Category Archives: Languages

The Language of Nature, Oct. 15 2011

Changing My Approach Truth be told, the demand for learning Japanese is pretty anemic in the West. I had hoped for more, but more has simply not materialized. What I will do is use language as a tool, prop, sock … Continue reading

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Everyday English for Japanese People, Aug 17 2001

This post is in Japanese. 日本人のため、通常英語 こんいちは、みんあ様。私はJeremiahです。日本人の友達は「ジェレミ」と呼んでいます。英語の友達は「JB」とあだ名を付けました。どっちもいいでしょう。元翻訳者ですから、ある程度の日本語を扱います。英語は優秀と認識していますのため、ノン(非)ネーティブスピーカーが英語を手伝いたいと思います。このポストはその一段階です。日本語の不具合な部分を許して下さい。

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Using Sushi to Teach Japanese

A Matter of Taste Last Tuesday, I was finally able to implement a plan for a Japanese lesson I’d had my heart set on: using sushi to teach Japanese vocabulary. It was a strong success. Somehow, people just remember things … Continue reading

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Teaching Japanese Verbs Well

A Successful Experiment For someone not intending to mess with the written  Japanese language, verbs,  or doushi (動詞), are one of the largest hurdles to forming one’s own sentences in Japanese.  Forming sentences is a major positive step for the … Continue reading

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Japanese and One Word Statements

A friend commented on my previous post on “ureshii” about how one-word statements are hard on early Japanese learners. He blamed his inability to “think in Japanese.” Well, how about I show you a small part of how to do … Continue reading

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Ureshii (Adjective: Happy)

Happy Faces The Japanese adjective ureshii (嬉しい、うれしい) stands for “happy”. This is an “i-adjective” that conveys joy, contentment, and fulfillment. In a case like this, it’s easier to convey using pictures.

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Identity: The Group and the Self

A Difference In Perspective Culturally and linguistically, Japan and the West come from different starting points, even though the people on both sides often talk about the exact same things. In the West, when you are selfish, you prioritize yourself … Continue reading

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Japanese Adjectives

The Basics I like to talk about words as a bridge to cultural communication. Unfortunately, there’s some pretty basic reasons why this is hard: even if I talk about an adjective, beginners in Japanese will want to, you know, use … Continue reading

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Japanese: Aru, Iru, and Desu

Fundamentals Hi, I haven’t been able to blog enough lately due to personal scheduling. A busy stretch has now ended, so I wanted to cover some important Japanese basics for early learners.

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A Few Tips For Learning Japanese

How To Learn Great Japanese, and Keep It

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