2018 blog - IpseDixit (Nederlands, Deutsch, 日本語)

[IpseDixit]

I was very unsure whether to open this thread because I already know I won't have much time for languages in the year to come and also because sometimes I find it hard to stick with the target languages that I choose, but well... after all, who cares...

So, for the next year, I'd like to take up the following languages: Dutch, Hebrew German and Japanese.

My goal for Dutch and Hebrew German is to reach a level where I can be a tourist without having to resort to English, whereas for Japanese, I won't even bother setting real goals for this year I guess... I'd be content if I got a good grasp of the very bases of this language, although, the long-term goal is to be able to get by in Japan as a tourist too (and since I doubt I'll be traveling to Japan any time soon, I'm not in a hurry).

I'd also like to try and do one language at a time, so my intention is study Dutch for the first four months of the year, then pass on to Hebrew German for the next four months, and finally Japanese.

In the meantime, I'll also try and do a bit of reading in several Romance languages (Portuguese, French, Spanish, Catalan, Ladin) in order to retain my knowledge of them and possibly expand my vocabulary.

Well I guess that's all for now.

[księżycowy]

I'd also like to try and do one language at a time, so my intention is study Dutch for the first four months of the year, then pass on to Hebrew for the next four months, and finally Japanese.

I've tried doing this before, to various degrees of success (mostly due to my lack of perseverance at the time). But I'm kinda thinking of revisiting this strategy myself over the next year.

Best of luck!

[Luís]

Yay, another Hebrew learner!

I've tried doing this before, to various degrees of success (mostly due to my lack of perseverance at the time). But I'm kinda thinking of revisiting this strategy myself over the next year.

I've thought about it too, but I think I'd be bored sticking to just one language for so long. I prefer to do a bit of every language everyday.

[księżycowy]

I think that's a bit of my problem with it too, honestly. I like variety.

[vijayjohn]

How'd you get interested in Japanese, Ipse?

[księżycowy]

I'm curious too.

[IpseDixit]

How'd you get interested in Japanese, Ipse?

Well, the harsh reality is that I'm interested in Japanese solely because I'm interested in Japan. And no, I'm not a weaboo in the slightest, I kinda hate mangas and animes tbh. If it wasn't for the country I don't think I'd ever pick this language, I'd probably pick Korean instead but I can't help but think that Korea is a bad copy of Japan (sorry about that).

Best of luck!

Thanks

[vijayjohn]

But what got you interested in Japan all of a sudden?

[IpseDixit]

But what got you interested in Japan all of a sudden?

Actually I didn't get interested in Japan all of a sudden at all. I've wanted to visit Japan for many years now.

Anyways, as a person who lives in a country and a continent where you're constantly surrounded by history, what fascinates me about Japan is its modern and technological side (that's also why I'm fascinated by the US, well at least some portions of it).

And yeah, I know that Europe has its modern stuff too but the landscape still remains mainly shaped by history (and I'm not complaining about that).

[vijayjohn]

Anyways, as a person who lives in a country and a continent where you're constantly surrounded by history, what fascinates me about Japan is its modern and technological side (that's also why I'm fascinated by the US, well at least some portions of it

And by Israel?

[IpseDixit]

Anyways, as a person who lives in a country and a continent where you're constantly surrounded by history, what fascinates me about Japan is its modern and technological side (that's also why I'm fascinated by the US, well at least some portions of it

And by Israel?

Yeah, although Israel is more of a mix of past and present.

[Luís]

Well, isn't Japan also a mix of past and present? Much of what Japan is today is also shaped by its history.

I'd probably pick Korean instead but I can't help but think that Korea is a bad copy of Japan (sorry about that).

I've never been to Japan, but I've been to South Korea and it's definitely a rather dull place (particularly when compared to China)

[vijayjohn]

Well, isn't Japan also a mix of past and present?

Yep.

I've never been to Japan, but I've been to South Korea and it's definitely a rather dull place (particularly when compared to China)

This is how I at least used to feel about Taiwan. You might find it even duller than South Korea. But then I've never been to either China or South Korea, whereas at least I've been to the airport in Taipei and Narita (Tokyo). To me, even Narita Airport felt very different from any Western airport I've ever been to.

[IpseDixit]

Well, isn't Japan also a mix of past and present? Much of what Japan is today is also shaped by its history.

Yeah, but architecture-wise the modern side of it seems to be the predominant one by far, at least in the big cities.

[vijayjohn]

Well, isn't Japan also a mix of past and present? Much of what Japan is today is also shaped by its history.

Yeah, but architecture-wise the modern side of it seems to be the predominant one by far, at least in the big cities.

Isn't that also true in Israel...? I mean, modern Israel didn't even exist until 1948, so is there any such thing as "traditional Israeli architecture"?

[IpseDixit]

Well, isn't Japan also a mix of past and present? Much of what Japan is today is also shaped by its history.

Yeah, but architecture-wise the modern side of it seems to be the predominant one by far, at least in the big cities.

Isn't that also true in Israel...?

Depends on the city. For example, it's true for Tel Aviv and Haifa, definitely not true for Jerusalem or Acre.

[Antea]

I was in Tokyo ten years ago. People in shops or restaurants didn’t speak hardly any English at that time. I remember my husband asking in a restaurant in what consisted the menu (because it was written in Japanese), and the waitress kindly explaining to him all the menu speaking only in Japanese After maybe 5 minutes of explanation in Japanese, my husband recognised the word “bento”, and that was what we ordered.

[Aurinĭa]

My goal for Dutch and Hebrew is to reach a level where I can be a tourist without having to resort to English

So you mean native-like level? Good luck getting people not to respond to you in English.

[IpseDixit]

"traditional Israeli architecture"?

Well yeah, it's not traditional Israeli architecture but it's historical architecture nonetheless, from various periods and people who inhabited the land in the course of history.

My goal for Dutch and Hebrew is to reach a level where I can be a tourist without having to resort to English

So you mean native-like level? Good luck getting people not to respond to you in English.

Well at least I can say I tried and won't pass as the kind of tourist who takes for granted that everybody can or wants to speak English.

I was in Tokyo ten years ago. People in shops or restaurants didn’t speak hardly any English at that time. I remember my husband asking in a restaurant in what consisted the menu (because it was written in Japanese), and the waitress kindly explaining to him all the menu speaking only in Japanese After maybe 5 minutes of explanation in Japanese, my husband recognised the word “bento”, and that was what we ordered.

That's why I wanna learn Japanese. Because AFAIK most Japanese still don't speak a word of English.

[vijayjohn]

Are you interested in learning to read or write Japanese at all at this point? What kind of materials will you be using?