Originally it was because I loved anime, and no one was really into it back when I was younger (a long time ago). I wanted to make Japanese friends as I fell in love with the culture through anime. Now I’m learning at university because I want to teach in Japan.
3 Likes
Because my Grandparents want to be current with Redo of Healer but due to their old age, are relying on me to translate it in real time as I put them to sleep.
1 Like
Being an ALT is a great time to study Japanese, if you are deliberate with it. Depending on your area there can be a lot of down time, so its a great opportunity. I know my Japanese shot up from N5 to in between N4 and N3 in a very short amount of time.
1 Like
Oh man this is the best motivation. Im hoping so since I want to be conversational in 2 years. We will see
Yeah, the teachers can be very helpful too. Like, I managed to get a hold of kanji workbooks that ES students use.
1 Like
After a long period of enjoying Japanese anime/manga, I recently(about 6 months ago) woke up and decided to begin studying Japanese with intent to become fluent in both speaking and writing. Over the time I’ve spent studying, I’ve actually begun to enjoy nuances about Japanese culture and have picked up a few Japanese hobbies such as practicing Shodo. So i guess the reason why I am learning Japanese is to become further immersed in the culture and eventually maybe even live in Japan.
TL;DR – I am learning Japanese to gain career change experience.
I originally went to school to teach English. While at community college, I tried to join the Japanese language club because I was very motivated to teach English as a foreign language. Unfortunately, the Japanese language club did not mesh with my expectations – it turned into an anime club. I am a fan of some anime and I collected some volumes of my favorite manga, but I was more interested in actually learning Japanese more so than having weekly watch parties of obscure anime. After I got my two year degree, I enrolled in school online to work full time as a elementary school teaching assistant. The school district I worked at was small, rural, Title IX, but I loved the kids. The politics and administration made the experience pretty awful, with some coworkers being downright vindictive. It was an environment I didn’t want to be in, so I switched majors to professional writing, and I started a job as a technical writer back in April of this year, completing college in June. I really enjoy the pay, but I know I can be doing something more exciting, so I began learning Japanese in September with a goal of studying and climbing this ladder to prepare for applying for the JET program. I like the idea of working for 12 months, so coupling the technical experience with proficiency in a foreign language, I am excited to see where I can go with that.
I don’t want to come across as too lofty or idealistic, but I have both volumes and workbooks for Genki 3e, and I have several friends who are fluent in Japanese. My goal is to attempt the N2 JLPT in July 2024. I am very motivated!
2 Likes
This really makes me feel better! Speaking / listening has been something on my list for awhile and I figured that over time I’d get “versed enough” through some practice to shift… But it sounds like this has worked really well for you! Ultimately, the only way you will get better in those areas is if you do it eh?
I may take your advice and start looking into this over the next few months.
1 Like
Japanese Women.
2 Likes
First time posting!
This is an interesting question, I think. My goals kind of evolved over time. In the beginning I just really wanted to be able to watch anime/read manga in the native language. I felt a lot was lost in translation.
As I’ve gone deeper into the language, I’m remembering a very kind Japanese friend I had in childhood. She was the sweetest person and would bring me (what I know know are umeboshi rice balls, but at the time I thought they were regular pickles) Japanese foods at lunchtime. I got to know her family and they were all warm people.
Someday I’d love to have a multi-cultural Japanese family like that and so speaking the language is a must. The media is great of course but it’s really the people and culture/community I’d like to take some part in someday.
1 Like
My little brother has a crippling addiction to reading Hentai subtitles, and he pays me to translate them.
2 Likes
Being paid to watch porn, best of both worlds.
While he’s watching? I dont think its the W you think this is.
1 Like
is this a cry for help
this sounds like a cry for help
1 Like
I wanted to be able to watch anime without the subtitles. (One Piece fan here!) I also read that kanji and hanzi is similar. I’ve been studying Chinese with Pandanese and was thinking that both could supplement each other.
My friend is involved with an underground scanlation crime syndicate and needed me to pretend I don’t know English so they can’t trace me back to him… but this question was really important to me, so if any 3 letter people are watching,すみません、英語を分からない。
Haha with only 123 words in the language. I would find that more challenging to be honest.
The guy who runs a local mini-racer circuit is looking for his successor, so I need to gather childhood friends from the good ol’ days to see who is worthy of taking over his business.
For what it’s worth, it’s 英語が分からない, not “を”, I’d hate for you to blow your cover on this one (unless that was part of the joke and it went way over my head)
4 Likes
I thought a similar thing, but either way it certainly adds comedic value
1 Like