about Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto???

[gvamp]

Thank You Very Much Mr. Roboto? ;)

[James Ballard]

but some of the stuff is really weird as you know "Ring" in Japanese is Ringu whereas "Apple" in Japanese is Ringo so if you say one mispronouation then your talking about two diffrent things.
You could say the same about English, though. I'm sure non-native speakers struggle to grasp the idea of things such as "two", "to" and "too"!

[Timothy2035]

So James I know you feel more comfy with the classroom instruction method, though do you use computer programs for enrichment or fluentcy building?

[GRK]

I am very fluent in Japanese and in the writing systems. Unfortunately, every time I go to Tokyo, I am always unable to locate Toho. Darn!

[Godzilla_101]

I started to learn japanese recently to :).

[James Ballard]

So James I know you feel more comfy with the classroom instruction method, though do you use computer programs for enrichment or fluentcy building? They're useful for sure, but I don't use them much myself. The method I prefer is... TV! Watching enough films and TV shows in the native language will not only help build vocab, but help you get used to the speed at which the language is actually spoken, which is one of the biggest barriers -- knowing the vocab and grammar is one thing, but your brain being able to process all the information at the rate it's being spoken is a whole other! You also learn a lot simply be hearing how certain words are used in the context of "real" situations (the show itself is obviously fictional, but you know what I mean!)

I still have a lot of the tapes, CDs, PC programs, etc., and they are certainly useful.

I am very fluent in Japanese and in the writing systems. Unfortunately, every time I go to Tokyo, I am always unable to locate Toho. Darn!
Toho is located in Tokyo's Chiyoda district (where the Diet building also resides). Toho's studios are not open to the public, though.

[EricDent]

I always wondered what the heck they were saying in the Blue Oyster Cult song "Godzilla"...Here is the lyrics for the Japanese part. HELP!

Rinji news o moshiagemasu!
Godzilla ga Ginza hoomen e mukatte imasu!
Daishkyu hinan ****e kudasai! (obviously 2nd to last word contains part of a swear word that begins with "S".)

Thanks in advance.