Motivational issues

[cheapshot]

on the back of the How-long-do-ppl-study-befoe-they-give-up thread, i want to try and put positive thoughts in peoples heads and see if anone can share personal instances of a revived motivation or what things spur them on...
i want to share with you all a conversation with a japanese friend (XX in the extract) relating to motivation (i think anyway).

[/XX says:
you are English. to speak english is easy for you
XX says:
for me japanese is easy
Yorkii says:
yes
Yorkii says:
we have to accept our limitations
Yorkii says:
but it is hard to
Yorkii says:
especially when i live/work/speak/see/ japanese people
XX says:
probably
Yorkii says:
and it is so easy for them... my brain goes... "Why is it so easy for them? Why can't I do it"?
Yorkii says:
i guess its like looking at someone playing the violin really well and going... "Why cant i do that".
Yorkii says:
i think its the same, but speaking comes so easy, we take it for granted, so i expect to be able to do it in another language too...

my point is that we do take speaking for granted and so (I at least) expected it to come as naturally in a second language. we really do have to look at it like learning to playthe piano or whatever, it is a real task that will require hundreds of manhours, not just - read a few books, go to a few classes "It will soak in eventually" type attitudes.
i think anyway..
yorkii

 

[Mike Cash]

Yorkii says:
especially when i live/work/speak/see/ japanese people

Forgive my impertinence, but how can a fellow in Leeds be that immersed in a Japanese environment?

 

[godppgo]

I never take speaking for granted. Having learned English as my 3rd language, I know a thing or two about learing a new language (took me 13 years to learn English and still learning something new about the language each day).

When learning any language, the most important thing is to ask yourself why are you learning the language. It could be your love for the culture, people, anime, or even girl. Now, look at Japanese language as a tool to help you achieve your interests and goals. If your desire is strong enough, you should have no problem finding the motivation to learn Japanese. Overall, ask yourself is learning Japanese in accord with your core values of life. This type of motivation comes from within yourself and can prove to be extremely effective.

Of course there are other type of motivation. It could just be that you are living in Japan and have no choice but have to learn Japanese. Also, you might need to learn Japanese because of your job. These motivation comes from the outside and could be effective at times. However, learner might not have the same satisfying feeling as having motivation from the inside.

Sometimes I find myself losing interest in learning Japanese but when I recall the process of me learning English, I feel more motivated because I realized mastering Japanese is a long process. A process that is not measured in terms of days or months, but in years or even decades.

 

[cheapshot]

Forgive my impertinence, but how can a fellow in Leeds be that immersed in a Japanese environment?

whops, looks like i forgot to change my location. i do apologise mike, i moved to japan in August of last year,
my bad

 

[cheapshot]

updated

 

[J44xm]

All I can say is that, whereas I'm concerned, at this point in my life, learning Japanese is the most important goal I have. I've dedicated my life to this goal and to what godppgo (an interesting name, there) correctly terms as a journey of many years. I am pleased with the progress I've been making in the past few months, and seeing my progress encourages me greatly. (I think it helps that, growing up, I was a mild grammar nut and loved picking apart English. It carries over into Japanese pretty well.) That I'll be moving to Japan in April (not officially confirmed, but just about) will only spur me on more and more.

It depends on your goals. If you're insane like me and learning Japanese is your life goal, then the process is practically self-sustaining. If you're learning because you have to, there's less joy inherent in the process, I suppose.

 

[Elizabeth]

When learning any language, the most important thing is to ask yourself why are you learning the language. It could be your love for the culture, people, anime, or even girl.

The ideal balance for me personally and I think a lot of people is the realistic love for an individual, the people and culture combined with an inherent interest in mastering another language. The emotional and intellectual sides of it being somehow out of alighnment can eventually very seriously ruin your entire life, especially getting involved with people as a bridge to learning the language or outgrowing that childhood love for anime and manga. The only solution at that point, when everything else is falling apart around you, is to keep going with the language, it will all come together eventually after all, or decide that the life there is worthwhile enough even without it.

皆さんはずっとまじめにがんばっているので感心します 。 これからもがんばりましょうね。

 

[nihon no daigakusei]

みなさん日本語が本当にお上手ですね。私は英語を勉強している日本人の大学生です。僕もたまになぜ英語を勉強しているのだろうと考えることがあります。そして勉強しない日々が続くという事もしばしばあります。私は英語を自由に使えるようになれば世界の人々の考えや文化、歴史など学ぶ機会が増えると考え、英語を勉強するようになりました。色々な国に行って色々な体験がしたいです。みなさんがこんなに熱心に日本語を勉強されているのを見て私もがんばろうと思いました。これからも日本語の勉強をがんばってください。私も英語の勉強をがんばりたいと思います。
Your Japanese is good. I'm a Japnese uiversity student and studying English. I was impressed how hard you learn Japanese and that encouraged me to study English. If you have a question about Japanese language, ask me and I will answer it as far as I can, but with my poor English.

 

[J44xm]

ようこそ、日本の大学生。 Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad that you have decided to study English. You seem to be doing very well, since your English is good. Again, thank you.

 

[nihon no daigakusei]

J44xmさん、はじめまして。この４月から日本に来られるそうですが、さらに上達され、勉強熱心になることでしょう。日本のどこに来られる予定ですか。ちなみに私は神戸（Kobe)に住んでいます。

Mr.J44xm, nice to meet you here. You are going to come to Japan in April as you mentioned above. I think visiting Japan will improve your japanese and motivate you to study it much harder than now. By the way, what part of Japan are you going to visit? I live in Kobe.

 

[J44xm]

はじめまして。 I will be living in Okazaki , studying Japanese at The Yamasa Institute. I also think that living in Japan will increase my motivation. I'm very excited. 日本語を勉強するのが大好きです。 If you don't mind my asking, is there a specific reason that you're studying English?

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

So you've decided to come to Yamasa? Congratulations!

And let me be the first to welcome you to the Mikawa region!

I hope only the best for you and yours!

 

[nihon no daigakusei]

>>Mr.J44xm
You are going to Okazaki ,Aichi prefecture . I've nver been to Okazaki so I cannot give you enough advice about staying in Okazaki, but I think you'll find the funny dialect there.
I'm happy to hear you like to study Japanese as a Japanese.
The reason why I study English↓
We are taught English in junior high school and high school in Japan. I had got a better grade for English compared with the other subjects. So, I've come to think I want to improve my English skill more.
When I went to Australia three years ago, which was the first vist for me to a foreign country, I was moved by its beautiful nature and different culture. Then, I thoght there are a lot of things I'll never know in the world unless I visit to see. So, I felt the necessity of English because it is almost common language in the world.
Can I ask you back the reason why you are interested in Japanese?

>>Mikawa Ossan
もしかして日本の方ですか？

 

[Carlson]

i know i have found myself in a rut from learning. and i live in japan so i should have no reason not to. but i find myself learning more and more each day even though im not trying. kanji and such just come to me when i see something and ask what it is... or how something works in a sentence. stuff like that. but i dont practice writing or taking classes at all anymore

 

[Glenn]

>>Mikawa Ossan
もしかして日本の方ですか？

Wow, I hope someday to have people mistake me for a native speaker. He's actually originally from Wisconsin, USA.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

確かに三河のオッサンですけど、実はＧｌｅｎｎのいう 通りなんです。でも困ったことに、アメリカに帰る度、 かなりのカルチャーショックを受けるくらいに日本のことが染み込んでいま す。それは、決して自慢にすることじゃないと僕は思い ますが、人生という長い道を歩んだ末、（まだ死なない けどね！ハハハ！）こんな人になってしまったのです。
日本の大学生さん、専攻はなんですか？もしかして英文 学科ですか？
Ｇｌｅｎｎさんが私の個人情報を漏らしてしまったから （笑）ここでその「仇」を討ちます。彼は今年の夏ぐら いに京都の大学に来るそうです。近いから日本の大学生 さんとＧｌｅｎｎさんとが、いい友達になれるかもしれ ません。

 

[Glenn]

そう、そう。いい友達になっていきましょう！日本の大学生さん、初めまして！どうぞよろしくお願いします！

 

[nihon no daigakusei]

>>Glennさん Mikawa Ossanさん
こちらこそ、どうも～。いや、実は利休の歌が書かれていたので、日本人かと思っただけなんですが（笑）。利休はもちろん有名ですが、歌の内容までとなると日本人でも教養のある人でないとなかなか知らないですよ。むしろ日本に興味のある外国人のほうが知っている事が多かな(笑）。でも本当に日本語お上手ですよ。
僕は京都の大学の一回生で英文学科に所属しています。 Glennさんとはいつか京都のどこかで 会うかもしれないですね～。 もし会っても分からないですけど（笑）。お二人とも大学で日本文学を専攻されているのですか？

 

[nihon no daigakusei]

文字化けしない方法が分かってよかった

 

[Glenn]

私は日本語を専攻しています。文化や文学もしています が、英語で学んでいます。例えば、最近は夏目漱石の「 心」や紫式部の「源氏物語」の英訳を読んできました。 その他、翻訳授業や日本語言語学授業を取っています。 でも、日本語を使う時は日本人の友達と一緒に飲む時だ けです。

ところで、日本の大学生さんはどの大学に通っているの ですか。私が通うのは同志社大学なんです。

 

[nihon no daigakusei]

え～！！！！奇跡！僕、同志社大学生です。もしかして協定大学間留学ですか？どっちのCampusに来る予定ですか。僕はまだ一回生なので京田辺です。

 

[Mike Cash]

This is wonderful. Glenn is going to have a ready-made drinking buddy as soon as he arrives.

 

[Glenn]

え～！！！！奇跡！僕、同志社大学生です。もしかして協定大学間留学ですか？どっちのCampusに来る予定ですか。僕はまだ一回生なので京田辺です。

そうです。一年間留学します。どのキャンパスかは分からないんですけど。そんなことについて調べなければなりませんね。

This is wonderful. Glenn is going to have a ready-made drinking buddy as soon as he arrives.

Haha. Actually I already have a drinking buddy in the area. But hey, the more the merrier, right?

 

[J44xm]

>>Mr.J44xm
Can I ask you back the reason why you are interested in Japanese?

Certainly. In short, I recently went through a difficult time in which I realized that I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. It was very unpleasant. During this time, I realized that the only thing that interested me at all was studying Japanese. Thus, I've decided to dedicate my life (for now, at least) to learning to speak Japanese as well as I can. For the first time, I feel passionate about something, and that's invigorating to me. I still have to figure out exactly what I'm doing to do for a career--translating appeals to me--but for now, this is myﾂ number-one goal.

 

[RockLee]

Good luck on your way to reach that j44xm ! My goal in life is to finish school (next year) and being able to furfill my dream of working/studying in Japan in the near future.I'm intrigued and ready for some drastic change in my life, as Belgium is boring the heck out of me ☝