Putting some "fun" into studying

[animate]

Concerning J-Drama:

YouTube is a good way to go, but if you want better quality check out

http://www.torrents.to

Type in whatever show you may like and search one of many sites (TorrentSpy is my favorite, for the feedback section). Since J-drama's aren't really licensed in America, these are not illegal (at least not so much as to warrant any action from anyone at all).

Watch out for the slang!

[Bueller_007]

Since J-drama's aren't really licensed in America, these are not illegal (at least not so much as to warrant any action from anyone at all).

Although I don't particularly care, it's a myth that you can download "unlicensed" foreign works legally. There are tons of treaties dealing with international copyright law, and pretty much any country that belongs to the WTO (and some that don't) has signed them.

And because the world is owned by multinational corporations, IMO, you're just as likely (or unlikely, as it were) to get busted for downloading foreign stuff as you are domestic stuff. You just don't see as much of it because the vast majority of piracy is of domestic works.

[animate]

All very true, but most folks don't get "busted" for piracy for simply downloading whatever it is they want. The only ones that get busted are those who distribute on a massive scale. I know from 2nd hand experience.

[Bueller_007]

All very true, but most folks don't get "busted" for piracy for simply downloading whatever it is they want. The only ones that get busted are those who distribute on a massive scale. I know from 2nd hand experience.

Mmm, yes... Hence the word "unlikely".

[niedec]

The problem with native Japanese speakers is that they've had they're entire life to learn the language, and obviously they've become quite good at it.
I guess if you can't tell where I'm going with this, they speak pretty darn fast. Light speed, it seems, sometimes cutting entire words in half to speak even faster. For that reason, I suggest music, particular slower genres like okinawa and j-pop ballads. Go to www.mf247.jp

They have some pretty good music there. As for kanji and kana, I haven't started learning those yet. So I guess you're on your own there.

[mikuji]

I went to www.Youtube.com , searched for 'nihongo' and got some video based lessons which I intend to check out.

Has anyone tried these yet and what do you think?

mikuji

[usagi]

Mikuji-san,

I have watched a few on Youtube, I can´t remember the name but it was a Japanese girl interviewing a variety of people. The point of these "fun" and often surprising interviews was to learn English but I found this a good way to learn Japanese!!

Mina-san,

I have been watching all sorts of films; even anime films and the mix seems to working for me. It helps me study informal and formal language and gives an insight into the "real" spoken language versus the textbook versions. I can honestly say this is helping me a great deal.

I haven´t been very successful with music yet because I couldn´t find any lyrics for the songs. However, I did get a CD with childrens songs including lyrics and although it´s not really what I was looking for, the tunes are so short and snappy I think it may be helping after all!!

Now then......., when are we all going to the Karaoke bar again?

Thanks for all the great advice. Have a lovely week everyone!

[tru_blu22]

If you want to watch Japanese Dramas with english subs I'd suggest:
http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/

Just type in the torrent search the name of the drama. Most of the dramas that were mentioned can be found there. You should also install Bittorent, if you haven't already.

P.S. I recommend 'My Boss, My Hero' if you're searching for something on Youtube. It's recent and really funny and easy to follow. ( It doesn't have subs.)

[animate]

Thanks to all who recommended I watch Densha Otoko! I just finished watching the last episode and I have to say that I thought it was pretty damn good. I'll definitely keep my eyes open for othe dramas in the future.

[theresachan]

Thanks to all who recommended I watch Densha Otoko!

I watched 電車男 too! I have just watched the extra episode '電車男最後の聖戰'.　I want to watch the movie version someday.

One of the weird thing that I do to practise listening is to record audio clips of my favourite J-anime 'Slam Dunk' and import them to my ipod. This way I can learn short pharses by listening only without loosing concentration on visual intake. (of 'cos it only works when you don't import them as video clips!)

[Suzu]

Anime , Anime and some more of that. There is so many genres and variations, you can practically find anything you want from the angle of how Japanese talk naturally, or not naturally.

[Elfunko]

LOL. Some of my ways of study:

-Get next years grammar book and start studying
a) Make vocab lists
b) Read stories and grammar points
-Kodomo Charenji (Challenge)
a) Vocab and grammar lists
b) You might need a japanese person to help
-Fansubbed movies and stuff. Check out d-addicts and jtv-fansubs.org iirc. its jtv fansubs, google it.
-Music : Urufuruzu is really good. Another one I like is HY and a little Cocco. And def tech. Try to understand the songs. Get the lyrics and give it your best shot. A Japanese person can explain what you dont udnerstand.
-Friends. Cmon, its not that hard to get some japanese friends. They are studying abroad and dont know anybody. So if your friendly and willing, they will be too.
-Kanji. Get a jlpt list of kanji's and learn em. Make flashcards. This is taking a loooooooooong time for me.

Finally, the best of all, GET A JAPANESE GIRLFRIEND. Definately the most fun way of study. You can use japanese at your convienence, and at the same time have a girlfriend which is really fun if you have standards and a way to weed out the lemons. Just make sure you actually try to speak japanese. Trust me, she'll get enough chances to practice english, and practicing japanese together is also practicing english cause guesse what all the explination is done in? Thats right, english.

So theres some stuff. Take what you like, discard the rest.

Edit: Oh ya, i forgot bilingual books. Also magazines. Once you get your kanji knowledge up you can start to read more. But reference books do really well. Kodansha has a ton.

[Lambrix]

As was stated before watching an anime in subtitles then revisiting it without and just listening to the pure Japanese can be fun, though I sometimes switch back to subtitles when I'm at a part of the movie where the dialogue gets complex and is plot important. I haven't watched as many dramas, but I don't even like American ones.

I've tried bi-lingual manga but those are hard to get my hands on, or I'm not looking in the right place. And even thought I love Ayumi and other J-pop artist, I find music a horrible way to learn language. How often have lyrics in ones native language been misinterpreted?

I'm starting to have mini conversations with a Japanese woman with a booth at my local farmer's market. One thing I've noticed with my parent's exchange students is that they might be able to read well, they might understand us if we don't go too fast and complex, but speaking their mind is the hardest.

[Jason]

One thing I've noticed with my parent's exchange students is that they might be able to read well, they might understand us if we don't go too fast and complex, but speaking their mind is the hardest.

If you think about it, it makes sense. While you certainly have to have a good understanding of the language to be able read and listen well, being able to express your own thoughts effectively in another language requires an even deeper level of understanding. It often requires you to have a level of mastery over complex and abstract concepts of a language that may be totally different from your native one. It's difficult. Really difficult. Especially if your immersion in the language has come mostly from class and other people who aren't native speakers.

[rdesiree]

Yup, that's right.
Besides that, though, there also might be the problem that "speaking" and "understanding" involve different areas in the brain (let's leave alone the distinction between grammar, lexica, etc). The less you speak, the more difficult it is, because your -how to put that...- speaking circuit ?? doesn't function that well.
Hm ... don't think I express myself very clearly here ...