Learning to Speak another Language :::

[BEHIND_THE_MASK]

Greetings friends.

Im trying to learn to speak Japanese (I am a fan of several anime series and I've decided to try and get a hold of the Japanese Manga's and such) and I was wondering if anyone has any good sites or hints for this.

So far Ive found this site:

http://learnjapanese.elanguageschool.net/

It seems to be free, so Im guessing it may not be worth a crap. But anyways, does anyone have any advice.

I'm also considering to learn German, Italian and Dutch... but for now, lets concentrate on Japanese.

 

[Ansar]

Well, I'll tell you something. Learning French is not easy!

(Good luck with Japanese, especially since it's like drawing - no letters, just symbols).

 

[BEHIND_THE_MASK]

Well, I'll tell you something. Learning French is not easy!

(Good luck with Japanese, especially since it's like drawing - no letters, just symbols).

I know... I also heard you read it right to left or something...

 

[Gogf]

If you're still in school, see if you can pick up the relevant class.

 

[Ansar]

If you're still in school, see if you can pick up the relevant class.

Not sure about where he is, but, AFAIK, Japanese isn't very widely taught throughout the world... (as in, as a school elective course in the Language department).

 

[BEHIND_THE_MASK]

Not sure about where he is, but, AFAIK, Japanese isn't very widely taught throughout the world... (as in, as a school elective course in the Language department).

I currently preside in Texas...

I can learn Spainish, but I dont want to... that and i dont see what use it would be to me.

 

[Ansar]

I currently preside in Texas...

I can learn Spainish, but I dont want to... that and i dont see what use it would be to me.

Spanish is actually very useful, especially for a Texan or someone in the border states.

But if Japanese is what you want, I say go for it. (From what I know of, it's taught in the West Coast).

 

[Phlegmak]

I use Spanish fairly regularly. The entirety of the custodial staff in my office building is Spanish speakers that don't speak a word of English.

 

[Ansar]

I use Spanish fairly regularly. The entirety of the custodial staff in my office building is Spanish speakers that don't speak a word of English.

Would you qualify yourself as bilingual?

 

[GenMarshall]

I know... I also heard you read it right to left or something...

Only if its arranged vertically.

 

[Nylan]

I'd try Rosetta Stone if you're willing to put the money into it

otherwise, I dunno. Move to Japan?

 

[Phlegmak]

Would you qualify yourself as bilingual?

I consider myself 1.5 lingual.

 

[BEHIND_THE_MASK]

I'd try Rosetta Stone if you're willing to put the money into it

otherwise, I dunno. Move to Japan?

I'd actually like to move their... I've heard its a beautiful place, but damn is it expensive.

 

[GenMarshall]

Good luck with Japanese, especially since it's like drawing - no letters, just symbols.

You also have to learn the three major writing systems. Hiragana (平仮&#21517 (Hiragana Sample: ひらが&#12394, Katakana (片仮&#21517 (Katakana Sample: ガソリ&#12531, and Kanji (漢&#23383 (Kanji Sample: &#33590. Furigana is just Kanji characters with the hiragana spelling on the top or side (Least common)

 

[Nylan]

Isn't Kanji most common?

and yeah, Japan is beautiful. I miss it there. Unfortunately, I was too young to learn the language there, and lived on an AFB full of Americans.

 

[GenMarshall]

Isn't Kanji most common?

Kanji and Kanas (Hiragana and Katakana) are the most common. Furigana are oftenly used in Children's literature who dont have advanced reading skills to recognise the Kanji but can understand the word written phonetically in hiragana (Due since Japanese children learn hiragana before katakana)

For adult Japanese speakers, furigana would be used with words written that in uncommon kanji as well as apearing along side kanji and their romanization on signs in railroad stations. Furigana also appear often on maps to show the pronunciation of unusual place names.

Example of a furigana (I cant do furigana since it relys on a html code to arrange them properly)