I wish to study Japanese (considering the JET Programme in a few years), and I'd like to know what has helped you study. Is there a special approach or technique, or is it similar to studying a European language like Spanish or French?
Thanks!
Japanese taxpayers are footing the bill for JET. Stay away.
What does JET stand for?
>>3
It's the *J*apan *E*xchange and *T*eaching Programme.
>>1
What is your purpose of studying Japanese?
As one of the taxpayers,I really want to know it if what 2 said is true.
If you wish to study Japanese for your private interests,I want you not to utilize the JET Programme. lol
I advise you to be a sumo wrestler, which is the best way to learn Japanese. lol
I'm always amazed to see how quickly they master Japanese.
There seems to be some reasons for that.
>>5
so basically, don't use jet if you just want to read manga.
職業のためにＪＥＴで日本語を勉強するが良いですか
sorry if my English and my Japanese is bad
>>9
Oh, please don't take it seriously.
At the time, I just made fun of 1.
I don't know much about JET,so そのことについて軽々しく意見を言える立場にないのです。寧ろその質問は２さんにしてください。彼（彼女？）はＪＥＴのことに詳しそうだから。
As far as I'm concerned, it's OK with me if you use it in order to read manga. because I am a broad-minded person. lol
I'd suggest learning it as any other language (seems to work reasonably well for me).
But if you're taking regular university courses, and if it's possible, consider taking a beginners course part time first. Full-time study can be pretty intimidating, and you might want to get started slowly.
I recommend learning Kanji first. RTK from James Heisig really helps. After that just dive into the language.
Read about grammar, read manga (especially with furigana) if that's your thing. Try to decipher real sentences. Watch japanese tv without subs.
Just don't force yourself to speak early on.
I don't agree with >>11 at all. Either do it 100% all the way or leave it alone. Language course won't get you anywhere, you'll have half-assed skills (speaking from personal experience). Sure, full-time study is intimidating and time-consuming as fuck, but at least after a year you're pretty much set (also speaking from personal experience). Set to do the rest by yourself, I mean. All you have to do after that year full-time studying is learn the remaining kanji and go to Japan for a few weeks if possible now and then. Learning Japanese = a laborious (yet fun) experience.
>>12
Kanji is the worst to start off with, start with hiragana then move on from there.
I also found watching fansub 'karaoke' helped with my reading.
>>14
That's a large part of how I mastered hiragana. Katakana just seems to escape me, though.
日本語が勉強したいなら、
ゲームとアニメとマンガを読解するのがいい。
I didn't think mastering hiragana was hard at all, but there's still so much to do...
Kana are a piece of cake.
You can learn them in a few days, although I thought most people interested in learning Japanese know them already since they're so easy to pick up.
Also, if you're not dedicated enough to learn Kanji just give up now instead of wasting your time.
I suppose this is all well and good, but I think that actual skill in the language itself cannot be achieved by anything but complete immersion. Think about it, we learn to speak before we learn to read or write, isn't it only logical and sensible to learn through trial and error by actually going there and speaking to people who don't actually know any English?
you Use yuo tude.
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=jfZSut6v8pk
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=IU_59__sIo8
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=hW9R1QMDz0A
http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=XCboySbGmds
American Cocker Spaniel
＆
Bullterrier Britain
＆
Japanese mochi
>>18
It's not that I don't have the dedication, it's just that I don't have the time at the moment.
>>21
Blah blah blah, a i u e o, ka ki ku ke ko. Make up a mnemonic device or something.
>>22
I've got the kana down. That's not tough.
It's just that I don't have the time for the crazy kanji.
>>1, there is an expanded answer for you after the rant. Feel free to jump ahead. :-)
>>13
Well, I'm speaking from personal experience too. (English is not my first language; and I'm taking Japanese in college now.)
Classes are good. Learning grammar is good. Having a good teacher is invaluable. And if you want to spend all your spare time learning on your own; guess what - that's perfectly fine too. One does not exclude the other.
But going at it on your own? Lots of people do that, and quit pretty soon after. That doesn't mean it's impossible of course. But it takes dedication. For a given random poster on a discussion board, that is not something you can just assume.
Therefore: >>1, if it's available to you, take a class and find out if this is something you really want to do. A good class, one where you learn hiragana and a few kanji right away. Make sure you have a good teacher, a native speaker if possible. Spend as much time as you can, and as much as you feel like, studying on the side. Hang out with the other guys in class. Try all the technical tools available to you (like the Rikaichan Firefox extension, a flashcard programs for your PDA/phone, maybe an electronic dictionary if you can get one).
Then decide how to continue. Maybe complete immersion is the way to go for you; maybe not. But you'll have no idea what it's like until you start.
>>24
After a year and a half in a Japanese class at my college, I've noticed some things about my learning style. I am generally better than average with reading and translating text, but I cannot write coherently unless I write what I want to say in English first, laboriously translate it (roughly) into Japanese, and continually tweak it until I'm happy with how it looks. On the other hand, I completely suck at speaking, it's like I can't hold a coherent conversation. I'm starting to think that complete immersion is the only way I'll ever be fluent in another language.