Author Archives: Ryan
SRS Trick: Holding the Line
What do you do when you’re overwhelmed?
Particularly with Anki, which has cumulative review (Surusu does not, having the limit set to 35. You can then do additional reps afterwards), this can be a nasty problem. Nobody likes opening their SRS program to see hundreds and hundreds of cards awaiting them (I can totally relate, when I was [...]
Posted in SRS 25 Comments
A Confession on the New JLPT
Many of you were wondering. Now you will know.
I went with a couple of friends and colleagues yesterday to take the new JLPT (N1). Many long-time readers of the blog will know that I am not very fond of this kind of assessment because of the way people single-mindedly set their sights on the test [...]
Posted in Japanese 14 Comments
Learn Japanese, Conquer the World
Though not necessarily in that order.
Sometimes I get really nostalgic for some games I played in the past. One of those games is called Civilization. I don’t know if any of you have every played it. I’m currently playing the fourth installment whenever I have free time.
I get nostalgic about it because one of [...]
Posted in Book Reviews 12 Comments
Language Learning, Translation, and Identity (Part 2)
So last time, I was mentioning some observations about language learning and its purpose in becoming yourself in a different mode, that being communication in a foreign language/culture.
How does that intersect with translation?
I’ll be honest, I’m writing and trying to figure it out at the same time. And I’m using translation to cover both written [...]
Posted in Philosophy & Language 16 Comments
Language Learning, Translation, and Identity
“I am not teaching you anything. I just help you to explore yourself.”
- Bruce Lee
We change when we learn languages. But do we really become different people? I’ve been thinking about some of the philosophical underpinnings of language learning, and some of its implications when it comes to language learning, and what it means with [...]
Posted in Philosophy & Language 11 Comments
Navigating the Sushi Restaurant
Tomorrow’s piece will be something a bit heavy on the philosophy of language side. I’ll be covering self-expression, identity, and translation in languag learning.
But today is just goofing off.
I’m a huge non-fan of preseting 挨拶 (aisatsu – set greetings) in list form and having people remember them one after the other without context. However, I would [...]
Posted in Fun Stuff 2 Comments
Read if You’re a Heisig person!
You must check this out. The supplement for the new Jouyou Kanji.
The amount of respect I have for James Heisig is fairly close to infinite at this point. Those of us trying to become literate, and thus functional members of Japanese society, owe this man a huge, huge debt.
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Posted in Getting Literate (Kanji) 14 Comments
When Your Measurement Bites . . .
Or, “What do you do when you have a ruler and need to measure something longer than twelve inches?”
People who’ve grown up in a school system generally believe that straight A’s means you’re doing pretty well. Although, in Japan, you’d need straight S’s. Which frustrates me to no end because it defeats the point of following [...]
Posted in Learning 22 Comments
Facepalm! Turning down Opportunities Because You’re Not Good Enough
I’ve seen it so many times.
“I’m not going to study abroad because I’m not good at English yet.”
“I’m not going to make a presentation in (language) because people will laugh at me.”
“I’m not going to try for that translating job because I don’t feel close enough to a native yet.”
I’ve got bad news for you. You [...]
Posted in Motivation 19 Comments
Ask Ryan! Multiple Languages Simultaneously