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Anhur
2nd August 2000, 22:46
Hiyas,

I know this has probably been asked hundreds of times, but might anyone be able to point me in the direction of some tools to help me learn Japanese? :)

I would have started this fall, but the computer science dept at University of Maryland wouldn't let me, so I have to wait until the spring for that. In the meantime, I was hoping to get a few CDs for the car (no tape deck... stupid car) and some books and/or software to help me learn the hirigana/katakana (sp?). Anyone know of audio CDs that have the japanese followed by english or vice/versa? The last CD I got only had the Japanese with a translation book- which is good when I'm in the car <b><i>not</i></b> driving, but otherwise doesn't help much.

With luck, by the time I graduate in a couple years, I'll have a fair amount of proficiency with the language to be able to converse with Hatsumi Sensei in Japan at a moderate pace AND lookup the answers to my own questions in the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten :D

Suggestions? I'm all ears ;P

john mark
7th August 2000, 21:45
--Japanese For Busy People (?) Text and CDs
--There is a course by Pilmsner (sp?) on tape that a few people that I know have used, but it is very basic
--get a qualified teacher
--get a practice partner

best


[Edited by john mark on 08-10-2000 at 05:52 AM]

Adam DArcy
9th August 2000, 04:03
Hello,

Come on everybody! I know we all have our favorites; let's help out!

I particularly liked "How to Sound Intelligent in Japanese" although I've never really had to use any of the words. Studying with this book was just helpful when interpreting for Japanese management who were trying to test my limits :) I'll never forget their looks "Koitsu...nande wakatton kai na..."

For Kanji - "Remembering the Kanji" by Dr. James Heisig. I learned about 800 kanji in 3 months. People have probably learned more in a shorter period of time, but I thought it was faster than the speed at which we were studying in our class room at the university.

Adam

Edge
8th January 2001, 05:19
I also have "Japanese for Busy People" and I recommend it, although the time to have responded to this would have been awhile back I guess :P

Chi
8th January 2001, 09:56
Originally posted by john mark
--Japanese For Busy People (?) Text and CDs


(ooh!)

published by Kodansha International.
ISBN-4770018827 (this is for Volume I)

This is an excellent book for learning basics IMHO, and the one that I used :). The tapes that go with it are quite good as well.

You might wish to make/buy some prompt cards to aid the learning of hiragana/katakana... I made my own by buying a pack of blank address cards (or postcards), drawing the kana on one side, and the romaji (english equivalent) on the other. It helps to try and learn the kana by mnemonic (associate the picture with some term or phrase to aid your remembering the kana)