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Benjamin Peters
22nd April 2002, 23:26
Can anyone recommend from experience, a beginner's guide to learning Japanese, written and spoken?

IchiRiKen1
23rd April 2002, 00:47
Japanese for Busy People, to include Biji-san!!!

That is the text book series for our college courses here...

Biji-san ROCKS! :cool:

Jeff Hamacher
23rd April 2002, 00:53
i used Japanese for Everyone (published by Gakken) and preferred its structure to that of Japanese for Busy People. still, some students i know swear by "Busy People"; just be certain to get the Kana Version rather than the Romaji Version of those books. studying japanese in roman letters is like studying english in katakana.

IchiRiKen1
23rd April 2002, 01:03
Jeff, you may be right, but you gotta 'member that us monoligual Uhmurikan types need it done simple and die-rect like! None of that silly multilingual crap fer us! If'n it ain't spulled out jus' right (pacifically, in Uhmurikan), we ain't gonna have no chance of learnin' it up!

So c'mon with your Romaji self!

Biji-san ROCKS! :cool:

(** Disclaimer - the above comments are intended to be humorous in their orientation; I am one of those monolingual "Uhmurikans," and I take pride in my national identity, however in exercising my right to Free Speech, I am critical of the typical American tendency to think speaking loudly and slowly will bridge any language barriers, and that persons of foreign origin are inherently stupid because they can't speak American English. I have studied Spanish (5 years), German (1 year in HS), Mandarin Chinese (only briefly, in college), and Japanese (half-heartedly by my own admittance, for the past 3 years) in an attempt to at least decrease my own ignorance. So those that are offended by my post, which is shorter than the disclaimer, get over it. :D )

Benjamin Peters
23rd April 2002, 01:04
Does this book also focus on written aspects and sentence structure?

Jeff Hamacher
23rd April 2002, 03:32
Matt,

well, y'know, some of us kanehjans feel pretty much like you, there, Matt. 26 letters of the alphabet is just about enough for me, thank you very much! them Kweebeckers wanna tack on all them extra little dashes and things to their "e"'s and what not, but i say ta hell widdit! (you have to imagine this in your best Red Green or Charlie Farquar accent)

Ben,

both "Everyone" and the "Busy People" series focus on progressively learning grammar structures, vocabulary, and components of the written language. be sure to get the tapes for listening practice.