Here's a quick update on my learning Japanese project which began at the beginning of 2019. In October that year I got to pay my first visit to Japan. Little did I know that would be the last foreign travel I got to do to date. (There's also an update vid at the end of this post). Language learning log: March through July Since returning from my trip to Japan in autumn … [Read more...]
Japanese update: November to February
I started learning Japanese at the beginning of 2019. The language fascinatingly different from any language I've studied before. I visited Japan for the first time in October 2019. The trip was wonderful, a source of yet more inspiration to continue with the language. It's several months since my last progress report and here's an update on how it's been going, my methods, … [Read more...]
Japanese update: August to October
Here's an autumn update on my Basic Japanese Project (update vid at the end of the post). I started learning the Japanese twenty months ago in preparation for my first visit to Japan (last October). I had a great time there both exploring as a tourist in Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo and attending the Polyglot Conference. Since then, I've continued with this … [Read more...]
Learning Japanese: Month 16 update
Here's the latest monthly update on Project "Learn Japanese". I started working on the language at the beginning of 2019, a full fifteen months ago (video at the bottom). Before my first trip to Japan (last October), I aimed to dedicate thirty-minutes to focussed Japanese study. That reflects the importance I attach to consistency and habit in my language learning and how I … [Read more...]
Learning Japanese: Month 15 update
For over a year now, I've been sharing my no-hype, "no magic method" account of my attempts at learning Japanese through self study. Although I haven't reported back since I got back from my first visit to Japan, I've been keeping going with my study routine. This post marks the long-overdue resumption of my monthly language learning updates here on the site. There's a "Month … [Read more...]
Learning Japanese: back from Japan
"A Japanese learner's first visit to Japan, linguistic aspects". That's the slant in my tenth, monthly report on my journey to Japanese. Back at the beginning of the year, I set my self the goal of studying some basic Japanese before my visit to Japan in October, to attend the Polyglot Conference in Fukuoka. My Japanese study routine took place in a daily study slot of a … [Read more...]
Basque/Japanese diary: Week Three
I'm already at the end of week three of my summer “language sprint”. The "sprint" is a boost to the work on Japanese that I was already aiming to do as part of my nine-month Basic Japanese Project, plus, more time than usual on my on-going Basque learning (I'm an intermediate level learner). For a month, I'm aiming to do an hour a day on each language, five days a … [Read more...]
Learning Japanese: Month Six update
I'm now over well over half way through my learning Japanese in nine months project. Now, I'm not foolhardy enough to try to learn the whole language in nine months. After all, I'm only setting aside thirty minutes a day, seven days a week of focussed study. No! The aim is simply to get as far as I can within these constraints. My reason to learn some basic Japanese now? A trip … [Read more...]
Learning Japanese: Month Five update
It's over five months since I started my latest language learning project: learning Japanese. This is my May update (belated due to my trip to Bratislava for the Polyglot Gathering). At the bottom of the post, you'll find my May update vlog from the YouTube channel. A recap if you're new here: my aim is to study Japanese daily, seven days a week or, over nine months to … [Read more...]
Learning Japanese: Month Four update
I'm now just over four months into my current language project: learning Japanese. Here's my April update. There's a video update at the bottom of the post, too. My target minimum focussed study time is half an hour of Japanese daily, seven days a week or, over nine months. A "full house" total of 30 mins x 30 April days would be fifteen hours. My actual total was … [Read more...]