[Aug 04] 3. One Of The Things I Am Proud Of

What a day! I (again) almost forgot to write this. I was up until 5AM this morning doing god knows what, a mixture of project stuff, Photoshop and French, then had a few hours sleep, woke up at 10AM, did the laundry, went out for a BBQ, got back and "chilled" out. It is now 10PM and I have only just realised I haven't done this yet! Well, I suppose now is a good time as ever. Exhausted, so this may not be as colourful or interesting as my last entries. Though I say that, I do have a tendency to ramble on. We'll see how it goes.

Today's topic is...
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One Of The Things I Am Proud Of

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You probably already know what is coming... Japanese! I am proud of my ability to somewhat formulate a sentence in an exotic far eastern language. I have studied it for roughly 7 years, though I'm sure I'm entering my 8th year, I don't know, but it is around that time. Knowing a second language these days is probably not that much of a feat, but as for me, someone who feels as if they have never really achieved anything or had a certain talent, I am proud that I have managed to be at least somewhat proficient in a foreign language. In school, I was never good at maths. I was pretty decent at English (some of you may be reading this and thinking, "Ha, good one!") and with science, I got by. I took language classes in school and to be honest, like most British kids, I took zero notice. 

Which is surprising because I have had such a huge interest in languages since I was about 11. I think I took my first French class at that age. Though the difference is though, studying languages in my own time at home was fun - studying in a class with a very grumpy French teacher who insisted we called her "madame" (I have learned from my French studies that it is common in French, but when you are 12 years old and are being told to do that... you find it ridiculous), was not fun. At all. I used to be well-behaved in class and quite quiet, but when with friends, I was a chatterbox. I was especially so in French class. I think it is because I wasn't too fond of the teacher. I have no idea why, but I would always get in trouble in her classes. She would constantly move me from my friends because of too much talking. I should have been talking in French... wonder if she still would have moved me.

Any way, yes, in a country like Britain where nobody can really speak a second language as nobody thinks they have any real reason to, which they may not, yet these are the same people who say, "I wish I knew Mandarin, China is really moving up in the world", whom to I feel like saying, "Well learn it then!", knowing a second language does set you apart from the crowd in probably all the wrong ways. Either way, I am still proud of it.

I realise this has become a cynical rant about French teachers and Britain, and is probably my way of saying I am proud I overcame all this, stuck to my guns and learned Japanese. But I am also proud because I am not someone who is known for being consistent. I have probably said this before but I am one of those people who will start something and never finish it. I think with a thing like Japanese, the only reason I have kept at it for so long is because there is no finish... I have a constant drive. I am constantly chasing a finish which doesn't exist. 

And for that, I am proud. I know that studying this language is an endless journey but that only drives me further to continue it and to get better. 

Product Review: Teach Yourself Japanese

I talk a lot about language learning, so I thought it would be a good idea to review some of the materials I have used for people who want to learn the language themselves. I will list the pros and cons, and my thoughts at the end. I hope this is helpful for those learning a language. There are so many textbooks, references, grammar guides and all sorts out there, that for someone who is new to it might feel demotivated just at the thought of deciding what to use! This is my first review and it will be focusing on Teach Yourself: Complete Japanese.

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TEACH YOURSELF: COMPLETE JAPANESE

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Product information

Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Teach Yourself Language: English

PROS:

• Thorough
• Promises to get you to B2 Level (Low Intermediate)
• Teaches Kana and some Kanji
• A lot of realistic conversation
• A lot of vocabulary
• Exercises challenge your knowledge
• Answer key in the back

CONS:

• Limiting
• Promises B2, falls short of it (High Beginner)
• Primarily in romaji 

MY THOUGHTS:

I have much faith in the Teach Yourself series, and I have much faith in this book. I used the older version when I started learning, but I recently bought this edition for my boyfriend who also wants to learn Japanese. We have been working through it together, even though it is specifically written and aimed towards those who are learning it alone. Since we only bought the book version, I am his tape recorder. There are a lot of dialogues in the book which use natural, every day Japanese. At the beginning, my boyfriend and I often agreed that some of the words they teach at the beginning are a bit useless, such as "journalist", "company manager" and "secretary". But we are two University students who will not need to use words like that in our every day life. 

As the book goes on though, it increases in difficulty, introducing more grammar and more vocabulary. What I like about this book is how it tactically introduces words and grammar you have learnt into the dialogues you have to study. When I am going through the conversation with my boyfriend, he often points out that he recognises words and grammar from previous units, and that it is helpful in remembering them. The book eventually progresses from very polite and formal Japanese to every day, informal language which is something I love about this book. Most textbooks will not introduce you to informal language to avoid confusion, yet this book handles it perfectly. There is a good balance between the two. In some units, it will introduce an informal and formal version of the same conversation, so there is something for everyone.

The majority of the book is in romaji, which to me is a let down. My boyfriend and I combat this by having him write out words, dialogue and grammar points all in hiragana. The book does eventually introduce Kanji and Kana, but not enough in my opinion. If you are wanting to start with the writing, it might be a good idea to use this book in conjunction with Read and Write Japanese Scripts: Teach Yourself, or do what my boyfriend and I do, by writing out the kana separately.

The activities are challenging, asking you to translate from Japanese and into Japanese. Some activities require you to complete the sentence or insert missing words. I think at one point we even saw a crossword in there! But do not quote me on that. 

Overall, it is a decent book and in my opinion, a good place for someone new to Japanese to start. By the end of the book, you will have a semi-decent foundation in Japanese. 

Get your own copy of it at Amazon: Complete Japanese: Teach Yourself
I also recommend you grab:  Read and Write Japanese Scripts: Teach Yourself to accompany this if you are wanting to learn more about Japanese Kana!