Japanese soloist:僕の絶望…

[Disco]

I have a question for people who are relatively knowledgable of the Japanese language. To start off, I'm entirely self-taught. I study Japanese at school during breaks and when I have free time in class and at home. I practice at home almost every day. I have audio to listen to, and Rosetta Stone to help me. I also watch Japanese media, like J-drama and read untranslated manga. Unfortuanantly, there are no japanese classes at my high school or the college near me. I've already learned spanish in school and am fluent in it, and speak it on a near-daily basis. When I got into learning Japanese, it proved to be far more challenging than spanish. Learning spanish was easy ( to me ), rule, structure, grammar and speaking wise. Japanese proves to be far more difficult. I strive for fluency in the language. My progress is sure, but slow. I've gagued myself as a high-beginner using the genki book and this website for reference. So far this website has proved to be very helpful to me and I thank you all for your collective help. I, one day, aspire to have a native level grasp of the language. My question is- At my level, what kind of things could i use/do to challenge my self, and increase my comprehension a little bit more?- Here's the extent of my abilities(off the top of my head); こんにちは。私、CODYと言います。高校生です。スケートボードするのが好きです。僕は髪が長くてストレートで茶色いです。見て！その女の人は右手で津美さしています。今日は午後四時三十四分です。え？そうですか？たけしさんは子供の時学校が大嫌いだったと言っていました。メガネをかける女はちょっと太っている、ね？俺はサフィングするのが下手です。一人の女の人は赤いスカートをはいて、もう一人の女の人は青いTシャツを着ています。J-ドラマは面白いと思います。昨日、映画を見た.

[astaroth]

I'd suggest lang-8: you write a post in Japanese and native Japanese correct your entry; it's kind to reciprocate.
Your level is beyond mine, so I'm not able to comment on what you wrote ... best luck with your studies. (I know how hard is to self-study, I'm doing it myself.)

[Disco]

Thanks, I signed up for Lang-8, and I'll see how it goes. Only now, do I see 『thanks to べっちゃん』that what I said had a few major errors in it. I'll leave it as is though.

[jcdoss]

If you don't mind, post the corrections so we can learn from them?

[Disco]

sure, I shall post the corrections; "こんにちは。私、CODYと言います。高校生です。スケートボードするのが好きです。僕は髪が長くてストレートで茶色いです。見て！その女の人は右手で津美さしています。今日は午後四時三十四分です。え？そうですか？たけしさんは子供の時学校が大嫌いだったと言っていました。メガネをかける女はちょっと太っている、ね？俺はサフィングするのが下手です。一人の女の人は赤いスカートをはいて、もう一人の女の人は青いTシャツを着ています。J-ドラマは面白いと思います。昨日、映画を見た."starting off with その女の人は右手で津美さしています, I didn't know the correct kanji to use here, so I just pressed space and got this, which is incorrect. It's supposed to read, " sono onna no hito wa migi te de yubi sashite imasu (The woman is pointing with her right hand)" Next error;今日は午後四時三十四分です. I put kyou, but really meant for ima ( "Today it is 4:34 pm." doesn't really make sense) and I was informed that I should use numbers instead of writing it out like that. So revised; 今は午後４時３４分です。Next erroneous statement; メガネをかける女はちょっと太っている、ね？; First for かける、it should be かけている. and I was informed that 女 alone sounds a bit vulgar, so I'll change it to 女の人; also it was implied that ALL glasses-wearing women are fat, when I meant just one. So revised would be: そのメガネをかけている女の人はちょっと太っている、ね？ I THINK that's about it.

[coco]

If you don't mind, post the corrections so we can learn from them?

I don't think it is a good idea to ask that.
You should have visited there if you wanted to learn from them　because they have their own community.

[Disco]

If you don't mind, post the corrections so we can learn from them?

I don't think it is a good idea to ask that.
You should have visited there if you wanted to learn from them　because they have their own community.

What were you trying to say? I didn't quite follow.

[becki_kanou]

If you don't mind, post the corrections so we can learn from them?

I don't think it is a good idea to ask that.
You should have visited there if you wanted to learn from them　because they have their own community.

Cocoさん-
I think perhaps you misunderstood. べっちゃん is my name in the TJP chat. I assisted disco here in the TJP chat room, and I don't mind at all if he posts the discussion we had.

[coco]

Cocoさん-
I think perhaps you misunderstood. べっちゃん is my name in the TJP chat. I assisted disco here in the TJP chat room, and I don't mind at all if he posts the discussion we had.

ベﾞッキーさん
ご説明ありがとうございます。
別のサイトでの応答を引用すると問題が発生する可能性があるため
安易に別サイトでのやりとりを報告するよう依頼することは好ましくないと思っていましたが、
ベッキーさんとのやりとりで上のような形なら問題はありませんね。

[Disco]

I am sorry- I didn't mean to spark controversy

[coco]

No, no, you were not wrong at all.　

[Disco]

I thought I knew a lot....apparently I know NOTHING about Japanese.

[coco]

I thought I knew a lot....apparently I know NOTHING about Japanese.

もしそう感じるなら、それは日本語能力が向上している兆候かもしれません。
If you feel so, it may be the indication of improvements in the ability of your Japanese. (?)

[Disco]

Well, I know about as much as I know in spanish. I think Becky hasn't gone to the park yet. Pienso que Becky todavia no ha ido al parque.私はベッキーさんがまだパークに行っていないと思います。That's using Spanish 3 (navegando) spanish, and Japanese 1 (genki) japanese. I'm not even done (almost am) with Genki I, and I hear that even completing genki II is STILL beginner level. But spanish was EASY to learn; (not trying to offend anyone, just saying- same alphabet, cognates, etc.) just put the adjective AFTER the noun, is>es, roll your r's, voila!(sp?). I'm just anxious to be up there with the BIG BOYS in japanese.

[ss]

Disco wrote:
My question is- At my level, what kind of things could i use/do to challenge my self, and increase my comprehension a little bit more?-

I thought I knew a lot....apparently I know NOTHING about Japanese.

Our regulars here often tell us 学問に王道なし.
Do you know most of them have been studying Japanese for many many years and they keep telling us they are still learning.

Your thread title wrote 僕の絶望, but I don't get why you feel 絶望? I've just looked into your profile and noticed you're only 16. How many years of Japanese study have you been through?

I just want to say, everyone is different. It's not a competition, so it's really no need to compare with others. Study at your own pace and pick up things you find important and practical. The very first thing you should do is to stop thinking about 絶望.

Please have a look at this thread when you're free. Those are golden advice.