HomeForumsWhat's newResources 
 
 
Does anyone know
Ratamahatta - Mar 18, 2002

 1  2  Next> 

  Ratamahatta Mar 18, 2002
Where I could possibly go to learn japanese? I've been itching to learn the language for a few years now.

 Raijin Z Mar 18, 2002
*insert 2 pages of laughter*

Oh boy.... Well, I suggest southern california. Japanese is NOT easy to learn once the language centers in your brain become inflexible. Like when you're 12 years old.

I've been exposed to it for about.... 8 or 9 years now, so I can watch untranslated anime and get the gist of what's being said, and read certain words, but that's about as far as it goes. Then again, I've only barely taught myself Japanese. I bought five books on it, but I mainly use them for reference.

 eatpenguin Mar 18, 2002
i can understand some spoken japanese and read/understand some kanji but that;s only because i have a japanese-speaking grandmother and korean shares some of the kanji characters. and from my experience (learning english and little spanish) learning a language is not merely just going through text books and stuff. you have to experience the culture to fully (well, effectively) learn the language. you need to like interact with people and stuff, not just go thorugh drills.

so i guess to answer your question, go to japan. but i highly doubt you'll do that just to learn the language. well, maybe it would help if you have japanese speaking family friend or something.

 ExCyber Mar 18, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			Japanese is NOT easy to learn once the language centers in your brain become inflexible.


I'm honestly starting to wonder if the lanugage/age connection is largely a myth. Do you know of any research that supports that conclusion? I've gotten to thinking that the real problem is that it's pretty much impossible to recreate the conditions under which a native language is learned...

 eatpenguin Mar 18, 2002
yea it is pretty tough to learn a language without submerging yourself in the culture. and i dont mean just watching animes and eating sushi. that's probably why even though i have a more direct influence (family - live-in grandmother) of the japanese culture, my english and spanish are much better than japanese because of my current surroundings. of course i speak much better korean because i have spent majority of my life in korea.

 eatpenguin Mar 18, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			Quote: from ExCyber on 4:59 pm on Mar. 18, 2002



I'm honestly starting to wonder if the lanugage/age connection is largely a myth. Do you know of any research that supports that conclusion? I've gotten to thinking that the real problem is that it's pretty much impossible to recreate the conditions under which a native language is learned...


well, for one thing, adults tend to be more busy since they most likely have to provide for the family...as opposed to children. they go to school. for the purpose of learning. they have more chance of living through the culture that the adults may miss out on. even simple stuff like the nursery rhymes and stuff.

 ExCyber Mar 18, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			well, for one thing, adults tend to be more busy since they most likely have to provide for the family...as opposed to children. they go to school. for the purpose of learning. they have more chance of living through the culture that the adults may miss out on. even simple stuff like the nursery rhymes and stuff.


I'm referring more specifically to the idea that the brain undergoes certain age-related changes that result in a reduced ability to learn language. I've seen this idea tossed around before, but haven't heard of any research that supports it (not that I've really looked, but it's harder to Google when one doesn't know the proper terminology).

 Raijin Z Mar 19, 2002
It was an HS neurology text. It wasn't part of the curriculum, but what else are you going to do when you don't care about school? Anyway, the grammar is like Yoda speak. If you spoke Japanese in english word order, you'd barely make any sense. Can't find my grammar book right now, so I can't think of a humorous example. If you want to learn Japanese, go ahead and try it. 9_9 A first step would be calling the area community colleges and voc schools to see if they offer introductory and advanced courses.

 ExCyber Mar 19, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			Anyway, the grammar is like Yoda speak.


Nah, Japanese is at least internally consistent with its word order, as far as I know.

 Raijin Z Mar 19, 2002
Yes, but compared to english word order, it's yoda speak.

English "I'm going to the grocery store."

Japanese "Going to store of grocery am."

 Curtis Mar 19, 2002
There are a number of online resources that aid in teaching Japanese. A quick search on Google turns up many, but a couple to try are:

http://web.mit.edu/jpnet/redirect.html... - highly useful general Japanese language stuff, including easy ways to learn the basic Kana scripts.

and

http://www.japanese-online.com/... with some other useful stuff.

Also, if you can't learn a new language after a certain age, why teach it at MIT?

 mal Mar 19, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			Quote: from Curtis on 9:48 pm on Mar. 19, 2002



Also, if you can't learn a new language after a certain age, why teach it at MIT?

Sadistic academics?

 Raijin Z Mar 19, 2002
I'd like it very much if everyone went back and read my first reply word for word.

 eatpenguin Mar 19, 2002
"exposed to it" as in you live with japanese-speaking people?

 Curtis Mar 19, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			Quote: from mal on 7:52 am on Mar. 19, 2002








  
	
	

		
		

			Quote: from Curtis on 9:48 pm on Mar. 19, 2002



Also, if you can't learn a new language after a certain age, why teach it at MIT?




		

		

	



Sadistic academics?


Heh...tell me about it

 Raijin Z Mar 19, 2002
Damnit. Reading is Fun-damental.

"Japanese is NOT easy to learn once the language centers in your brain become inflexible."

 eatpenguin Mar 19, 2002
so when exactly does your brain become inflexible?

 archiver Mar 19, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			Quote: from eatpenguin on 7:20 pm on Mar. 19, 2002



so when exactly does your brain become inflexible?


When you stop flexing it!

 Raijin Z Mar 19, 2002
EXACTLY. Thank you.

 ExCyber Mar 19, 2002

  
	
	

		
		

			It was an HS neurology text.


An HS neurology text, eh? Were they also teaching HS-level quantum physics, thermodynamics, and electron beam nanolithography classes while I was rotting away at Ponderosa High School... (All Hail The Mustangs - pep rally attendance mandatory. Yay school spirit.)?

Anyway, I just find the assertion that "language centers become inflexible with age" a little dodgy. As eatpenguin mentioned, there are a host of age-related environmental factors that make language harder to learn, so I find it a bit hard to believe that it comes down to a distinct and well-understood biological problem. That's all.

 1  2  Next>