Comments on: The Anime Blog Poll: Are You Learning Japanese?

By: Rachel

Rachel — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 22:23:08 +0000

@Chris, yeah, ditto with me; Japanese is primarily a hobby now. That’s a great idea to learn with your wife!! It’s always better to learn with someone who can quiz you and encourage you. It’s also a bonus if they can help you understand the courses better. The classes I took with my friends back in school were usually the ones I did better in.

@apricotsushi, I’ve been officially schooled by you, bd_, and wontaek ^^;;///. Anime and manga are gateways into Japanese culture, I think. That’s a good thing. There’s no shame in that and if anime is what gets more people interested in the culture, food, and philosophy, well, then anime can’t be all that bad – ^.

By: apricotsushi

apricotsushi — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 03:48:43 +0000

Hmm… I do know enough Japanese to agree with wontaek about the poll… I think this is a very interesting discussion, as I am often faced with various ‘otaku’ as a Japanese major myself, and I often feel that a lot of the other majors study the language only so that they can show off/get a Japanese girl/boyfriend, etc… I admittedly got into the study of Japanese because of my love for anime/manga but I definitely feel now that that has little effect on my desire to learn more about the culture and study the language… Having an interest in Japanese due to anime is no less admirable than anything else; it’s when I see Naruto tee-shirt wearing individuals complain about the workload and decide to change majors because it’s “too hard” that bugs me most…

On a side note, out of the many Japanese textbooks I have used throughout the years, Genki happens to be one of them… :3

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 16:23:25 +0000

Unfortunately, for now, my schedule allows learning Japanese only as a hobby. I’m planning on taking a formal class with my wife during the fall session at the community college down the road, but for right now I make due with Pimsleur lessons, Japanesepod101.com, and cult films

By: Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 13:05:03 +0000

An immersion course would postpone my film major, so that’s outta zee question.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 23:55:28 +0000

@ huamulan03, nothing wrong with learning the language to get deeper into the anime. It wasn’t my reason, but I first started to take an interest in Japanese about five years ago and I forgot what the reason was, specifically. I don’t even know what my reasons are for continuing to dabble in the language. Looks like I need to do some serious thinking…

@ Ojamajo_LimePie, etymology is a good way, IMO, to discover more about a country through it’s language(s). Have you learned about the Japanese culture through applied use of etymology?

@ Narcolepsy, homework sucks. Japanese homework must blow; tough break. Have you been to Japan for an immersion course? My friend’s minor was German and I remember her traveling to Potsdam for the summer for immersion work. Worth a shot.

@ rymes, sounds like you’ve got it rough.

@Gogo, I’m glad you think the blog is interesting! I truly do think that many fans do pass through a Japanophile stage (to some degree). Like I stated in a previous comment; Japaonphile does not equal Japanese-wannabe. After sorting out that not everything that comes out of Japan is sparkling gold, I imagine that most people develop their affection for the culture in a mature way.

By: Gogo

Gogo — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 16:33:53 +0000

this was a really interesting blog to find. personally however, i can say that ive gone through my japanophilic stages already, and they have faded in effect to my motives in continuing japanese. are there others who have wanted to learn the language simply to immerse themselves in another country, able to communicate? lol.

By: rymes

rymes — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 21:33:16 +0000

Oh, but the thing is I really /do/ hear “Ohayo, Sarah-san!” nearly everyday from someone who really is a Japanophile. *shudder* It’s annoying when people start putting in random snippets of Japenese (or any other language really) into conversation and especially more so when it’s wrong. xD

I voted “don’t care” on the poll, although I do know a few words/phrases that have been gradually picked up from anime- at the point where I can understand the gist of basic converstaion and occasionally help my begginer Japenese-learning friends. I’m taking Spanish for crying out loud. ;__; Hmm. But I’m more or less hopeless with reading/writing.

It’s nice to learn different languages though. It’s nice realizing that you can understand things and don’t need to read the subs (which might be wrong), even when it isn’t anime. *shrugs*

Hearing some girl screaming “BAKA BAKA BAKA SHIRO-CHAN KAWAII-NEH SOUDANOU!!” at me /constantly/ is hemmorage-inducing, though. *twitch*

By: Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 12:38:28 +0000

Gee, thanks for reminding me of the Japanese homework I have been putting off.

Seriously, I am in my fourth semester of Japanese (it’s my minor), and there are days I regret it. I have to take four (contiguous) semesters of a foreign language for my film major. I wanted either Japanese or French, since my favorite (live-action) movies are from those two countries. I eventually went with Japanese.

Mistake? Possibly. I spend more time studying for one Japanese class than all of my other courses. Combined. Ever since we upgraded from hiragana to kanji, and I discovered there is a different way to conjugate or add particles for every situation in life, it has lost the mystique.

Although, it makes trips to Japan and talking with IELI (foreign students) much easier.

By: Ojamajo_LimePie

Ojamajo_LimePie — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 04:00:40 +0000

Yes, I’ve taken Japanese language courses at my local community college. However, it’s only
partly due to anime-related reasons. One of my other hobbies is etomology (the study of languages),
and the two just happen to intercept.

By: huamulan03

huamulan03 — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:01:49 +0000

I’m trying to teach myself to write Japanese but plans to study the language seriously has to wait on my RL. My reason: the predictable to watch anime raw reason (so I can better concentrate on the seiyuu acting instead of focusing on that tiny strip down where the subs are ^^) Of equal importance: to read original manga. I mean Kinokuniya where I live has the entire Hana-Kimi set already and VIZ’ release is still in the teens; it’s for the sake of my sanity ^^