Help me with my Research Project!

Hello everyone!
I am doing a research project about what you come across when you start learning Japanese, so I will be very grateful if you could answer these questions about your own experience. They are pretty basic questions so it won't take too long.


Age:
Years as a student:
Kind of learning center (university, language school, etc.) :

Why do you study Japanese?

Do you think it is a difficult language to learn?

What are the main difficulties you face when learning Japanese? Why?

What is the easiest thing to learn? What did you learn first?

How long does it take to get used to the Japanese alphabet?

What was the first thing you were taught?

What are the most common mistakes?

What will your knowledge of the language be useful for in the future?



Thanks in advance! ^^

Suki_ said:

Hello everyone!
I am doing a research project about what you come across when you start learning Japanese, so I will be very grateful if you could answer these questions about your own experience. They are pretty basic questions so it won't take too long.
Age:
Years as a student:
Kind of learning center (university, language school, etc.) :
Why do you study Japanese?
Do you think it is a difficult language to learn?
What are the main difficulties you face when learning Japanese? Why?
What is the easiest thing to learn? What did you learn first?
How long does it take to get used to the Japanese alphabet?
What was the first thing you were taught?
What are the most common mistakes?
What will your knowledge of the language be useful for in the future?
Thanks in advance! ^^

Click to expand...

Age: 14

Years as a student: 2006 - ?

Kind of learning center (university, language school, etc.) : My house, haha

Why do you study Japanese? Because I'm interested in Japan, Japanese culture, Japanese food, Japanese traditions, Japanese people, Japanese music, the Japanese language, and much more!

Do you think it is a difficult language to learn? At times... But I think overall it's easy... But then again, I love learning it and languages in general, and it might just come easy to me.

What are the main difficulties you face when learning Japanese? Why? Umm... Certain kinds of grammer, vocabulary, and kanji. Since the grammer is completely different than English, it's a little bit harder. When I first started studying Japanese, it was fairly hard, but now most of it is easy. Like I said, certain kinds of grammer give me problem. vocabulary is pretty hard to remember for me. I have a good memory, it's just I don't like learning new vocabualry! hehe. I like grammer more And as for kanji, there are sooooo many, and even though I love learning new ones, it's frustrating coming across a kanji I don't know when reading something.

What is the easiest thing to learn? What did you learn first? Grammer! Or, atleast, most of it! ^^ The first thing in japanese I ever learned way "ohayou", "Good morning". I learned it in Kindergarden when watching "Bigbird goes to japan" or something.. hehe. But, when i actually starting learning the language, I think the first thing I learned was greeting and/or hiragana.

How long does it take to get used to the Japanese alphabet? It took me 3 days to learn hiragana, 1 day to learn katakana, and I'm still working on kanji. Usually, 15 kanji a week.

What was the first thing you were taught? I wasn't "taught", unless you count teaching myself...

What are the most common mistakes? Umm... Particle usage? Sometimes I don't use it when it's supposed to be there, sometime I use it when it's not supposed to be there, and sometimes I used the wrong particle! DAMN PARTICLES! hehe

What will your knowledge of the language be useful for in the future? Well, I'm going to study abroad in japan in 3 years, so know an intermidiate level of the language might help! hsha. Also, whenI'm old enough and when I'm fluent in the language, i plan to live in Japan!


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I hope this helps

-Tommy

Help me with my Research Project!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello everyone!
I am doing a research project about what you come across when you start learning Japanese, so I will be very grateful if you could answer these questions about your own experience. They are pretty basic questions so it won't take too long.
Age:
Years as a student:
Kind of learning center (university, language school, etc.) :
Why do you study Japanese?
Do you think it is a difficult language to learn?
What are the main difficulties you face when learning Japanese? Why?
What is the easiest thing to learn? What did you learn first?
How long does it take to get used to the Japanese alphabet?
What was the first thing you were taught?
What are the most common mistakes?
What will your knowledge of the language be useful for in the future?
Thanks in advance! ^^

Click to expand...

Hi there!!!!!! Im gonna try and hep a little,k?
Age: 15
Years as a student: 2006 to present
Kind of learning center (university, language school, etc.) : Summer School and I guess language school
Why do you study Japanese?
I'm seriously into everything thats Japanese related (anime, manga, music, culture)
I wanna be able to go to Japan and live there for a few months
Hey, what about watching anime and doramas without subs?
Do you think it is a difficult language to learn?
Somewhat, but not that much if you're seriously into it
What are the main difficulties you face when learning Japanese? Why?
Trying to get used to the all the basic kanji... I think because they just tend to be very confusing (try counting the strokes adn figuring out the radicals)
What is the easiest thing to learn? What did you learn first?
Random sentences and expressions. Also words used in everyday otaku language. First thing I learned : How to say "Thank you very much"
How long does it take to get used to the Japanese alphabet?
A few weeks, definitely lass than a month.
What was the first thing you were taught?
The days of the week and again common expressions
What are the most common mistakes?
Putting the particles ni, mo and de in the right order
Mixing both Hiragana and katakana
What will your knowledge of the language be useful for in the future?
Travelling, job opportunities and resumes
I really hope that helps, GOOD LUCK!!!!

Thank you guys for taking the time to help!

It's really gonna help! ^^

Age: 23

Years as a student:

~16 months self study, 10 months so far in Japan

Kind of learning center (university, language school, etc.) :

bars. the high schools I teach at. the supermarket. my language partners' houses

Why do you study Japanese?

I wanted to learn another language. I enjoy the challenge.

Do you think it is a difficult language to learn?

Don't have other language experience to go by, but I would say yes, to some extent. The grammar is fairly straightforward, but spoken japanese and written japanese are almost completely different, so its almost like having to learn two languages. Kanji and katakana also make the language difficult. Throw in Keigo, which for all but the best students is practically impenetrable, and yes, you've got a difficult language.


What are the main difficulties you face when learning Japanese? Why?

Oddly enough, the fact that many people (the percentage is staggerly high) I meet (I live in Japan) try to use English with me, regardless of whether or not I am using Japanese, or how good their own English level is in relation to my Japanese. To put it another way, its difficult to learn what to say at different occassions when Japanese people are trying to use their own English.

What is the easiest thing to learn? What did you learn first?

I would say how to physically write the strokes of kanji. Its so easy that I think so people get addicted to it at the expense of actually Learning Kanji.

How long does it take to get used to the Japanese alphabet?

Get used to? Does this mean, when you see it on the street, you dont freak out? Does this mean you are comfortable picking up the newspaper and sounding out all the words? If so, a long, long time. Hiragana was the easiest. katakana still throws me through loops. I can't read them very quickly at all, and since they tend to all be stripped of context relative to each other (ie, the same situation you will see バレーボール you will see バドミントン or バスケットボール), its very difficult to improve my comfort level. But, to be fair, the same tends to be true for Japanese...

What was the first thing you were taught?

greetings and hiragana

What are the most common mistakes?

Among the litany of mistakes I make in every attempt, perhaps the worst relate to switching levels of formality. Keeping the ですます体 and the だ体 separate while speaking is a constant challenge.

What will your knowledge of the language be useful for in the future?

Perhaps finding a job. Perhaps just keeping my mind sharp. Certainly expanding the amount of literature/web sites/television programming available to me.