| > | | | | learning a new language, you should consider your |
| Though it may seem challenging, to learn Japanese | | | | budget, of course, your level of interest, as well as |
| now is far from impossible. Just bring along some | | | | the amount of time you're willing to spend. Pay |
| enthusiasm, commitment, and focus and you're off | | | | attention to the curriculum or manner of teaching |
| to a good start. Aside from those traits, it is, of | | | | employed by different schools or methods to learn |
| course, important to know the basics. Japanese is | | | | Japanese now. Learning to read and write well is one |
| written using three different writing systems: | | | | thing. Getting around the country and engaging the |
| * Kanji * Hiragana * Katakana | | | | natives is quite another. Which do you need to do? |
| Borrowed from the Chinese, Kanji is a collection of | | | | Reading and writing is one thing, mastering |
| images that represent things or ideas. | | | | conversational language is quite another. |
| Katakana and Hiragana, both based on Chinese | | | | To learn Japanese now, the reading and writing is the |
| characters, are scripts that represent sounds like | | | | hard part, whether or not you're going to pursue |
| Western alphabets. Used in tandem, Kanji and | | | | that, it's best to get a handle on the speaking part. |
| Hiragana are the most used writing systems in | | | | Listening to a native speaker pronounce and use |
| today's Japanese publications. Because of today's | | | | words is the best way to pick up conversational |
| broad culture, Katakana is necessary to form the | | | | language, get yourself audio files to help you with |
| sounds of borrowed words, and to refer to other | | | | this. (Even if your focus will be on reading and writing, |
| sounds, like the ticking of a clock. | | | | most books teaching those skills also contain |
| Asians accuse Westerners of doing things | | | | CD-ROMs.) Japanese employs many subtleties of |
| backwards, our script is horizontal, theirs is vertical, | | | | tone, it's important to listen carefully and imitate |
| running from top to bottom. Westerners read left to | | | | them. |
| right, Japanese read right to left. This method is | | | | Grammar and vocabulary are two important |
| standard in almost every sort of publication, but the | | | | considerations - how much do you need of each? To |
| Japanese have adopted the Western style for | | | | save time, focus on important, elemental words and |
| scientific journals as well as computer displays. | | | | phrases and then later start to flesh out your |
| Folks from Western egalitarian cultures may find it | | | | vocabulary. As with vocabulary, learn more as you go |
| odd that the Japanese language takes on different | | | | along but master the basics of grammar enough to |
| subtleties when it comes to the class of the person | | | | set yourself at ease as you tackle the necessities of |
| speaking or spoken to, and there are levels of | | | | getting around and getting along. |
| politeness as well. Beyond social class, the use of | | | | Patience and perseverance, remember those two |
| vocabulary, grammar, and tone of voice, it is possible | | | | words as you focus on learning the language. |
| to determine the gender of the person speaking as | | | | Textbooks, teachers, and drill exercises are |
| well as the gender of the listener. | | | | important, but what you bring to the process is most |
| As expected, the sort of teaching and learning | | | | important. Which classroom is always open? Which |
| available from certain language schools is always | | | | classroom can you find almost anywhere you go? |
| promoted as the easiest and quickest way to pick up | | | | Which classroom always has a curriculum suited to |
| another language. When you are ready to pursue | | | | your needs? The one you carry with you! |