Learning Japanese?

I know you guys probably get a hundred of these kinds of questions, but I'm looking to learn Japanese so I can watch my Chinese cartoons, and read VN's.

What's the best method out there? No classes are taught in my location, and I don't exactly have the money to go out and purchase a whole set of books.

Why not just torrent Rosetta Stone, and leave the text on kanji/kana the whole time?  By the end of the second unit you should be able to start picking up elementary school Japanese language learning books and go from there.

fuck off

I have to start by saying your reason is pretty weak and you'll probably fail because the amount of dedication required to become apt at reading Japanese, especially in a manner specialized enough for fictional literature, outweighs your reasons or means to study the language. That being said, if you're still willing to go forth, I won't stop you any more quickly than you can stop yourself. Google around for Nakama or Genki and get all the way through all them and their relevant materials. You can also find Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese, which is good for grammar and conversational skills after the completion of either of those books, J-Bridge, for developing vocabulary and composition skills, and Chuukyuu he Ikou+Chuukyuu wo Manabou for developing reading skills and the use of written expressions.

Rosetta Stone is pure shit and I don't recommend it. Trying to learn any language on my own has proved impossible, but after the first two semesters I spent studying Japanese in a classroom, developing independent study skills became rapidly easier.

Reposting from the other thread...


Little primer on Japanese writing... there are 3 things you need to know.

1. There is a group of 46 "letters" named the Hiragana, which represent syllables. せ　is "se", よ　is "yo", etc. These are usually only 1 or 2 stroke each, and the only way to learn them is by rote memorization, as there is no pattern to them.

2. There are another 46 of these named the Katakana. These are the exact same in terms of pronunciation, but are used mainly for foreign loanwords. セ　is "se", ヨ　is "yo."


3. Kanji. This is the big one. You will need to learn to recognize about 2100 of these, also known as the Jouyou list. There are several ways to go about doing that, but the most popular way is to use James Heisig's "Remembering the Kanji" book, along with an SRS program. That stands for spaced repetition system, and it's a fancy way of saying electronic flashcards. I would recommend "Anki" for that, as would most people.

Disclaimer... when you are learning hiragana there will be a point where you get really frustrated and will despair at having to learn 2100 of them in kanji form later. This is not true, because kanji are set up in patterns and building blocks that make them easier to learn. You'll understand this more as you make your way through "Remembering the Kanji", assuming you go that route.

Tons of people have gone into this stuff in more depth... you can learn a surprising amount from Wikipedia. Good luck, and if you have any more questions feel free to ask.

By the way, >>4, I like most of what you said, but I disagree that his reasoning is weak. I don't see the difference between learning it to read VNs and learning it to read, say, classical literature. If he's interested enough in those VNs, that'll form the basis of his dedication just as much as liking classic literature would for someone interested in it.

Because reading classical literature has a rich history, an academic field, career/resume material, libraries and primers dedicated to it, and it makes a great discussion topic around family, friends, and work parties. VNs are largely translated by hikikomori in their mother's basements. And a lot of people who get into classical literature do so after they've already begun to study modern language. I'm not saying any of this to be an ass, or to suggest that you should only do what society approves of you doing, but when you go against the flow it's a lot harder to stay motivated and the main key to success in language study is sustained motivation. I probably would have fallen apart a while ago in my Japanese language study if not encouraged by meeting some incredibly hospitable Japanese and the impetus of (don't laugh) being able to start a relationship with a girl with the social values of Japanese rather than American society. It helps me get to sleep at night knowing that every word I studied the last night could be used in a conversation with a girl I might fuck the next night. This isn't me being a comedian, it's the reality of the situation.

>>6

I get what you're saying about needing a directly applicable reason to learn the language, but remember that OP (most likely) isn't in Japan... I'm guessing his family and friends aren't well versed in original Japanese classic literature. Whereas people on 4chan and the Japanese chans talk about VNs all the time.

>>6
Getting a girlfriend/boyfriend is the easiest way to speed up the learning process. Now let this shitty thread die.