Why are you learning Japanese ?

[atg]

I am learning Japanese to woo Japanese girls :D
I am learning Russian to woo Russian girls :D
etc
...
...
...

[persil]

Gotta.. learn... Japanese!

That's about what cropped up in my mind about a year ago while talking to my brother-in-law's Japanese girlfriend. Don't go trying to take it the wrong way now! It's because I was also watching anime at the time, so I don't know, the idea popped up. At that time, I only knew around 4 expressions: otoosan, okaasan, arigatoo and daijobu! :) Ah, yeah, and ai.

The fact that I am already quite good at 2 languages also helped. I'm in a situation where my work doesn't provide much of a challenge, thus the need for one, and Japanese happens to be quite a worthy one.

[chr0nik]

I'm learning Japanaese because I wanna go to Japan and I want to be able to speak the language when I go there. Also because I already speak 2 (Spanish and English) and being able to speak a third one would be pretty cool for curriculum, specially if the language is Japanese.

[Timey]

i learn japanese to survive living in japan..

o..and because of my curiosity..
i hate being trapped with a bunch of people where i can't understand what they're talking about...:p

[TGO]

As for me, it mostly started from me getting hooked on Jpop, then gradually its culture (only some aspects of it though), then I figured I need to know the language if I am to discover more about some of the things about Japan that I like...and besides Japan is the second most productive industrial economy in the world, no harm learning right? So somehow I decided to major in Japanese studies...and here I am ^^

[YukiMizayaki]

For me, I wanted to learn Japanese to communicate with 1 of my relatives living in Japan. Besides, I love Japanese tradition/culture and their music too ^-^ if possible, I've always wanted to study in Japan and work there, at the same time making new friends.

[J44xm]

This poorly-constructed image from my blog (http://j78.blogspot.com) sums up my position fairly well.

この私が書いた絵は私の気持ちをよく説明していると思 います。

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5382/2338/1600/2006-07-11.0.png

[J44xm]

Hm. Sorry, the image disappeared, but here's a direct link to the image (http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5382/2338/1600/2006-07-11.0.png) and one to the post containing the image (http://j78.blogspot.com/2006/07/nothing-i-say.html).

[Elizabeth]

:pへへへJ４４xm

勉強ばかりでほかの興味がないと私もだめになるかも。。。
でも、「無理な勉強はするな」って言われた事はないから。。。:D

[J44xm]

勉強ばかりでほかの興味がないと私もだめになるかも。 。。
でも、「無理な勉強はするな」って言われた事はないか ら。。。:D
大体わかりました・・・。

私は写真をとるのがとても好きですが、最近友達が貸し てくれたディジタルカメラでたくさん写真をとっていま す。うれしいです。

時々勉強しすぎです。ゆっくいしたほうもいいですね。

[Gaijinian Man]

...because it's fun. What more reason do I need, I ask you.

Anyway, peace out. Good night.

[cindytong]

I am preparing for my trip in Nov. Will spend 4 days in Tokyo. Can't wait!

[Kismey]

I am learning Japanese because...
01~ It's fun.
02~ I decided to move to Japan a long time ago and still fully intend to do so.
03~ I want to work in Japan, but will not teach. (I'm a terrible teacher.)
04~ It's a beautiful language.
05~ I want to be able to talk to Japanese people.
06~ I want to be able to understand the music I listen to.
07~ I want to be able to translate stuff later.
08~ The language is interesting.
09~ It's better than playing video games.
10~ It would be fun to read manga in Japanese. (not really why but it would be fun.)
:music2:

[jchadwick]

Why not learn Japanese? Aside from it being one of the largest group of consumers in the world it only opens your opportunities. I live in Japan and I wasn't going to not learn the language of the country I live in. Every day I try to learn more so I don't feel so stupid in their society. Its not simple but anyone can with a little determination. English is the hard stuff, thank god I didn't have to learn that! Grammer is an option in Japanese.
When I met my wife she didn't speak any English after studying in school and at that point I had been in the country for 3 months with no education in Japanese at all. Our whole relationship is in Japanese and now I am working on reading and writing. When I am fluent and can feel comfortable in a room with her family and friends I will start to teach her English.
As with any language it is best to imerse yourself in it. Study from text books, make friends who speak the language, watch movies with English subtitles to listen to the sounds. You can't be afraid or shy about speaking or you will not learn. Babies do not have phenominal powers, they listen, make mistakes and dont get angry at criticism. The older you get the more you forget how to learn.

[Wong]

I wanna learn more Japanese language due to work.

[bagua2001]

Always wanted to. getting there slowly. but frustrating.

[kewute]

Culture and music aside: my whole life I wanted to learn it. Always intrigued me. Meeting Nobuko-san a few years ago only made me more want to learn it. So now I am, I'm not the best, but I think for only 5,6 months learning I'm doing pretty well at it.

[kazika]

I want to learn a new language to improve myself. So, i choose japanese language as i grow up reading comic from japan since young. I love dragonball. It is still my favourite till now.

I believe i had to put in alot of effort to learn it since i had a hard time reading japanese words.

[Live91]

I just want to understand anime. Because there's always something lost in translation and that's sad. I 'd rather just watch the japanese anime in japanese with subtitles than english voices.

[ShimizuChiaki]

I am a Japanese. I don't have to learn it.I use it to comunicate with my family everyday.

[Steve Ototo]

My long-lost sister and I found each other. She grew up in Yokohama and I grew up in the States. All our family there speaks Japanese, and some do not speak English. I must learn enough to fit in!

[psychochou]

I'm moving to Japan in a few years, and obviously I need to learn it.
I want to teach English in Japan with all the 100's of other people applying for it.
Also I want to do journalism over there as well, sooo yep. Thats why.

[hkBattousai]

I am interested in Japanese culture. Also i like watching anime.
And i will need a Japanese penpal soon.

[Necha]

The only reason is because Morning Musume. XD

I really want to meet them and talk with them. So, I try to learn japanese... XD

[kooo]

I want to read haiku.

[Yofukashi]

I'm a long time fan of everything remotely Japanese. I think James Calvell's Shogun was the entry drug. I never had a good reason to learn Japanese, but to be less dependent on subtitles, when watching Japanese movies, I recently started to teach myself Japanese, and now I'm addicted :mad: :emblaugh:

[AsakuraNeo10]

chichi don like japan at all, but i just love japan....donno why, for no reason....

[extricate]

I originally was going to learn chinese mandarin. Then one day i was watching an episode of ergo proxy and i thought, "hey japanese sounds cool, and i already watch anime, so why not do something construtive while watching it." That was pretty much the general thoughtline there. I do plan to still learn mandarin eventually, and maybe a few other languages. There's really just too much stuff I want to learn in this world:(. I'm also interested in different cultures in general and i've always wanted to learn about Eastern cultures (wasnt really taught it in school). I'm currently reading a short book on Japanese culture and history (Japan Its history and culture, W. Scott Morton, fascinating stuff). I just finished Sun Tzu's art of war (a special edition with a history and commentary, after the original work), and I highly reccommend it to anybody.
P.s. If anybody wants resources or wants to know where to get resources I have tons on the Japanese language.... 7 gigs to be exact. Just pm me about it.

[kewute]

I want to learn a new language to improve myself. So, i choose japanese language as i grow up reading comic from japan since young. I love dragonball. It is still my favourite till now.

I believe i had to put in alot of effort to learn it since i had a hard time reading japanese words.I basically grew up watching Dragonball, that may have an influence on me as well

[Xyliacai]

I watch alot of anime, and am very interested in the culture and language of Japan. I also want to move there, so it would be very practical for me to learn it. I also have become addicted to Japanese music, bands such as Dir en Grey, Miyavi, Gazette, An Cafe, etc. I just really love Japan and everything in it.

[You]

Konichiwa.
I am no more learning Japanese..I will resume it later though
Sayonara

[vulcanmeister]

Why not learn Japanese? Aside from it being one of the largest group of consumers in the world it only opens your opportunities.
As with any language it is best to imerse yourself in it. Study from text books, make friends who speak the language, watch movies with English subtitles to listen to the sounds. You can't be afraid or shy about speaking or you will not learn. Babies do not have phenominal powers, they listen, make mistakes and dont get angry at criticism. The older you get the more you forget how to learn.
As an "older" learner of Japanese, I appreciate your words. It is so true, that as we get older, we often become more concerned with doing things "just right", forgetting that, just as you said, we actually learn even by making mistakes. Thanks for your comments!

[Sarah Jane]

I want to learn because I think that it's a beautiful language.
It flows together nicely and for the mosts part, I can figure out how to pronounce things on my own.

I love Japan.
I want to go there one day... and I'd like to know as much Japanese as I can before I go.

[japantvhost]

The best way to learn Japanese is immersion. Books and videos are fine but to really understand how to live and breath the language, go to some small town where there are no foreigners and do a home stay. You will be a talking Japanese in no time

[pinson27]

I just learn it cause i want to exercise my mind. No other reason, i'm not going to japan

[autumnsoliloquy]

I like languages in general. I've been learning German for four years now, and I've always wanted to start learning Japanese.. Hopefully when I'm good enough to converse I'll live in Japan or sth.. always been my dream =)

[domokun]

I started learning Japanese because I imported a Japanese sports car which they didn't officiall sell in my country. The literature and magazines I started to buy about it were naturally in Japanese. What got my attention was the writing styles, specifically katakana, which I thought looked very cool. Since then I discovered aspects of Japan that had already touched my life, like many years of Karate and discovered what a cool country is and all the things it has going for it.
When I started to make a serious effort of learning the language I decided to make Japanese penpals, some of which I met for karaoke etc. Through this little social group which formed I ended up meeting my wife who is Japanese. I have travelled to Japan quite often including some short-medium stints over there. I'll be going there to work for a couple of years from July/August 07. All this pretty much leaves me with literally dozens of practical reasons to keep practicing the language.

[xFumiko]

Many of my family members, mostly cousins, are from Japan. Their kids are the same age as me [egh, huge age gap]-- it's always so awkward when they visit because the only language we can ...somewhat...communicate in is Chinese-- but they don't know it very well since one of their parents is Japanese. Oh, and also so I can beat my uncle-- my grandma is always so braggy about him learning Japanese [for the second time, psh :-) ]. So, self-study for now [I doubt I'll ever have real lessons ...maybe in college] and maybe I'll be able to travel to Japan or talk with my uncle because he's just a Japan freak too. :p

[Aoi.]

Ahs, for JRock bands + lyrics, of course. <3~ It all started there.

I think it's easier for me to read Kanji, because my mother taught me some Chinese [me being Taiwanese, and all. XD]. I just pick out the bits I know and start from there. I seem to like Katakana and Romaji a lot, but I attempt Hiragana too~

[Homerduff]

I started to learn the basics of japanese like a month ago. Currently I can only learn during weekends so im not making much progression, but I try to watch jdramas every day to get more and more familiar with the speaking..

Im learning it because I will go to Japan this summer. Eventually I would like to study japanese for a year in japan, but thats not for soon. My goal is to work as a product designer in japan. Anyway its maybe stupid to make such statements without ever visiting Japan, but im pretty shure I wont be dissapointed in the country..

[Ghik]

Hmm... I started learning japanese a few months ago, because... i just got interested in it. It's especially because of the "Naruto" anime which I've been lately watching.

[midori21]

I had learned it before. But, I didn't continue studying it for a long time. After, I got addicted with J-Anime. I think I'll start it again^ ^

[quamp]

Basically I'm learning Japanese for another reason entirely. I want to understand a lot of the J-Pop songs I've been hearing entirely. Many I find at the beginning of animes or in movies. However, animes and movies don't give full translations to the entire song.

[dan_j]

well i got more interested wen watching anime, but mostly because i wanna at least have a holiday in japan or live there for a year or so and that mostly because of my automotive scene/motor sport interest/and for da certain roads dat japan delivers

[kuroi_kat]

my fiance is japanese and from Tokyo and its always been one of my dreams. If all go wells as soon as i graduate college I will be moving to Tokyo to teach English

[dan_j]

cool
gud luck with it :P

[raziel]

Hi, I am new here, I hope we will have a nice time and can start to learn Japanese language .
why i want to learn japanese ?
because I watched a lot of random japanese stuff anime , movies etc..and i want to understand it.
and i hop to meet some japanese friends ^^'
forgive my English i come from morocco and i have 28 old years.

[daveng]

Because I am interested in learning more about the Japanese culture, and I am impressed by their courtesy.

[Robster]

I'm learning it mainly because I have watched Azumanga Daioh to death and I would like to be able to understand a certain amount of it without subtitles, also I would really like to able to move to Japan one day......

[Furui]

I know one Japanese word 'hai'. Hai means 'yes'. Right?

[Hiroto=Love]

I'm learning Japanese because i'm really intressed in the country, and I love Jrock so , i want to understand what they say in their songs.
I love studying languages, so i thought, Maybe will Japanese be important to me, because i want to travel a lot and become a interpreter :blush:

[Janet Merai]

I found interest in Japanese when I wanted to understand what was going on in a Doujinshi I found.

Later on, because I was incomprehensible back then to understand the language, I recently got inspired by Inuyasha on Adult Swim long ago about 4-5 years back and looked for subtitled episodes online and found out about the Japanese language.

From there, I studied Japanese but still had issues with my comprehension.
Years later, now, I am actually understanding Japanese more than I ever did and finally I can know what I am reading :)

In some Manga's I read, I can understand around 7% of it without having to look at a Hiragana and Katakana list XD

I am extensively learning it too :)

However, I plan to create video games, visit Japan and make Japanese friends, not only that but write Japanese in my art (I am an artist) and be a translator to make a huge sum of money XD

I have A's in all my English classes, and Japanese is going to be my second language, then I plan to learn other languages too, the most sought out ones, really :P

Other than that, Japanese was started with me because I wanted to know what was going on in a Doujinshi XD

[what]

i want so much to learn japanese....but is so hard...is a difficult language...of writeing ..ooo my god..but is beautiful and i hope some day i will say a sentence correctly

[Tokyofan25]

I want to learn japanese also..one reason is I own a few books and 1 game in Japanese and want to learn to know what they say instead of having to look at the pics.

I can speak a few words in japanese though

[atg]

My result of the quiz blogthings

You're cutting edge, and you are ready to delve into wacky Japanese culture.
From Engrish to eating contests, you're born to be a crazy gaijin. Saiko!

[MR.BaKa_Na]

Because my japanese teacher very kindly, her lesson is very interesting. lol
and i'm interested in this country. ^^

[Petenshber]

Well there are allot of details as to my reasoning so i will try to give a quick explanation. I became interested in Japanese culture and food a few years ago but didn't think about the language because there are no Japanese people where i live and i don't have a social life to speak of, but then last year i realized that understanding the language would make it much easier to learn more about the country and to find foods i look for etc. I have been studying the language on my own through various sources for about 7 months and i understand Hiragana and Katakana very well and can read some things written with them, i am just starting to concentrate on Kanji and am getting a good idea of how Kanji work though i can't easily understand meanings yet, i am trying to get used to the spoken word through Japanese music and Japanese tv, but not having anyone to actually converse with makes it difficult to clarify exactly what is being said unless i can replay it a few times (witch i can do with the music but not the tv ).
Well i tried to make this explanation short but that didn't work.

[antinec]

My reasoning:
My wife is from Okinawa, and I only get to travel there for about 3 weeks every two years. Everytime I go, her friends and family are so great, and really don't seem to mind that I cannot communicate with them further than a smile and nod. Her mother even learned English by listening to NHK radio for two years to be able to talk to me.
I think I really owe it to them to speak in their language in their own country :) かんぱい is great (and definitely my most used word), but there is more to learn!

[Arachanox]

Typically, like many other people, I wish to learn Japanese so I can better my understanding of anime. Reading other people's translations is fine and all, but what if I could hear and comprehend the true meaning of the words? I want to know both sides of the story.

[TuRbOxChAz]

ぼくのかのじょはにほんじんですから~
cuz my girlfriend is japanese

[Sloops]

I started off learning Japanese...but I ended up taking a detour...now it's no longer Japanese, but I am learning Korean xD. My friend is the one learning Japanese, so we kinda go back to back she'll speak to me in Japanese and I'll respond to her in Korean. Either way it goes I'm still learning Japanese. Which is a good thing. lmao. We teach each other!

[w1ngzer0]

interested in video games, culture, and economic possibilities. There is so much business opportunity in Japan.; it's ridiculous. :-)
women and anime are not even on my mind. Women = evil. :giggle: For a job, nah. To practice at a job yes. But i would rather learn Japanese for my own benefit. I am not going to spend all this effort all for someone else. I don't think so.

[Derfel]

Well i kinda like anime, but the main reason is even more simple, Japanese culture is something new, something different for me, its not like im emo or something, but to tell the truth after 17 years im quite bored with Europe, so its time to broaden my horizons, after visiting Armenia i kinda realized that its not meant for me. And im quite sure i can find a job in Japan once i get my degree. Probably hehe :D

[little-Riri]

when I was about 11 years i started to watch anime in japanese... and i liked language though..
and a few years ago i was really depressed and I wanted a language nobody can understand so I could hide behind it... A very strange reason I know, but that was the way i thought about it, so i began to study japanese.
But now it's just because I almost like everything that's related to japan...

[Donnie901]

My dream is to live in Japan as English teacher. (and for hobby I'd like to draw so if I can combine it I'll also want to be a Mangaka.)
And I love almost everything from Japan.

[northsider1983]

I love Asian culture especially Japanese. I though it would be easier to learn than Chinese! lol

[bebopdobop]

I love Japanese culture. I hope to someday be able to at least travel to Japan, and living there would be a dream come true. I love anime and Japanese movies and music, art and everything. I love Japan! :-)

[SushiShin]

Im learning it because i need it to write and speak better! im japanese and even i make many mistakes :relief:

[HarajukuxBoy]

Well,Im studying japanese becuase,I want to maybe move there some day.And I just like the language in general.My goal is to be fluent in 3 different languanges by time Im 40.

[Kaigaishii-san]

I have many reasons to learn Japanese. My main reason is to understand manga and anime rather than blindly reading subs or scanlations. It would be better if I can understand Japanese myself.

Another one is I'm quite interested with Japan and Japanese culture. I might go to Japan someday to continue my education. If not, maybe go on a vacation maybe. :P

Another one is I might impress(or annoy) my peers by suddenly talking Japanese to them. lol :-)

[papercut]

I want to learn to speak Japanese rather than to read or to write it. Because I think it would take me forever to memorize Japanese characters. :lol:

I always admire people that can speak other languages aside from their mother tongue (and what more if they can write foreign characters).

[Baka Gurl YuKii =3]

I am interested in Japanese culture/language, etc. ]]

^^v ..

[EvilCowSlayer]

I want to learn to speak Japanese rather than to read or to write it. Because I think it would take me forever to memorize Japanese characters. :lol:
Japanese is one of those few languages where it's much easier to write it than read it; if you don't know a kanji, you can just write it in kana.


I have many reasons to learn Japanese. My main reason is to understand manga and anime rather than blindly reading subs or scanlations. It would be better if I can understand Japanese myself.
Another one is I'm quite interested with Japan and Japanese culture. I might go to Japan someday to continue my education. If not, maybe go on a vacation maybe. :P
Another one is I might impress(or annoy) my peers by suddenly talking Japanese to them. lol :-)
That's so similar to me it's ridiculous.

Many people may feel a sort of shame when they say they're learning the language for anime or manga. It's certainly nothing to be ashamed of; anime and manga are as much a part of Japanese culture as anything else.

Another good reason to learn Japanese is that it looks awesome on a resume, whether you will use it in your job or not. Not everybody chose to study a language after high school, let alone a language like Japanese.

[Charles Barkley]

Much easier to write than read? Japanese? Japanese? Are you kidding? Of course if you define read as 'read kanji' and write as 'write hiragana' you'll come up with that backwards answer, but it doesn't make any sense to define the two in different ways. Writing just hiragana is not 'writing japanese' in the same way that reading just hiragana is not 'reading japanese.'

Many Japanese themselves often forget how to write many kanji that they read often in daily life. Almost everyone who studies japanese can read far more than they can write...

[papercut]

Originally Posted by EvilCowSlayer
Japanese is one of those few languages where it's much easier to write it than read it; if you don't know a kanji, you can just write it in kana.

Sorry, but I beg to disagree!


Originally Posted by Charles Barkley
Much easier to write than read? Japanese? Japanese? Are you kidding? Of course if you define read as 'read kanji' and write as 'write hiragana' you'll come up with that backwards answer, but it doesn't make any sense to define the two in different ways. Writing just hiragana is not 'writing japanese' in the same way that reading just hiragana is not 'reading japanese.'

Many Japanese themselves often forget how to write many kanji that they read often in daily life. Almost everyone who studies japanese can read far more than they can write...

Yes, I strongly agree.

[LATINJAPANESELOVER]

Well in the future im planning a trip to move Japanese for a while and leave the NYC life behind me for a bit......

I love the way they speak and I kinda got the hang of some words here and there so when i see some show and their speaking Japanese there are some words i understand and i get all happy

but i use the words all the time so it's part of my daily vocabulary now so i mix up my languages.....english spanish and japanese

[sigmentofb]

Because I feel stupid being Japanese, but not knowing how to speak/read/write it. lol

[Charles Barkley]

How exactly can someone be Japanese without being able to speak, read or write it (unless he's one year old)? Do you mean you are an American/other country's citizen/life long resident who has Japanese ancestors?

A number of people on this website have said things like this. It kind of baffles me. Is it a case of wanting to reach out and embrace an identity that you/they felt was lost to you/them? Something else? In any case, come to Japan and you'll realize immediately that you are not Japanese, but rather quite American...

[sigmentofb]

I am a Japanese-American if that's what you're looking for, I have Japanese ancestry.

[Mercurius]

I'm learning Japanese for quite a few reasons, it started off being because of a fascination with the language and history and I gradually got into modern pop culture (who can resist Gackt? I ask you!) and the crunch came when I grew tired of translated lyrics and subtitles and decided to get around to learning the language. I'm really enjoying it :-)

[EvilCowSlayer]

Writing just hiragana is not 'writing japanese' in the same way that reading just hiragana is not 'reading japanese.'
Certainly. By no means am I saying, "Be lazy and don't bother learning how to write kanji, cause you can just write it in kana." Learning Japanese with the intention of writing and not learning kanji at some point in time is just stupid. I think you missed my point in my statement.
First of all, I meant to the Japanese learner.

Almost everyone who studies japanese can read far more than they can write...
As in, read more kanji than you can write. Yes, I can read more kanji than I can write. But there's still stuff I can't read, and that's why I said what I did. I know tons of words for which I have no clue what the kanji is. If I was reading Japanese and came across said kanji, I wouldn't know what it is. But I can still write the word in kana if I need to, at least until I know the kanji. Should I know what the kanji is? Yes. But just because I should doesn't necessarily mean I do.

Of course, my statement does not apply to a Japanese native, or someone who's been living in Japan for an extended period of time. They can read all the Common Kanji, even if they can't write them, because they've been surrounded by them all their lives. I am not at that point yet. If I do get to that point, then my statement would not be true anymore for me. I suppose I should have been more specific when making it.


but i use the words all the time so it's part of my daily vocabulary now so i mix up my languages.....english spanish and japanese
Haha, I know what you mean, sort of. I didn't exactly mix up languages, but when I was taking my Spanish final, for example, and tripping over a word, I found myself immediately able to think of the Japanese word, but unable to remember the Spanish word.

[Charles Barkley]

Certainly. By no means am I saying, "Be lazy and don't bother learning how to write kanji, cause you can just write it in kana." Learning Japanese with the intention of writing and not learning kanji at some point in time is just stupid. I think you missed my point in my statement.

I don't believe I misinterpreted what you were trying to say. I did not write my post as a warning against not learning how to write (I myself have almost stopped practicing writing and mainly just type now), nor was I trying to exclude you from my phrase 'almost everyone who studies japanese...and even native japanese.' I imagine you too know how to read more kanji than you know how to write, at least from memory (although there are exceptions, my past self being a good case. I could write 200 kanji but barely knew how to pronounce 100 at one point).

My point was that you were and still are making an arbitrary distinction between how kanji factor into reading and writing. You say they factor into reading when you describe its difficulty, but say they do not factor into writing, since you can write them in hiragana. Well, can't you read hiragana too? Are there words you can write in hiragana that you can't read in hiragana?

The obvious response here would be something like: 'But most of the first hand sources of japanese that I come across are written in Kanji, which I cannot read. For example, if I come across the name 長崎, I may not be able to read it at all, but if someone told me it was the second city to be hit by an atomic bomb, I would be able to write ながさき. Therefore writing is easier than reading.'

The distinction is dubious because you are failing both to read and to write the word. Writing ながさき is Japanese with training wheels, just like reading texts with complete furigana attached. It is tantamount to writing chinese in pinyin, writing English phonetically, etc...If you said something like 'Having the kana, which enable learners of japanese to be able to write any word they know and have it be pronouncable by native speakers, makes studying the language easier' I would agree wholeheartedly. I would say, yes, that makes the process of learning how to write more accessible, though it doesn't really make writing the language any easier. I would then add that furigana attached to words provides the exact same accessibility to reading japanese text, but, in the end, also doesn't make 'reading japanese' any easier.

Perhaps the reason my disagreement was strong enough to actually write down was that you made the distinction for writing, but not for reading.

[ajmd20]

Of course, my statement does not apply to a Japanese native, or someone who's been living in Japan for an extended period of time. They can read all the Common Kanji, even if they can't write them, because they've been surrounded by them all their lives. I am not at that point yet. If I do get to that point, then my statement would not be true anymore for me. I suppose I should have been more specific when making it.


I don't think you'll need to learn to recognise that many kanji before even you feel that your reading ability is far better than your writing ability. It certainly won't be all of the 'Common Kanji' and you won't need to have been living in Japan for an extended period of time.

[rawlikesushi]

I agree, if you gonna learn japanese U got to love and inhale all aboute Japan. Motivation are all....

[EvilCowSlayer]

Writing ながさき is Japanese with training wheels, just like reading texts with complete furigana attached. It is tantamount to writing chinese in pinyin, writing English phonetically, etc...
It certainly is. Being able to write words normally written in kanji in hiragana is only a temporary measure. Just like you never see adults with training wheels on their bikes.


If you said something like 'Having the kana, which enable learners of japanese to be able to write any word they know and have it be pronouncable by native speakers, makes studying the language easier' I would agree wholeheartedly. I would say, yes, that makes the process of learning how to write more accessible, though it doesn't really make writing the language any easier. I would then add that furigana attached to words provides the exact same accessibility to reading japanese text, but, in the end, also doesn't make 'reading japanese' any easier.
Yes, once you know the kanji, the furigana become "obsolete" in a sense, and you no longer use them, for there's no need. Once you know the kanji. Until then, no amount of intense staring at kanji I don't know will help me. I suppose "easy" was not the right word I was looking for. I like the way you put it: accessibility. Being able to write a word in kana is not the end; but it's nice to have on the way.

[HarajukuxBoy]

Ive been studying heavily lately,and I think that I'm finally getting my motivation back.Becuase is class last week,our teacher was talking about learning foreign languages while you're in high school can benefit you later on.Also,my best friend takes chinese at my school(im probably gonna take that b/c at my school they dont have japanese),and shes always showing me the characters shes learned that day,and all the cool stuff she can say.She would say something in chinese,and I would reply in japanese.While I was replying,I noticed,how much I actually love the japanese language,and how much I really wanted to perfect my japanese.Now,Im studying like almost everyday,if possible.And me and my friend practice our languages together.^__^

[xFanGirl]

Uhhm,,,,:o

Because i really love Japan,
And later,,,when im 18 or something,
I really want to go to Japan :)
I really dont wanna stay in the Netherlands,,,or at least,,,really much traveling and that sort of things :)

[hideway]

Because it is fun? :p

[kameron]

I really love Japanese. I do get frustrated though when I'm unable to fully express myself but practice makes perfect I suppose :-)

My main motivation for learning Japanese at this point in time is my university exchange to Yokohama National University. I really want to be able to have a natural conversation with other Japanese students, with NO ENGLISH! or as little as possible.

Another motivation is the time and effort I have put in to Japanese in the past. After 14 years of studying the language there is no way I'm gonna drop it.

And yet another motivation is a girl I met called Natsumi. She's so great to talk with and I love her for who she truly is, not just because she is Japanese.

Any other motivations? The JLPT! I would love to go for the JLPT1 after my exchange (December 2010) but I have no idea how my Japanese will progress.

And finally, my desparation to be able to read a Japanese newspaper! Almost every day I go to my state's library, grab an issue of the Asahi Shinbun and start reading it. Of course I can barely understand anything, that's where my trusty dictionary comes in handy. But I'd one day love to be able to read it without the dictionary, that'd be something else...

[Arlet]

Because im planning to go there.
And because i was bored learning languages without Characters.
(like english, french and stuff.)
This is another Challenge :)
Thats not al...I want to move to Japan one day~!

[kameron]

...because i was bored learning languages without Characters.
(like english, french and stuff.)
This is another Challenge :)

I agree, I gave Dutch, Afrikaans and German a shot in the past and they just seem so boring to learn >< The sense of achievement you get after learning the new characters in asian languages gives you a little boost to keep going.

[Arlet]

I agree, I gave Dutch, Afrikaans and German a shot in the past and they just seem so boring to learn >< The sense of achievement you get after learning the new characters in asian languages gives you a little boost to keep going.

Yes~!
I know, the characters are a new challenge to learn.:cool:
And there a 3 different groups so... :relief:
At least i'll be busy for coming months (years).:blush:

[ハダカ]

At my side kana is done. Grammar is fearsome. After russian it is very difficult to understand :)

[DAI_YAN]

Because I am a foreing languages student and I would like to be able to speak as much languages as I can learn.
actually I'm just learning English and French at the University, and learning Japanese by myself.

[Veespin]

Because I'm interested in the culture, history, food, etc and probably everyone else is interested in. I can read more kanji that I can write it -- right now I'm practicing vocabulary by reading AOITORI BUNKO books. You can't communicate without the right vocabulary, no matter how many kanji you know. Eventually I hope to become a translator, or just somewhere I can speak Japanese all the time. :)

[Dutch Baka]

I live in Japan, I want people to be able to understand me, and the other way.

Still got a long way to go, but I might put the speed up this year. I hope I can...

[AWellEarth]

Learning Japan Language is important, more important than learning English.

I plan to Learn Japan Language to speak the Language & to teach Japan Langauge to others of Non Wesern Ancestry & those of Western Ancestry.

Japan Langauge is unlike any other language because Japan is known for Intelligence, Sophistication, Culture & Style that promotes Life OF Earth, Peace, Enlightenment, & appreciation of Nature.

It would be great to learn & practice Japan langauge from this Forum!
:mail:

[Miyamoto Mushashi]

Hi guys. Glad to discovered this forum. I am a gakusee just beginning learning Japanese as my fourth languages. My purpose for joining this forum is to exchange some ideas and techniques in learning Japanese. I am no good at grammar which I think is the most painful part for me. As some of you guys have already experienced with the same thing know that the opposite way of saying when translate in Japanese. Any suggestion for beginner ?

Oh one more thing. Reason I am learning the language is because I am looking for a Japanese girlfriend. LOL

[Derfel]

Learning Japan Language is important, more important than learning English.
I plan to Learn Japan Language to speak the Language & to teach Japan Langauge to others of Non Wesern Ancestry & those of Western Ancestry.
Japan Langauge is unlike any other language because Japan is known for Intelligence, Sophistication, Culture & Style that promotes Life OF Earth, Peace, Enlightenment, & appreciation of Nature.
It would be great to learn & practice Japan langauge from this Forum!
:mail:

Whose hand should I shake for banning him?

[PrototypeModel]

I enjoy the way the language sounds. Something about it is appealing to me. I also have quite an interest in the way the culture has sharp contrasts to what I grew up with.

[.endless]

I have been interested in the Japanese culture for quite some time now. There have been a collection of things that have led to my keen interest in the culture. I love their food, and I have met a few Japanese friends through games. Japanese, to me, is just really cool. I love the way it looks, how it sounds, and how it all seems to flow. Japan seems like it would be one of the coolest places in the world to go, as everyone seems to have fun and enjoy themselves. Recently, I have became more and more interested in it with my want to develop a third language. (I currently speak English as my mother tongue with Spanish as a secondary language). The practices and other things that the Japanese do make them a very unique, and special culture. I feel strongly that they know the right way to live. I also want to learn Japanese to enjoy games of course :-)

[Tsurugi]

I am studiing it because I love that language.Since I was 15,I was trying to learn it,but there was not chance for it.And now I finally could buy Oxford Japanese-English dictionary and since then,I have studied it very hard.

[Derfel]

I really don't want to be a sore, but may I politely ask what difference does a dictionary make?

[Tsurugi]

I really don't want to be a sore, but may I politely ask what difference does a dictionary make?

Yes,of course.I didn't have a chance to learn it before but I already knew how to pronounce katakana and hiragana letters and the use of kanji,watching the Japanese animes.And then I bought dictionary and it was able to help me very much.

But I still have to practice a lot.

[Natsume-Toru]

I am 20 years old. Born September 2nd 1987 I will be 21 this year. And this is why I want to learn Japanese.
For as many years as I can remember, something significant has drawn me toward Japan.
I began to notice Japan around the age of 5, I'm not going to lie I place total
blame on Anime, and from there it evolved into love.
I discovered as much as I could and it was all beautiful. I want so badly to learn the language and live in Japan.
But I want to live it too... what best to learn.
I belive in past life, like being an old soul, my mother even believes so and I'm really sure thats why
Japan calls to me, the culture is amazing, the religion is moving, its people are enchanting.
I work hard when I know my goal and I would do what it took to make this happen, I just need
a guiding hand in learning よろしくぅ(^o^)/

[Zoon van Ijs]

Well, I've started learning Japanese several months ago, and the main reason was that I was always, and still am, very interested in learning languages, and in discovering world cultures. I've started watching animes and reading manga regularly more than a year ago, so I had a growing need to understand them, independently from the translations which seem rather confusing sometimes (For example, I saw Ergo Proxy with English subtitles first, then with French subtitles, and they were different enough one from the other to give different connotations for the antagonists feelings and thoughts)... and that's the reason why I chose Japanese (I was going to learn Russian instead, but I'll just leave it until I'm done with Japanese) ... よろしく おねがいします :-)

[LukeSettle]

I started learning out of interest in Japanese culture and music.
Then i started watching some anime and reading manga and just got even more hooked from there.
Now im planning a trip for when i can fluently read write and speak Japanese. :D

[tada]

Me wanting to learn Japanese started ca. 2002 with me just wanting to play Japanese-language video games and because I was always interested in the culture to a certain degree.
- For the video games
- I am interested in Japanese culture/language, etc.
Then I became interested in anime/manga as well.
- To read the manga or understand the anime
In 2005, I started formally studying Japanese at UW. As my skill increased, so did my love for Japan. I so thought it was going to be a passing fad, but it continues still to this day stronger than ever. I never planned on actually visiting originally, but my first trip to Japan was in 2007 and I am trying my best to live there. I never learned it specifically for the purpose of traveling there, but it was helpful, so...
- To travel in Japan
I also have cousins over there, and one that shares similar interests to me. It's funny; both of us talk to each other in the other's native tongue (he practices his English on me)
- I want to communicate with my Japanese relatives
I'm part of Japanese Student Association at UW, and I have an e-penpal now.
- I want to talk to my Japanese friends or make some new ones
Ultimately I do want a Japanese girlfriend, but unlike a lot of people, I did not learn Japanese just to hit on them. Not nearly as high on the list as the others, so I didn't check it, but it's there in some degree.
- My boyfriend/girlfriend is Japanese or want to make one.
I can't check this one yet, but I hope someday I can.
- I live in Japan (so for daily life use...)
And of course, that implies...
- I (will) need it for my job
That's almost the whole list :o

[Mimmy_08]

I'm studying Japanese because I need it for my job. My boss is a Japanese and I'm working in a Japanese Company.

I love to learn Nihonggo!

[AJBryant]

I should throw one in.

I was a Japanese history buff in college, so it was only natural that I started studying Japanese (back in 1978 -- Gah!!).

[Tomii515]

I've probably posted here more than once... But whatever, I'm bored.

Three years ago, randomly when I first found out about youtube, I came across the song "Passion" by Utada Hikaru. I fell in love, and that's when I decided I wanted to learn Japanese. Hahah, yes, I know. A weird way to get interested.... At least it wasn't anime (no offence, of course).

So anyways, after that, when I learned more about everything Japanese, I fell in love! I had a very big interest in the culture, people, food, country, language, history, etc etc etc. And that's also where I found my interest in languages itself!

So yah, here I am now, learning Japanese B^]

[bmoddo]

I'm studying Japanese because I've finally given in to my admiration for the culture and the people. I take a train for 2 hours a day and rather than sentence myself to 2 hours of reading a newspaper and doing sudoku puzzles that I'd much rather learn something.

There are good days and bad days but most days I manage to learn a little more. I'm happy to learn a few new Kanji a day and to read a little faster. I could probably learn far faster if I live in Japan, but I have some Japanese friends here who are very helpful and encouraging and I've always found learning enjoyable.

It's not easy to learn on one's own. I go to Japanese class every Saturday morning for three hours. I really enjoy the time I spend studying.

b.moddo

[kubiatsu]

I've started to learn Japanese for a number of reasons, one being that I aim to eventually live in Japan as I am currently studying for a career in the games industry. Two being that I like to watch a lot of anime, and three; I am very interested in Japanese culture and it's language. However I think I need to join a language class or get a personal tutor to progress better!

[Dareka]

anime/manga/video games,travel to tokyo,...
Japan is THE country :nihonjin:

[Zenta]

i'm learning Japanese because i feel stupid and embarrassed that i don't know it already! my mum is Japanese and my dad English. he doesn't speak it at all so, living in England, my mum never spoke it around the house. as i was growing up i never felt the urge to learn, even though we went to Japan every year to visit relatives. now i'm older i realise it is a crime that i can't speak it! i've never had a proper conversation with my grandparents- how lame is that?! it's time to do something about it before it's too late..

[ASHIKAGA]

....i've never had a proper conversation with my grandparents- how lame is that?! it's time to do something about it before it's too late..

Your grandparents will be thrilled! That's a good enough reason to learn Japanese right there. :cool:

[BEAT]

Every other thing I do somehow rolls back to Japanese. With it I could have an easier life, being able to Read, and speak Japanese rather than hope for a translator and such. And it's just Cool.
I am bent on moving out of the country and living somewhere else because the US is getting to me, so my ideas are Australia, Europe (as in England or Ireland) or Japan.

[LeePhilippines]

ahm, hello everyone!!! happy greetings. I wanted to know Japanese language because I am very interested to make a manga. Actually, I am now finalizing it but it took me many months to assemble it because I don't know how will I name my characters in Japanese since I am a Filipino.