New language - Japanese

[andy456]

I really want to learn Japanese for some reason that I can't explain but I've never learnt it before. Would it be wise to pick it up at uni without any previous experience? Are languages hard to learn at university? I'm hoping to do Japanese and Indonesian if I can do Indo by distance in the first semester. Is Japanese a particularly hard language to learn? Also, does anyone have any experience with starting a language at university and how did you find it.

If possible does anyone have any ebooks for japanese that they could send me so I could look over them before I make my final decision.

Thanks and sorry about all the questions

[spaciiey]

-shrug- it's possible. My friend's older brother picked up Mandarin at uni, with no previous experience, and can now read, write and speak way better than I probably ever will, haha. He *is* a rather studious sort, but he didn't study excessively for it. I believe he goes to Melbourne, or Latrobe. One of them. Cant remember which.

As for is Japanese a hard language to learn? Welllll I guess it depends on you and how hard you want to work at it. I started it in Primary school so it's a little different for me, but for my friends who picked it up in high school, the biggest learning curve was learning the alphabets (ie, hiragana and katakana) as well as kanji, and the grammar -- in that the order of words is backwards from what you'd do in English. It is mostly a very logical language once you have the hang of it -- unlike how English has 'rules' but a gajillion exceptions, Japanese rules generally only have one or two exceptions to them. I imagine you'd go faster in uni than you would if you were at school, but as for how much faster? I'm not sure.

Hope that's of some help.

[Cappuccinos]

I'm studying Japanese VCE level but heres my opinion anyway

I'd say its not too hard to pick up, but it may need some effort. For me, Japanese is one of my easiest subjects (well the one I get the best grades in lol), but learning languages is different for some people. Some struggle & some are natural. So yeah
As Spaciiey said, the language, especially grammar patterns is very logical. One bit for concern may be Kanji. I find it quite tedious sometimes, the numerous readings, stroke order, the fact we have learn 15 at a time :| But yeah the VCE course only needs us to know like 250 Kanji I think, some only need to be recognised, but if you want to get by in Japan (reading signs, newspapers) You'd have to know alot more, alot more. So i'd assume you'd be learning quite a few Kanji at University

Apparently at Uni they have like beginner level classes, post vce level classes and advanced classes? I guess they have beginner classes for a reason?  &Oh and yes the speed at University may also increase the difficulty.

Oh check out, ask people in these threads: http://vce.atarnotes.com/forum/index.php/topic,30675.0.html apparently japanese is an exception though so

& for ebooks http://vce.atarnotes.com/forum/index.php/topic,35657.0.html 

[lynt.br]

If you are doing arts you will be able to take Japanese as a major. You can start at whatever level you want, from complete beginner to post-VCE level. I have a few friends who started Japanese last year and it looks like they picked up a lot in just 1 year. Apparently language courses at uni move fairly briskly but there are a lot of clubs and such where you can practise speaking with other students. Also Japanese at Monash apparently doesn't have a compulsory culture component.

[Hope]

Languages are only offered at Clayton campus, am I right?
And can we take a language as an elective?

[andy456]

thanks guys.... I really enjoy learning languages so maybe i will like it.... I think ill give it a go in first semester and see how i go......

[iNerd]

Don't they say that the best time to learn a language is from 0-7 and the older you get the harder it gets?
I did Japanese from Y3 - 10 and than dropped it.

I'd say the hardest thing is Kanji - just an insane amount of characters and precise strokes required.

[IntoTheNewWorld]

Japanese is difficult for native English speakers compared to many European languages, there's no doubt about that. Everything from the script to the word order to the whole way of thinking about language is completely different from English, which of course makes it more difficult. IMO, the biggest single biggest barrier is Kanji (Chinese characters), and the fact that usable proficiency requires 2000 of them. 

I haven't officially studied a language at Uni, so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt, but I have attended most of the Monash Korean level 1 lectures for semester 1, and then took some in semester 2, then have continued to self study using the Uni textbooks + other resources. From what I can see, learning languages at Uni is a whole different level to what is done in high school, which is pretty much dumbed down to cater for the kids who just don't care. 1 year of Uni LOTE (24 weeks) is equivalent to about year 7 to 10, while 2nd year would cover all of VCE + more. It made me feel like high school was such a waste of time compared to the awesome pace of Uni where you actually learn new stuff continuously instead of continuous revision of previous material.

Also, the Korean lectures for second semester had about 60% less people in it, so I would presume most people can't hack the Uni pace.

[zhenzhenzhen]

khoa is learning korean difficult? im thinking about doing what you did at going to all the korean lectures lol

(btw did u watch we got married? seohyun so awesome <3)

note that i have extreme difficulity in learning chinese, and still cant speak a word of it

[Hutchoo]

Lol, I learn Korean and I'm wog 0.o
I think it's an easy language compared to Chinese/Japanese.
WGM is cute
Khuntoria + Yongseo = <3

[darkphoenix]

Hm yeah I learnt Jap for 2 years in primary school. We only really learnt hirigana and katakana.

I was thinking of picking it back up as well. But I'm not sure my degree will let me, and whether I'll be able to learn it properly.

[andy456]

Well I think I'll give it a go for semester 1 and then check my results.. If I dont do horribly I'll continue with it... Just hope it doesn't ruin my chance of transfer with a low score

[rustic_metal]

You'll have to think much more than people who did it in VCE, since conjugating and all won't be second nature. Other than that, you'll be fine (I did first year Jap at Melbourne, for reference).

[Fyrefly]

I started Japanese at Monash, with no prior study. Yes, like me, you can walk into level one Japanese with no prior knowledge, because it's taught from scratch. The speed at which it is taught is pretty fast. As IntoTheNewWorld said, first year beginner Japanese (levels 1 and 2) are about equivalent to years 7 - 10 in high school, while second year (levels 3 and 4) is high school VCE and a bit beyond (mostly "beyond" in terms of kanji... they teach fk all kanji in high school).

I've done two years of Jap units at Monash (levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 Japanese), and I'm off to Japan this year on student exchange for 12 months.

Oh: when I talk about levels... I mean... uh... each semester you take a "level" unit... so... if you take a language all year (both semesters), you will take two "levels" in that year... eg. levels 1 & 2, levels 3 & 4, levels 9 & 10... odd-numbered levels are offered first semester, even-numbered levels are offered second semester. [If I didn't explain that properly, just think of it like VCE levels... you take like... physics 1 & 2 in year 11, and physics 3 & 4 in year 12... it's the same deal - two levels in one year; one for each semester.]

Uh... Japanese, hard? I have a talent for languages <apparently>, so my experiences may not be the best yard stick. But you say you really enjoy learning languages. If this is true, then you'll love learning Japanese, methinks. In first year, you get to play games in class, like you're back in primary school, ha ha. Also, it's really rewarding to see how far you've come in such a short period of time. Overall, if you put the extra effort in, you'll reap some truly wonderful rewards... fyi: languages, generally speaking, require a few extra hours of study each week compared to your other subjects.

This is the online resources related to the textbook and workbook used for first year Japanese at both Monash and UoM:

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072408154/student_view0/getting_started/#
http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0072408154/332931/tohsaku3e_im_ch04.pdf

A thread that may be useful for you to read through: http://vce.atarnotes.com/forum/index.php/topic,16023.msg167955.html#msg167955

[Fyrefly]

I really want to learn Japanese for some reason that I can't explain but I've never learnt it before.

You honestly have no idea?

I brainwashed you with subliminal messages about the awesomeness of Japanese... see?


Oh, and yeah... it's true... Japanese doesn't have compulsory culture units, unlike every other language taught at Monash (afaik).