Going over my head?

It really depends on the level of interest in the cultures of both. If you enjoy anime (or the like), go for Japanese. If you want more $$$ potential in the future, maybe Mandarin is a better investment. Japanese culture is more visual and people seem to be more friendly at first, so it's easier for foreigners, especially the white gaijin, to fall in love with Japan easily. Chinese culture is something that takes time to be appreciated, and Chinese may sound a bit rude or look a bit cunning at first, but once you've gotten past the superficial, things will look differently I am sure.

Well the thing is I'm an American of half Japanese half Chinese descent, and I would very much like to study both. I kinda feel left out if I only study one.

in that case u should learn both... since you are at jref, then i advise you to learn japanese first!

Heard a few warnings about learning languages that are similar at the same time. I'm sure there'll be a pile of confusion over Chinese characters when you're trying to decide what language one belongs to.

Hi Kenzen-san & a Happy New Year (Japan celebrates New Year for at least the first 3 days of the year)!

I think it will be great if you can master both languages that are closely linked to your heritage. Depending on your environment, I think you can learn both.

But I think it is necessary to give one language a head start. Do you have speakers of the two languages in your immediate family or people you live with? Which language do you think you speak better? If you have any proficiency in one of them, I think you should study the language you know less. I personally think the logical, structured approach is necessary for learning a language you don't know.

After you reach a certain point, I don't think there will be any confusion between the two languages, considering the many people who grow up and live in bilingual environments.

This is just my personal opinion, so it is all up to you to decide on which one. But I heartily support your desire to learn the languages of your heritage. Ganbattene!!

I would learn as much Japanese as possible before beginning your Chinese, as then you can not be stuck with having to learn obscene amounts of both at the same time... I would also maybe wait 2 semesters before trying Chinese, so that you have a gap that will allow you to take your own pace with the Chinese, and not have to be entirely worried about taking the same level of both at the same time. I myself thought about taking Chinese too, but honestly the level of confusion over a lot of the shared characters, as well as the fact that it's a much deeper language in regards to knowing and properly using said characters is what has dissuaded me. I can at least learn about the culture more in my East Asian Studies minor, but Japanese will always be my focus for my major. Good luck with your endeavors.

Kenzen said:

I am somewhat of an intermediate in Japanese (probably around JPTL4?)

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Care needs to be taken with words like 'intermediate'. Generally 'intermediate' is used to refer to people who are near JLPT level 2, with JLPT 4 being firmly 'beginner'. If you don't know why that is, try picking up a Japanese novel.