Today I came to a conclusion: the Japanese writing system is the hardest one I have encountered so far in this project. Not Korean, not Arabic, but Japanese. I had no idea. This Workbook… …Reminds Me of First Grade…
I have been consuming a balanced diet of Pimsleur lessons, Rosetta Stone, and my various Japanese books. Japanese Books Work Better With Coffee Today in my Kana de Manga book by Glenn Kardy, I read, “Children in Japan learn to…
Today was a blizzard. Blizzards are good for studying. While practicing the Japanese syllabaries at Café Margot, I met a Japanese man who is here on a short-term rotation with his employer, a large financial firm. I am finding that…
I continue to be impervious to instruction that involves linguistics terminology. I love grammar terminology, but funny things happen in my brain when I read things like “voiced and voiceless bilabials.” Linguistics experts out there: that is linguistics…
The end of 2010 and beginning of 2011 has been a busy time of family visits and parties, dotted with Pimsleur lessons, Rosetta Stone sessions, and Japanese writing drills. Rosetta Stone Pronunciation Lesson I am enjoying Japanese more now that…
Tokyo is New York’s sister city in Japan. I learned that yesterday from a neighbor of mine. I want to go there. Rosetta Stone, Danger! See That Girl’s Really Big Piece of Cake on Right? That Made Me…
Today was another snow day. Enough is enough. My California blood cannot take this. Snow More Snow Nonetheless, I decided to brave the elements to achieve a higher goal: errand running. There I was, trudging down Columbus Avenue, listening to…
This morning I was still lying in bed when I noticed that I was repeatedly drawing the hiragana symbol for fu in my head. (I would like to unrhyme the preceding sentence, but I can’t think of how…
Practicing my Japanese writing skills at Café Margot this morning, I heard two very different languages. Site of Today’s Language Encounters One emerged from the mouth of a maybe 30-something woman who parked herself long-term at a table without…
One of my earliest childhood memories is of writing the alphabet. The English one, I mean. I can see myself sitting on the floor at the edge of a sunny living room, I think with wall-to-wall carpeting and glass doors,…
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