A Different Way of Learning Japanese
Learning Japanese typically involves learning a few simple words, hiragana, katakana, kanji, moving on to grammar, and finally conversation and novels. Attempting to get comfortable with Japanese using this standard approach can be a painful process. Let’s look at another way we can tackle this problem in a more efficient manner.
A while back, I had an opportunity to check out All Japanese All the Time. This site has a unique approach to learning Japanese. Basically, it amounts to memorizing several thousand sentences.
Why memorize all these sentences? The logic behind this method is how people learn their native language as they grow up. We never really mentally consult grammar rules while we’re having a conversation in our native language. It’s all very spontaneous and casual – like flicking on a light switch.
Why not dump a ton of grammatically perfect sentences on our brain and let our mind connect the dots? I was a bit skeptical at first but after further thought, it actually makes a lot of sense.
Once you have a good handle on the Japanese writing system, you use an electronic flash-card program to memorize those thousands of Japanese sentences. The sentences you choose are the ones from your preferred sources. Manga, TV, movies, books and magazines are a rich source of commonly used sentences.
Great, but where do I get the flash-card program? Well, one app the site’s owner recommends is Mnemosyne. It’s free and there’s a version for PC, Mac and Linux. In using the Mac version, the app has its rough edges but it does the job well.
In my personal use, I prefer this method over traditional Japanese learning materials. Looking back at all those Japanese books I purchased, I think most of the authors did their best to dissuade people from actually learning Japanese.
Examples include dry text almost bordering on the level of a crappy philosophy textbook, sentences that no Japanese person would use, and the ability to put the reader to sleep in less than 10 minutes.
There are exceptions, but take a look at some of titles in the learning section of a Kinokuniya bookstore and you’ll know what I mean.
I’m close to memorizing 500 sentences. I’m not expecting an overnight miracle so early in the process but I find that I’m able to better understand the finer points of conversation while watching Japanese variety programming.
If you’re interested in learning about this method in greater detail, please check out All Japanese All the Time. It might not work for everybody, but if you’re burned out from standard methods, this is definitely a good alternative.
[Pic from The Mnemosyne Project]
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“check out All Japanese All the Time. This site has a unique approach to learning Japanese. Basically, it amounts to memorizing several thousand sentences.”
AJATT FAQ: “So, I should memorize sentences? No, no, no, no, no. No.”