[Poll] Your Japanese language skills?

[CodeGeek]

Hello everyone,

As tylersailer posted in the thread "is n4 JLPT same as kyuu 4?" some people are already fluent in Japanese while other are currently learning it. As I'm a curious person I came across a the idea to make a poll about it.

Please take in this poll. I didn't add any response about your current JLPT level as some may have not taken any tests, but are also fluent in Japanese.

 

[Little Chucky]

just some words i know in japanese but i'm not planning on learning the language
I would like to learn to speak French and i would like to speak and write German better.
time is limited and maybe in the future i would like to visit Japan and Korea but I'm not going to learn the language just for a holiday

i do believe the poll will give a wrong impression of the average akiba-online member because a lot of members come from japan/china but they never post anything let alone fill in a poll.

 

[CodeGeek]

French? Really? I have to admit that I failed my French classes. A year later I would have past as they change the rules and less points were needed for passing. But I had totally no motivation. And if you're also not very good at learning languages...
German!?! Isn't it hard to learn?
I would even like to work in Japan for a few years. Maybe not moving forever there, but living there for some time would be nice.
I also want to visit Korea at least once. Maybe learning a few Korean expression would be helpful (like "Hello", "Thank you" and so on). I guess it is helpful to know a few expressions - not really for communication in that language as you have to master it for that purpose. But people like it and I my opinion it is a good opener before you switch to e.g. English. Maybe I would learn Korean and even Chinese - after I mastered Japanese. So it is more or less unlikely that this will happen.

This poll is not a scientific one. It's just for fun - also I hope the ones who give their vote are honest with their choice.

 

[Little Chucky]

French? Really? I have to admit that I failed my French classes. A year later I would have past as they change the rules and less points were needed for passing. But I had totally no motivation. And if you're also not very good at learning languages...
German!?! Isn't it hard to learn?
.

If you're a European like me French and German are 2 languages you would like to learn besides your own (maybe also Spanish and Italian)

German can be difficult but it depends on what your native language is
and how well you want to speak German
Writing in German is difficult (lot of language rules)

 

[Noid936]

As a Belgian you learn english, dutch, french and a bit of german depending which education course you take And all these are learned before turning 18!
I chose for my next language Japanese as i would like to talk to people in Japan and watch anime without subtitles.

 

[Ceewan]

I guess I know about as much Japanese as I do Spanish, (basically very limited). I pick up a few words here and there but I couldn't follow a conversation if I tried (although I know enough Spanish to know when I am being insulted). Learning a new language is no good unless you have the oppurtunity to practice it because without constant practice your skills will diminish (that goes for many other things in life as well). So without the oppurtunity to keep in practice I have no plans to learn Japanese (it seems like a lot of work just to watch unsubtitled and undubbed anime if you ask me).

I think Japanese is a beautiful language though.

 

[Verginello]

I'd love to learn Japanese but I always put off.

I know just few words from Anime and JAV.

 

[EzikialRage]

The amount of Japanese I know is equivalent to the amount of Spanish words on a Taco Bell Menu. Which is only a handful of words and that's it. I have no desire to learn Japanese. I wouldn't get no real use out of it other than not having to wait for subbed or dubbed Japanese media to come out.Even if I did travel I would rely on a translator app or Japanese to English handbook.

 

[Elldallan]

I've taken a course or two in basic Japanese and for anyone who wants to study it on their own I can recommend the Genki course books, they're aimed for use in university courses but they're a good start even on your own.

See the attached torrents for PDF's of the books as well as the audio files attached to the books.

 

[CodeGeek]

Thanks for the files.
Here are some JLPT resources: http://www.tanos.co.uk/jlpt/

 

[Noid936]

in my classes we also use the genki text book (the first one in the first two years). it is adult education so it's only 3 hours a week.

Lately we also have been using the marugoto books (just google it). there are 4 books available and it's more hiragana and katakana written texts and less grammar than genki but a good addition to help you study!

 

[vishay]

I would say I'm fairly fluent to get around Japan and have some easy conversations. Having said that, I'm much better at "technical" japanese since I spend a lot of time at work translating japanese engineering documents to english and spanish. I travel frequently to Japan and there a lot of japanese expats in my office, so I get to hear the language a lot and be able to keep practicing. Also, gf is japanese.

 

[Noid936]

I would say I'm fairly fluent to get around Japan and have some easy conversations. Having said that, I'm much better at "technical" japanese since I spend a lot of time at work translating japanese engineering documents to english and spanish. I travel frequently to Japan and there a lot of japanese expats in my office, so I get to hear the language a lot and be able to keep practicing. Also, gf is japanese.

what do you do?? If we all could be so lucky...

 

[vishay]

what do you do?? If we all could be so lucky...

I'm just a simple engineer working in one of the many japanese companies in this country (U.S.)

 

[Elldallan]

I would say I'm fairly fluent to get around Japan and have some easy conversations. Having said that, I'm much better at "technical" japanese since I spend a lot of time at work translating japanese engineering documents to english and spanish. I travel frequently to Japan and there a lot of japanese expats in my office, so I get to hear the language a lot and be able to keep practicing. Also, gf is japanese.

So you're the one responsible for all those horrible engrish instruction manuals ^_^

 

[vishay]

So you're the one responsible for all those horrible engrish instruction manuals ^_^

lol actually this is what I must keep from happening!! Having this engrish in automotive specifications is definitely NOT a good idea!

 

[Noid936]

I'm just a simple engineer working in one of the many japanese companies in this country (U.S.)

Which company do you work for? I also work for a Japanese company but in Europe. It's part of the Asahi Group (not the beer unfortunately ). The company is called AGC.

 

[Elldallan]

lol actually this is what I must keep from happening!! Having this engrish in automotive specifications is definitely NOT a good idea!

I can imagine .
Which actually reminds me about an unfortunate but hilarious naming affair over here from a few years ago.
Namely the Honda Fitta(renamed to the Honda Jazz in Europe for reasons which should soon become apparent) which supposedly cost Honda several million Euros because all the advertisement campaigns were done and ready to present.
With such slogans as “Honda Fitta - Small on the outside but big on the inside” and "Honda Fitta - A daily pleasure". Then somebody found out that fitta means pussy in most of the Scandinavian countries... I can only imagine the reaction when they found out that.

 

[vishay]

Which company do you work for? I also work for a Japanese company but in Europe. It's part of the Asahi Group (not the beer unfortunately ). The company is called AGC.

That should be Asahi Glass, right? I work for Toyota actually, but please don't ask me for any secret information!

I can imagine .
Which actually reminds me about an unfortunate but hilarious naming affair over here from a few years ago.
Namely the Honda Fitta(renamed to the Honda Jazz in Europe for reasons which should soon become apparent) which supposedly cost Honda several million Euros because all the advertisement campaigns were done and ready to present.
With such slogans as “Honda Fitta - Small on the outside but big on the inside” and "Honda Fitta - A daily pleasure". Then somebody found out that fitta means pussy in most of the Scandinavian countries... I can only imagine the reaction when they found out that.

There are many stories like this! I can easily remember the Mitsubishi "pajero", which in Spain means someone who masturbates a lot. The name had to be changed later to "Montero". There was also this small car, the Nissan "Moco", which actually means snot in spanish, and if that was not enough, the advertisement posters showed a pale green colored car