日本語のコーナー
Nihongo Speech Files #2: How I Met Nihongo
aka The Crazy Things You Do For Nihongo
Just added the English version of this as I write this post, with other additional side-comments. So yeah, be forewarned that this is not an exact 1:1 Japanese-english translation.
もうご存知かもしれませんが、私はアニメと漫画が大好きです。
…というわけで、日本語を学びました。
でも、最初はそうではない。
By now, I think you already know that I love anime and manga.
In fact, this is what drove me to study the Japanese language, though it wasn’t exactly my motivation at first.
子供の頃から、アニメが大好きです。私が見た物は「アニメ」だということはそのときまだ分かりません。CediとかRemiとかトラップ・一家物語とかセーラームーン。。。
I’ve loved animes ever since I was a kid, back when I didn’t know that they were actually called as such. There’s Cedi, Remi, Princess Sarah, Trapp Ikka Monogatari (Trapp Family Singers), Sailor Moon, among others.
テレビでタガログ語に吹き替えたアニメを見たから日本語を学ぶ必要ないと思った。
All the animes I watched then were dubbed in Tagalog so I never found the need to study Nihongo.
小学生の頃、Star Mandarinという中国語のチャンネルのおかげで、もっとたくさんのアニメを見ました。Ranma1/2やSaint Seiyaや Musashi no Ken や CaptainTsubasa やてっかまんブレイド や エフ。。。
I was able to watch even more animes during my elementary years thanks to the Star Mandarin chinese channel — Ranma 1/2, Saint Seiya (may I suggest Pegasus Fantasy in our next AniOke, pretty please??), Musashi no Ken (Soldier Boy!), Captain Tsubasa, Tekkaman Blade (all I can recall in this anime is D-Boy), F (epic F1 racing), etc.
そのとき、だんだんアニメで聞こえた曲が好きになりました。「この曲を歌いたいなあ！」と思いましたが、残念ながら、私は日本語を読むことができない。AnimeのOpening曲とEnding曲で歌詞があっても、意味ない。
Eventually, I grew fond of the theme songs in the animes I watched, and even wanted to sing along with them (most of the classics have lyrics after all). Unfortunately, I can’t read Nihongo, so even if the opening and ending sequences had lyrics, it’s all for naught.
小学四年生の頃、あるクラスメートが日本語の本を持ち込みました。どうしてその本をもってたのかは覚えられません。
One time during elementary 4th grade, a classmate of mine brought a “Study Japanese” book to school. I couldn’t exactly recall why he brought it with him.
これは日本語を学ぶ機会だと思ったがそれより、これは「好きな人に好印象を与えるチャンス！」だと思いました。
Instead of seeing this as the golden opportunity to study Nihongo however, I thought of it as a chance to show off and make a good impression on my crush.
だって、その本を持ってきたかれは私の好きな人でした。ライバルがあるから好印象を与えるために、彼が持ってきた本を借りて、ひらがなとカタカナを暗記しておきました。若いから、記憶力がいい、今より、ずっと。簡単に言えば、日本語を学んだ理由は最初不純でした。
Why, you ask? Because the guy who brought that book to school was my crush. I had a rival, so in the quest to win his heart (or just get his attention), I borrowed his book and memorized hiragana and katakana. And I did. It was a breeze because I was still young, memory works like a charm and all that jazz. Long story short, my initial motivation to study Nihongo was impure.
言語が利用しなければ簡単に忘れてしまう。だからカタカナをはっきり覚えているために、特別な日記を作りました。日記の記載事項はカタカナで書かれているが実はTaglishですタガログ・English.
It’s easy to forget what you learn from another language if you don’t practice it (katakana in particular for Nihongo, which I don’t often see compared to hiraganas I often see in song lyrics). It’s for this reason that I thought of making a “special diary” where I would write all my entries in katakana (though the idea only came to me during my 1st year high school summer vacation). The syntax is in katakana, but the semantics is in Taglish (Tagalog-English).
たとえば、”Pumunta ako sa Manila”, or “I went to Manila”を書きたいなら、カタカナで、「プムンタ アコ サ マニラ」や「アイ ウエント ツ マニラ」を書いてます。
Say for example I want to say, “Pumunta ako sa Manila” (or “I went to Manila”), I will write “プムンタ アコ サ マニラ” (read as PUMUNTA AKO SA MANIRA) or “アイ ウエント ツ マニラ” (read as AI UENTO TSU MANIRA).
この話をある同僚に話したら、「わ、すごい暗号化アルゴリズムじゃない！」と言いました。日本人が私が書いたものを読めても意味がわからない。外国語みたい。と、Filipino人が私を書いたものは日本語で書いたから、日本語だと思って、いみがわかっても読めないから、結局私のかいたものはわかってない。ま、日本語とTagalogを理解出来る人なら、別の話です。
I shared this katakana diary story to my one colleagues, who gave me the reply “Wow, that’s some awesome encryption algorithm!” Even if a Japanese gets to read my diary, he/she won’t be able to understand a thing. Whatever a wrote will seem foreign. On the other hand, if a Filipino sees what I wrote, he/she will immediately think that it’s Japanese, and will immediately think he can’t read and understand it. Of course it’s a totally different story if the said person knows Japanese and Tagalog.
それは私の日本語の冒険の始まり。もちろん、アニメもね。機会があったら、アニメの話をします。
ありがとうございます。
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I met Nihongo (how my Nihongo adventure started). You can also say it’s the start of my anime journey. Will talk about anime next time, if I get the chance.
Thank you (for reading)!
Oh, and just to show you a living proof of the said katakana diary (kana memo? *ba dm psh*):
pardon the sucky handwriting
See I didn’t know how to Japanize ‘ed’ lol. This was written back in 2000 btw, during my vacation in Manila, where I was also able to watch a few episodes of Daa! Daa! Daa!, Card Captor Sakura, Boys Be and Gate Keepers live on TV (thank you BS2 and wowow)
In case you’re curious about what’s written in those entries…
I showed this diary to my fellow chef Seleria and she told me I’m a freak orz
Now, to get some discussion going, let me ask, what’s the most crazy/freaky/innovative Nihongo (or any other language)-studying idea you’ve had? Just curious, and who knows, other people could benefit from it too! 
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13 comments for “Nihongo Speech Files #2: How I Met Nihongo”
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I was really wondering as to why you turned your comments off with this post. I was constantly checking if you will put it on. Hehehe
Anyhow, I also did something similar with what you did with katana but in hiragana for me. This was among my friends who took Japanese as their required foreign language course in college.I was the only one really serious about studying Nihongo so I really kept at it for a while. But I did not really keep my notes for future reference though.
As for crazy language idea goes im all out. I am really much straight forward learner, SRS, watching subs, trying to figure out what the news in about in NHK and the like. But I do use Japanese expletives and expressions though as much as I can! Hehehe… So people would really look at me weird when they hear this like wakatterutte or ahhh naru hodo.. when I am talking to them. So a friend of mine told me recently I am a weeabo for being such. Well I don’t mind. I am excited for the day that I dream in full nihongo. Wahaha.. As far as I can recall, I have dreamt in mix English and nihongo though. Not yet full nihongo. hehehe
I also had a language exchange bit for a while with a Korean guy who can speak good nihongo. I helped him with his English he helped me with Japanese. I believe that helped me to be comfortable with real life speed of speakers. Though I cannot understand what he is saying I was able to get an idea of what to expect.
Wow that is how you first got in touch with Nihongo eh. I was also a star mandarin kid! I would wake up really early just to see an episode of Ranma! hehhe
I got into contact with Nihongo during highschool but just memorised the vowels for hiragana. College opened my doors to formal Japanese learning. I only regret that I did not start sooner.
“kana memo? *ba dm psh*”
(-_-)’
@maAkusutipen: dreaming in full nihongo? wow haha. I don’t think that has ever happened to me… yet. By the time that happens, Nihongo would’ve been the ‘language of your heart’ or something
I didn’t start studying until college too, specifically, during my last year in college, which I found a real waste because I had so much free time in my hands back in high school! I just memorized hiragana and katakana and learn bits and pieces of kanjis along the way before that orz
@0rion:
i think this blog (well this post in particular) will be of interest with you.
http://www.guidetojapanese.org/blog/2009/07/31/memorable-moments-in-language-acquisition/
It is not supposed to be really to be your language of your heart I think. Back in college when I was coding in Java a lot I dreamt in Java syntax… It was a freakin weird dream but I enjoyed it hehehe.
Also doing karaoke in Japanese has been a favorite of mine. As I am able to read rather fast and recognize more kanji I am now able to sing Karaoke in Japanese. It really helped alot for learning new words as well as reinforcing the readings of most kanji.
Did you know that most arcades in SMs in the Metro have karaoke machines with Japanese songs with them. Cheap karaoke! It is because the machines are of the Kumyoung brand and the default setting is that it carries chinese, japanese and korean songs. Some SM do not switch off those settings so you can select the songs provided you know the codes. If you want i will find the link again for the song codes.
Also sold in Qiapo are cheap karaoke machines (the TJ brand t)hat also have Japanese songs in them. The only drawback is that there is no furigana as opposed to the kum young machines that do have it. The price is comparable to buying one PSP or full DS package.
@ usagijen
Actually, you’d be surprised at how early you can start having dreams in another language. For me, I started dreaming in Japanese after only being in the country for a month or two, but I stopped having them when I came back to the U.S. I think a lot of has to do with being in an immersion environment; eventually your brain just keeps the “Japanese” switch flipped on all the time and so you start thinking and dreaming in Japanese as long as you’re in that setting.
@maAkusutipen: makes me want to take note of my own Memorable Moments! I still don’t have much it seems…
and karaokee! You sure know a lot about this haha. I don’t think I’m thick-skinned enough to have a karaoke at arcades though… private karaoke room pls! lol.
@0rion: and this made me wonder what language do I dream in. I don’t think I’ve been paying attention. But for sure, I’ve never dreamed in Nihongo… dreaming of the day I’ll dream of it!
Oh, private karaoke room ONLY for me kthx. I’m embarrassed enough just trying to sing in front of people I know, especially if I’m trying to sing in Japanese. u_u;
I’m kinda torn on this one… on one hand I like standing out and be praised for my awesome singing (if there’s such a thing), but, on the other, I cower in fear at the thought of making any sort of blunder while singing. Oh boy. In any case, private karaoke is a safe haven, and you can let loose without giving a damn
there is wonder of having karaoke in nihongo, you’re listeners would not think you are singing it wrong well unless you are singing something from anime though.
Private Ktv rooms with good nihongo songs are really hard to come by in Manila… and well im stingy and has thick skin so I go public anyway. hehehe….
As for other ways of learning nihongo,
i tried scanlating a chapter of a seinen manga… Well my profreaders were slow and another group beat us to it but what is fulfilling in the activity is that most of what I translated turned out to be the same as what the other group released. I just really fumbled at the food part/recipe part. Darn it, why is reading Japanese recipes so hard!!!
well it is probably the vocabulary with food nouns and the special connotations of the verb used. hehehe
@maAkusutipen: I believe you have the guts to join the UP AME annual karaoke competition then! gogogo!
ooh recipes… yum. in any case, translating anything with technical/super specific terms can be a pain, but the end result makes it all worth it in the end! learning more is always a good thing
I wont be singing for a competition. Competitions are for trained singers. Hehehe..
But I will go to Ame this year, i hope. 4 years of being a neighbour of UP and I did not go to any one when it was just held here.
Btw, i actually discovered your blog when you wrote about you ame experience. hehehe
Do you like watching dorama?
Over at d-addicts there is an increasing trend of posting the original Japanese subtitles already! I have seen mostly the trendy dorama of the past season had complete Japanese softsubs! It is probably because of new ripping software.
I hope that some anime uploaders do the same as well. hehehe.. Anime like maybe Aoi Bungaku would definitely have such a boost if it gets this treatment.
Do want. I am thinking of getting one of this season’s dorama in that method.
Also, they would be showing Winter Sonata with Japanese subtitles? You think that is worth watching? (For the learning stuff mostly…)
@maAkusutipen: not quite into jdramas, which is also one reason why my listening doesn’t improve all that much lol.
those Japanese subtitles might just make me get me into it more now! Here’s to hoping there are Japanese subtitles for BOSS because I’ve been meaning to watch that.
I can only hope this happens to anime rips too! And thank you for reminding me that I have to go check out Aoi Bungaku.
I actually thought of watching Winter Sonata with Japanese subs, for learning purposes and the “entertainment” thereof, like poking fun at this melodrama lol