The Results

It kind of freaks me out that I understand almost 90% of what I hear when I pay attention to the movies I watch.

I refer specifically Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away. Admittedly, the're not particularly advanced titles, but not exactly Totoro-simple either. Actually, I've also enjoyed this sort of comprehension of the Matrix and The Matrix: Reloaded. And Shaun of the Dead, and Resident Evil (called Biohazard here). I think the dubs are easy to understand because everything that's said is coming initially from an English oral's head (like mine!). But it all helps, because it's real Japanese.

I've been doing the AJATT sort of method as much as I can. I've been using Anki on my ipod, and sort of just comfortably reading the odd comic here and there (weekly One Piece ftw). I bought some books. I tried translating every word I didn't completely understand in Eragon and spent about 5 days on as many pages. Then I just went ahead and read the first chapter and I can understand quite a bit just from context. It used to bug the hell out of me when I couldn't sound out the unknown word, but I just sort of put a "ng" sound or "that" in it's place or use the English for what I think it is when I get to one I don't know or can't say. I've started avoiding dictionaries this week. I can, however, understand Japanese dictionary entries (used when something seems important and I just can't figure it out), so there's no longer any need for me to use a J-E dictionary (but when I do, I use Jisho.org).

I think this all adds up to one thing: I understand Japanese. Not all Japanese, not all the time, but a lot of it. I'm now learning from context, from kanji, and from the symbols that kanji are made of. Of course I get English input from definitions given in class, and my SRS cards (of which I still have around 150 I added and haven't gotten to yet. 大変だよ) and of course that helps, but the amazing fact is that I just don't need it.

I understand Japanese. It has reached critical mass, and the reaction will now continue without further external input.

So, when learning a language, you really do want to just jump in and go! asap. You don't understand shit at first, but your brain figures it out. More about this at AJATT (and wherever he links).

Oh, and most of this has little to do with the fact that I live in Japan now. I don't really know anyone with whom I can hang out after class, so I spent most of my time in my room, watching homework, doing movies, and (lately) reading. Oh, anime too, but I can only loop what I have nonstop for so many weeks... I'm too cheap to actually pay for anything and torrents are blocked on University internet....(FUCK)

You know how kids will watch the same movie over and over and over like 3 times a day for a week? That's basically the idea. I didn't know it as a child, but I was practicing and rehearsing English. Memorizing sentece models and mannerisms...

Oh, important part! Focus on what you do understand, and get over what you don't, and before long, you'll be surprised to find you undrstand that too.

Wheee!