Introduction to Japanese, MUST READ FIRST!

[dagger]

Irrashai! Welcome to DA's brand new Japanese course! I have been taking for two years now, and approaching my third. I can't say I'm perfect at it, or that I know everything, but I have had a wonderful teacher that has helped me. I will be teaching in a similar way that Shauna taught me. ^^ Well, let me introduce the language, everything has to start from somewhere.

Traditionally, Japanese was only a spoken language. In Japan they used to use Chinese as their writing system. Eventually, they took the Chinese characters called "kanji" and added in two new writing systems known as "kana."
Kana is made up of "Hiragana" and "Katakana."

Hirigana and Katakana are both similar to an alphabet, because they represent only sounds and not ideas. Hiragana is used in combination with kanji writing, and Katakana is used to represent vocabulary adopted from other languages. (i.e. DANSU, PINKU) Katakana isn't used in combination with Kanji.

Kanji is the writing system that looks so extremely cool. Most people start learning Chinese and Japanese because of how intriguing they look. These are the characters adopted from the Chinese language that represent IDEAS. Once character can give the reader a picture meaning, even if the reader doesn't know how to prounounce it. While there are 104 basic kana to learn, there are over 2000 kanji.

Note: I've had people constantly get confused with the idea of kanji. If you can write Kanji, you can write chinese characters, but that DOES NOT mean you speak Chinese, or even write in their language. They are pronounced completely differently, and their sentence patterns differ also. Japanese and Chinese are VERY different languages.

For the sake of this course being on a forum, I will not do the lessons using the writing systems, although I will teach them to you. I will be using a form called Romaji. Romaji is NOT a writing system, it is just a technique to help english readers learn more quickly. I bet you've seen it all over the place, especially in anime. In fact, "anime" its self is written in Romaji right there! All romaji is is using english letters to describe the Japanese sounds. I will be typing everything out in romaji, up until the kanji and kana lessons. Another thing.... when doing romaji for Katakana words, they will be CAPITALIZED. (Example: AMERIKA)

Thats about it on technical stuff, I hope you enjoy my course, and if you have anything to say, PLEASE post, I would like to know what you think, and I would be more than glad to help in any way possible. ^^

[AlaraLP]

omg this is great! I've always wanted to learn ;3; I've gone to http://www.kanjistep.com/ Its very helpful learning the writing I'm really glad you will be teaching us though I need to learn more words ;3;

[dagger]

I'm glad you're trying to learn!! Hope this helps! ^^

[Stormer]

Wow, this is great! I've always wanted to learn Japanese!

[DarkArtemis]

Hey I just wanted to let you know that Ive taken Japanese here at my University for a Year already and know a bit of Japanese myself :beams:
So if you want to add on to what you have or collaborate or what not.. I am here to help too! :fixes Halo:
Glad to see so many people sharing the wealth of their varied knowledges! :happycry:
Jyaa!

[dagger]

*listening to The Pillows : Hybrid Rainbow*

Glad you are here DarkArtemis, I hope you enjoy learning with us! ^^

[DarkArtemis]

Hai!

[seir]

Hey nice; I was originally planning on taking Japanese as my foreign language, but I decided to take Russian instead (starting next semester). But I'm still interested to learn at bit about Japanese, so this aughta be cool.

[Althalus]

well, this is a bonus!

coolness, Im kinda glad I signed up here now!


yay, I tried learning some japanese on my own, and alomst gave up...

coolness, this'll help heaps...



hmm... Japanese art(s), Japanese sport, now the Japanese language...

[flakyfrodo]

Sign me up Dagger!

(By the way, is that a reference to FF9?)

[dagger]

seeing as I read this AFTER your other post, FlakyFrodo, I'm getting mixed messages. You are still welcome to join the lessons, you know. ^^

Yep, direct reference to Final Fantasy IX.


Welcome aboard, Althalus!! *hands pocky*

[Althalus]

seriously, why is everyone who has been to Japan obssessed with pocky?

half my Judo club has been, and they are all obsessed with pocky!

[dagger]

cuz pocky is nummy, silly pants. *lick* ^^

[AkaneGirl89]

Will you be teaching Japanese slang? I've been learning japanese slang and wanted to know if you'd be teaching it so I can add more vocab.

[Dan B]

its a bit late i know ...

but with pocky, most of its followers came from anime circles and manga circles (in my opinion) since, pocky has been used in numerous anime series.

Sometimes i wonder, if that would be a good way to get a product popular, hire a anime company to include it into their anime, should be cheaper than advertising on tv too....