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 Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:18 am
Here's a place for the not so fluent to learn more. Ask questions, try out your Japanese, and look out for my links and lessons. **This isn't for my lessons alone, if you have japanese lessons going in your journal or in a thread somewhere else on Gaia, PM me and I can post a link here.** Freakezette's Awesome Japanese LessonsLesson 1: GreetingsLesson 2: VowelsLesson 3: SyllabariesLesson 3.5: Intro to KatakanaLesson 4: Mind your Pyu's and Kyu's + Double Consonats.Lesson 5: Introduce yourselfLesson 6: Romaji (why you so crazy?) Lesson 7: Basic Sentance Structure and ParticleNew: 2/26: Lesson 8: Basic Verbs and Basic QuestionsAppendix 1: PronounciationAwesome Japanese lessons from other Guild MembersMichiko31's Massive post with tons of wordsFreakezette's Awesome Japanese LinksThe Places you must go if you're seriously learning. For the Beginners:Japanaese Vocab Guide A great site to actually hear words being pronounced correctly. Thanks Takase Misuki Japanese at About.com Namiko Abe has on here some good basic japanese for the new learner (like my lessons, but better biggrin ) Japanese Online A little like the about site, but you need to register sweatdrop Genki Flash Cards A good place to practice your hiragana. Japanese Writing This guy put together animated picture of how to write katakana, hiragana, and some kanji. Totemo Benri! (very handy!) MLC Meguro Language Center The home page for a Japanese language school in Tokyo, if you click on the "free material" tab at the top right corner of the page, you're find tons of downloads over all different subjects. Man, I wish I knew about this site before. For the Intermediates:Jim Breen's Japanese Page Jim Breen has links to probably every Japanese site in the world, but it also has a very good online dictionary (The WWWJDIC) where you can look up words and individual kanji. You'll have to know hiragana to read it, though. The Reading Tutor This is a good place to cut and paste japanese text where they post the furigana and meaning of kanji compounds, good for reading comprehention. Rikai.com Another place that will help your reading by giving your the reading and meaning of vocab words. The Kanji Site This site is good for beginners as well, but is mainly focuses on the kanji you'll need for levels 2-4 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). Not planning to take the JLPT? I'm not really either, but it's still good to see what you know and what you have to learn still. For Everyone:Japan GuideThis is a great place to learn about the culture and geography of Japan. Real JapanThe personal website of an American girl living in Japan. Engrish.comNot really educational, but a very entertaining site about what happened when the English language and Japanese products collide. Anti Pixel Blog I recently found this blog about an Australian living in Tokyo, so visit for some inside perspective. Q-Taro Blog Another fun blog about a man who has lived in Japan for some time, and makes some fun observations, also posts in Japanese!
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:19 am
Okay, I figured it's about time to put something here, so here we go Freakezette's Awesome Japanese ResourcesBooks you have to buy or borrow or whatever Jisho! (Dictionary) All good Nihongo gakusei (japanese students) have at least one regular dictionary and one kanji dictionary (i happen to have 3 sweatdrop ) Regular Dictionaries:A good beginner dictionary is the Random House Jap/Eng Eng/Jap Dictionary (it's only $13, and you can find it for chaper online) It basically the most for your money, and everything is in romaji. I prefer kana dictionaries, so my favorite dictionary is my Oxford Japanese Minidictionary (which is actually almost the same as the Oxford Japanese Starter Dictionary) it's all in kana, and I just find it so useful (you should see this mine, it's so worn out and dirty, i love it) There are other mini-dictionaries, but this is the one to get. More comprehensive dictionaries are, naturally, more expensive. But when I can't find a word in my mini-dictionary, that's when I jump online to Jim Breen's WWWJDIC, Kanji Dictionaries:There are a lot of options out there, but in my studies, people at my school prefer Kodansha, Nelson, and ITC kanji dictionaries. 1st years at my school are encouranged to get Kodansha's Learners Dictionary ( I don't have one, but I should get one) I have a Kodansha Essential Kanji Dictionaries, which is more compound heavy than the Learners dictionary, but not quite as friendly for new learners. Nelson's and ITC both publish gigantic dictionaries with like 3000 Kanji in them. I prefer Nelson's system for looking up Kanji (listed by radical) over ITC's system (it's complicated, believe me) but ITC has good cross-indexes to make up for the system. And I ended up buying the ITC because it was cheaper at my university book store. Kanji Pict-o-graphix by Michael Rowley is a picture Kanji dictionary which offers way to easily remember over 1,000 kanji. Murasaki Shikibu recommends Kanji Power by John MillenKanji Gold This is a little program you can download and it's kind of like Kanji Flash Cards, and teaches you the meaning of the Kanji (It will show a kanji, and you choose the meaning from 5 answers) It's easy and it's free, we love free. Grammer BooksKodansha has lots of good little supplimental books about stuff like particles ( sweatdrop ), verbs, onomatopeoias, sentance structure, stuff like that. Other BooksJapanese Beyond Words by Andrew Horvat is a really great little book written by a long-time Japan residence about the little cultural things they can't teach you in a dictionary. I really recommend this book. Gateway to Japan by June Kinoshita and Nicholas Palevsky is a very good guide to Japan. It's getting a little out of date (last edition was published in 199 cool but it still offers a wealth of information about the regions of Japan, and a ton of little map to help you learn about the geography. Murasaki recommends Outrageous Japanese by Jack Seward. I have Making Out In Japanese by Todd and Erika Geers (they are actually recommended together at Amazon.com), both good for learning those slang words they won't teach you in class. Murasaki also recommends Kinki Japanese by DC Palter and Kaoru Slotsv which looks like it will be good for learning the dialect of Kansai. (Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe area)
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:21 am
Freakezette's Awesome Japanese Terms of the Day
Today's term:
Chotto matte kudasai ちょっとまってください。
Please wait a minute/Just a minute, please
Previous terms:
1/13: Mou ichido onegai shimasu. もういちどおねがいします。
Please say it again, please repeat what you said.
1/12: Kore wa ikura desu ka. これはいくらですか。
How much is this?
1/9: Q.Book wa Nihongo de nan to iimasu ka. Book は日本語で何と言いますか。
How do you say "book" in japanese?
A. Hon to iimasu. 「ほん」と言います。
You say "hon."
1/8: Toshokan wa doko desu ka. 図書館はどこですか。
Where is the Library?
1/3:Watashi wa chuugakusei desu. 私は中学生です。
I am a middle school student.
Watashi wa kookoosei desu. 私は高� �生です。
I am a high school student.
Watashi wa daigakusei desu. 私は大学生です。
I am a college student.
1/2: Nihongo no gakusei girudo ga suki desu. 日本語の学生ギルドが好きです
I like the Japanese Student Guild. (you know you do)
1/1: Watashi wa Rinda desu わたしはリンダです。
I am Linda (Replace Linda with your name)
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Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:11 am
Freakezette More stuff! Freakezette's Awesome Japanese ResourcesBooks you have to buy or borrow or whatever I posted this comment in your journal and I'll post it here just in case: Masquanade I highly recommend going over syabbles and how to pronounce them over American/English pronuctations. For people first time reading English Japanese (Japanese written English) they're just going to pronounce it like they do in English, which as we all know is a messed up lanuage. Take for instant the words rough, dough, and cough. None of those words sound alike but are all almost spelled the same. So not only might you type out the words and their japanese spellings but also spell out (in the English type) how to pronounce it. Such as Sayounara would be sai-yo-nah-rah. Get it? It's hard for people who really haven't heard Japanese to get really here the Japanese. Just a suggestion.
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Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 4:49 pm
Masquanade Freakezette More stuff! Freakezette's Awesome Japanese ResourcesBooks you have to buy or borrow or whatever I posted this comment in your journal and I'll post it here just in case: Masquanade I highly recommend going over syabbles and how to pronounce them over American/English pronuctations. For people first time reading English Japanese (Japanese written English) they're just going to pronounce it like they do in English, which as we all know is a messed up lanuage. Take for instant the words rough, dough, and cough. None of those words sound alike but are all almost spelled the same. So not only might you type out the words and their japanese spellings but also spell out (in the English type) how to pronounce it. Such as Sayounara would be sai-yo-nah-rah. Get it? It's hard for people who really haven't heard Japanese to get really here the Japanese. Just a suggestion. I did post how to pronounce the vowels in the second lesson, and I was thinking of modifying the 3rd lesson so that I post the english equivalent (for example puting "caw, key, coo, kay, co" on the same line as "ka ki ku ke ko) of each sound. I understand what you mean about dough vs cough and all that, but if they read the second lesson, they will hopefully understand it's always the same vowel sound.
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Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 5:32 pm
eek sweatdrop
Ah I see
I feel stupid, but why not post them in the first lesson? sweatdrop
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Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 5:53 pm
Masquanade eek sweatdrop Ah I see I feel stupid, but why not post them in the first lesson? sweatdrop I'll post a link to the pronounciation guide in the first lesson, i'm too lazy to modify it too much.
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Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 2:30 pm
Well... here are some "essential phrases" for when visiting Japan. blaugh
Ohesotte nani?
What is the meaning of my bellybutton?
Anata no gosenzo sama ni kao o awase rare masuka!
Get ready to meet your ashamed ancestors!
Sozo ijo no mono deshta.
That was different.
Suiteki de atama ni anao akararete iru yona kokoromochi deshta.
It was like drops of water boring into my skull.
Kazoku sorrote no seppuku ga yokatta.
I loved the part where the whole family disemboweled themselves.
Watashi no nozomi dori no shinikata deshta ne.
Their deaths perfectly expressed my deepest desires.
Omawarisan! Chikan o tska-mate!
Police! Arrest this pervert!
Nanashi no nihon no michi no kado ni imasu!
I am at the corner of two nameless streets!
Okikute ugokasenai Fujisan mitai da.
He looks as grand and immobile as Mount Fuji.
(To be used at Sumo contests.)
Ahoka! Sodai gomi!
Shame! Public Humiliation!
(To be shouted at baseball players when they err.)
Nihonshoku o tabesukete inai yabanjin desu.
I am too barbaric to eat a Japanese breakfast.
Osoroshii kangae nimo osoware mas.
I have many evil thoughts.
Ebi no idaina saigo desu!
How honorably shrimp struggle as they choke to death!
Anata wa haru ichiban no sakura no yoni utsukushii.
You are as beautiful as spring's first cherry blossom.
Shijin ga suki desuka?
Which poet is your favourite?
Anata no hiza ni suwattemo yoroshii deshoka?
Do you mind if I sit in your lap?
Sekai ichi no ginko ni otsutome desune.
I see you work for the largest bank on the planet.
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Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 8:37 pm
Wow, xoxonut, that's quite the list. biggrin
I have to correct one though
Shijin ga suki desu ka is more like "What poet(s) do you like?"
If you want "favorite" you add "ichiban" (literally "number one" to it)
Shijin ga ichiban suki desu ka?
Another way is "Ichiban Suki-na Shijin wa dare desu ka?" "Who's your favorite poet?"
Don't quote me on this since I am just learning.
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Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 11:56 am
Freakezette Masquanade eek sweatdrop Ah I see I feel stupid, but why not post them in the first lesson? sweatdrop I'll post a link to the pronounciation guide in the first lesson, I'm too lazy to modify it too much. Okay, I now have a handy pronounciation "appendix" to look at, if you don't want to read though the other lessons. Appendix 1: Pronounciation
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Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 9:06 pm
Japanese of the day is up, check out the 3rd post (i think, maybe it's the 2nd sweatdrop ) Someday I'll post book resources, and if you have any websites or book resources of your own, post them!
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Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 10:11 pm
Quote: and if you have any websites or book resources of your own, post them! Honestly, my Japanese/English/Japanese pocket dictionary is a LIFESAVER. I LOVE it. I use it every day in class. One of my favorite Japanese language quirks are the titles. -dono (ULTIMATE respect) -sama (LOTS of respect) -san (respect) -kun (used for young boys, sometimes for girls who are younger and boy-ish, and between male friends) -chan (used for young children. Girls can be called this for longer than boys, and it is more a term of endearment than respect. -sensei (teacher, as everyone knows. Also used for those who are masters of their fields, like doctors and such.) -senpai (person who has higher status at work or school, such as an upperclassman) -kouhai (person who has lower status at work or school, such as an underclassman) - (None. This is extremely intimate!! It can also be insulting if said to people you don't know extremely well.) This is not a complete list... there are so many! (I keep finding new ones!) Oh, and never, ever use a title when talking about yourself! Otherwise you will seem extremely rude. Just had to share. I'll probably post more helpful things as time goes on. ^__^
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Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:50 pm
mimeiko Quote: and if you have any websites or book resources of your own, post them! Honestly, my Japanese/English/Japanese pocket dictionary is a LIFESAVER. I LOVE it. I use it every day in class. One of my favorite Japanese language quirks are the titles. -dono (ULTIMATE respect)
-sama (LOTS of respect)-san (respect) -kun (used for young boys, sometimes for girls who are younger and boy-ish, and between male friends) -chan (used for young children. Girls can be called this for longer than boys, and it is more a term of endearment than respect. -sensei (teacher, as everyone knows. Also used for those who are masters of their fields, like doctors and such.) -senpai (person who has higher status at work or school, such as an upperclassman) -kouhai (person who has lower status at work or school, such as an underclassman) - (None. This is extremely intimate!! It can also be insulting if said to people you don't know extremely well.) This is not a complete list... there are so many! (I keep finding new ones!) Oh, and never, ever use a title when talking about yourself! Otherwise you will seem extremely rude. Just had to share. I'll probably post more helpful things as time goes on. ^__^ Ha! You got that wrong! -sama is Ultamit respect. Like, for a god, Lord, Emperor. Dono is a tearm for like a boss, or something. 3nodding I have three resorces. One, my Runin Kenshin (I can't spell it off the top of my head) manga which has the meanings of Japanese words they use in the back. Two, I got yelled at once for using '-sama' too much, and then bitched at about how high it is. And three, a Japanese Forgein (sp?) Exchange student that I hang out with. I asked once. 3nodding
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Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 9:45 pm
I had to do my own name suffix reserch. From what I can tell, "sama" and "dono" are pretty much the same level of respect (this is looking at my Oxford dictionary as well as on Jim Breen's website) and neither are used very often. They seem to be used most often in writing, my textbook says to use -sama instead of san when addressing a letter, this website says "dono" would be used in a company setting, but also mostly for letters. Neither word is ultimate respect, though. (One thing about Japanese is there's always a more respectful way to say something) "Kyou"= can mean Lord (it;s in the Kanji compound for a Catholic Cardinal) "Heika"= "your majesty" for non-japanese royalty "Denka"= "you majesty" for the Japanese royal family. So, the moral is, "san" will be acceptable for 99.9% of the people you meet.
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Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:22 pm
Quote: Ha! You got that wrong! -sama is Ultamit respect. Like, for a god, Lord, Emperor. Dono is a tearm for like a boss, or something. I have three resorces. One, my Runin Kenshin (I can't spell it off the top of my head) manga which has the meanings of Japanese words they use in the back. Two, I got yelled at once for using '-sama' too much, and then bitched at about how high it is. And three, a Japanese Forgein (sp?) Exchange student that I hang out with. I asked once. I'd actually heard it the other way around, from a couple of sources. But Freakezette's right, san would be used way, way more often than either sama or dono. So you probably got bitched at not because you should have been using dono, but cause you should have been using san. sweatdrop Quote: Neither word is ultimate respect, though. (One thing about Japanese is there's always a more respectful way to say something) "Kyou"= can mean Lord (it;s in the Kanji compound for a Catholic Cardinal) "Heika"= "your majesty" for non-japanese royalty "Denka"= "you majesty" for the Japanese royal family. See, I told you it was an incomplete list! ^__^ There really always is a more respectful way to do something, including grammar. I heard of a new one in a manga (they had included a list for reference) and I wanted to know if anyone else had heard of it/used it before. "bozu" - almost equivalent to "squirt" in Amerca, something you would probably call your little brother, that type of thing. Like, "Hey, squirt! What're you doing?" What do you guys think? (BTW- interesting to note the use of dono and sama in anime. First time I saw dono used was in Fruist Basket, and most of the villians in Sailor Moon are called sama. Annnnnyway...)
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