自己紹介＆日本語習得についての考え方

はじめまして！ My name is Jonathan and I’ve been studying Japanese for about five years now, as difficult as that is for me to believe, and I’m thrilled to be a part of the grand relaunch of Read The Kanji’s blog. We’re looking forward to introducing you to a lot of useful and interesting information that will help kick your Japanese study into high gear.

About Me

My interest in Japanese and in Japanese culture reaches back to my teen years. I played plenty of Nintendo back then without making any real mental connection to Japan (since everything was labeled Nintendo of America and I might not have realized that there was a Nintendo of Anywhere Else), but my first conscious interaction with a Japanese when I watched dubbed anime on television in my mid-teens. But, of course, dubbed anime is merely the gateway drug to subtitled anime, which was my next stop. Music and television dramas followed. You know the drill.

While I enjoyed most of what I watched, I found myself curiously drawn to the Japanese language itself. I had already picked up basic phrases – good morning; I’m sorry; thank you – but it wasn’t enough and, before long, I was using my free time to study basic Japanese grammar. I have, in the past, tended to lose interest in things quickly, but that didn’t happen and I found myself studying it more and more.

This, among other factors, culminated in my deciding to put my university studies on hold to study Japanese for two years at The Yamasa Institute, a Japanese school in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture. (I suppose that you can think of it as a Japanese boot camp of sorts – all Japanese, all day long.) Being able to study Japanese with other students as motivated as I was in an environment dedicated to Japanese and in a location in which I could put what I learned to immediate use was simply an amazing, fulfilling experience for me.

I’m now back in Houston, Texas, working and wrapping up my business degree at school.

Of course, my Japanese studies continue but, as I have far fewer opportunities to use my Japanese here in Texas, I have a new appreciation for the difficulty of learning a language on one’s own in one’s own country. That’s one of the reasons that I was so happy to have been invited to join the Read The Kanji blog team.

My Philosophy of Japanese Study

I often hear people say that Japanese is difficult. For a native English speaker, it certainly can be a challenge but I would argue that it needn’t be difficult, per se, as an organic, natural method of study is important. Studying at schools and poring over books is all well and good (depending highly on the school and the books and your own methods), but you need to, as much as possible, surround yourself with Japanese. Converse with native speakers; watch anime, dramas, and movies; listen to Japanese music and study the lyrics; read Japanese books and magazines; listen to podcasts – anything, as long as it’s in Japanese and as long as it interests you. You can – and should – study without actually studying as much as you can.

Think about it … When you were just a few years old, you never consciously studied your native language; yet, you naturally learned to speak it because you were surrounded by it all the time. You learned largely by exposure and imitation. The same principle applies now. Actual study is certainly beneficial, but it needs be accompanied by sheer exposure – tons of it. The more, the better. The people of Japan all speak fantastic Japanese, but certainly not because they studied it from books, right?

Everyone has their own goals regarding Japanese, be it watching Japanese television dramas without subtitles, speaking to Japanese clients at work, or being able to live in Japan at the same level of competency and communication as a Japanese person. Whatever your personal goal is, keep it firmly in mind. Right it down, post it on your wall – do whatever it takes to ensure that you don’t forget it during the tougher times.

Language acquisition takes time and perseverance, but you should enjoy the ride. Indeed, If you aren’t enjoying the ride, you’re probably doing something wrong. It’s easy to get frustrated because you’re not making the progress that you feel you should – it’s a feeling that I know all too well – but take the time now and then to look back and realize how far you’ve come as well.  Mastering anything is only a matter of time and hard work. And if you work efficiently, you can minimize the frustration and the time needed to learn Japanese and have a lot more fun doing it.

In the future, I hope to discuss some study ideas and hear your opinions and suggestions. I also plan to introduce many interesting facets about Japanese – including, of course, kanji – and I look forward to your comments, everyone!