Hi all,
I would hope to hear about your experiences learning the language and what you found particularly easy or difficult. I would also like to know what you think was the most/least enjoyable part of studying this language.
I will start with myself
I have studied Japanese rather for 4 years self-studying and in college in Canada. My reason for starting to learn the language was probably similar to yours -- I liked Japanese cuisine, and doramas. Well, after that many years of studying at a rather serious pace, I still find myself struggling to really speak smoothly. That is probably because I don't really get to speak it aside from going to school once a week to do just that. But I think the more important factors that contribute to my weakness in expressing myself and understanding others are the following:
1 There are too many set phrases that one must rely on brute memorization to learn: e.g. one should say "bougen wo haku" instead of "bougen wo iu" etc.
2 Too many of these idioms in daily speech involving body parts and ki etc. that are not used often, but usually understood by natives when used.
3 Too many of these archaic words entering into daily speech: e.g. nakinishimoarazu, yokaranu, kokoronarazumo etc.
4 Tameguchi (slang) and dialects entering into daily conversation. Slang can be of many forms, and can be difficult to understand depending origin of the slang and the ability of the speaker in using the slang. Nowadays many Japanese people can't even use their language properly, which adds to the problem. The mixing of dialects by youngsters is particularly troublesome for the listener.
5 Tendency of mumbling words by older males (usually 30yrs and up). If only everyone spoke like NHK announcers
6 Last but not least, way too much specific usage on gitaigo and giongo. No matter how much I try to learn, there seems to be always that gitaigo right there in the next page while reading a fashion magazine.
After starting to learn the language and also starting to teach English to the Japanese, I started to understand why sometimes they struggle so much at speaking English. They have to memorize a lot of these archaic, onomatopoeia, n number of pronouns for You and I, and certain dialects, they just have no more energy/space in their head to store another language. I don't know, but I found myself quite drained learning the language. It's common to see foreigners to speak Japanese well, but not very common to see foreigners speaking it REALLY well (except those with Japanese spouses).
Just my 2 cents.
I would hope to hear about your experiences learning the language and what you found particularly easy or difficult. I would also like to know what you think was the most/least enjoyable part of studying this language.
I will start with myself
I have studied Japanese rather for 4 years self-studying and in college in Canada. My reason for starting to learn the language was probably similar to yours -- I liked Japanese cuisine, and doramas. Well, after that many years of studying at a rather serious pace, I still find myself struggling to really speak smoothly. That is probably because I don't really get to speak it aside from going to school once a week to do just that. But I think the more important factors that contribute to my weakness in expressing myself and understanding others are the following:
1 There are too many set phrases that one must rely on brute memorization to learn: e.g. one should say "bougen wo haku" instead of "bougen wo iu" etc.
2 Too many of these idioms in daily speech involving body parts and ki etc. that are not used often, but usually understood by natives when used.
3 Too many of these archaic words entering into daily speech: e.g. nakinishimoarazu, yokaranu, kokoronarazumo etc.
4 Tameguchi (slang) and dialects entering into daily conversation. Slang can be of many forms, and can be difficult to understand depending origin of the slang and the ability of the speaker in using the slang. Nowadays many Japanese people can't even use their language properly, which adds to the problem. The mixing of dialects by youngsters is particularly troublesome for the listener.
5 Tendency of mumbling words by older males (usually 30yrs and up). If only everyone spoke like NHK announcers
6 Last but not least, way too much specific usage on gitaigo and giongo. No matter how much I try to learn, there seems to be always that gitaigo right there in the next page while reading a fashion magazine.
After starting to learn the language and also starting to teach English to the Japanese, I started to understand why sometimes they struggle so much at speaking English. They have to memorize a lot of these archaic, onomatopoeia, n number of pronouns for You and I, and certain dialects, they just have no more energy/space in their head to store another language. I don't know, but I found myself quite drained learning the language. It's common to see foreigners to speak Japanese well, but not very common to see foreigners speaking it REALLY well (except those with Japanese spouses).
Just my 2 cents.