- Mar 24, 2012
- 6,100
- 668
*I found a japanesepod101 2005-2011 resource 27G. The mediafire links seem fine.
* I'm adding new text to the body, then I'll organize and possibly revise again.
* I've added some packs at the bottom. I'll talk more about it later and add mirrors~
okay soooo I've looked at my stuff, and there's so many gigs worth of stuff~
I might put a list what I have here. What I plan on doing is organizing it based on level and what it teaches. (kanji, grammer, etc.)
I'll put some amazon links up for each thing I have so you can get an idea if it's worth trying~
ummmmm I might not have the freetime to do this until later this week. If you want something special soon, just ask~
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*This thread is about learning Japanese from 0 to an intermediate/advanced level for free~ everything I'm offering here is mostly scanned books and electronic resources. The only thing keeping you from learning is what you do with yourself~
I highly recommend watching the first video in the spoiler at the bottom. It helps you know what to expect when learning Japanese no matter what level you are.
I've been a self-study student for a long time~ There are plenty of videos and books that I'm going to talk about briefly, and a few comments I have about them. I'm also going to point out some things to consider when using some popular methods or books. My goal is to help people think about how they learn, not tell them how or what they should learn. I hope you'll be encouraged to search more about different ways to learn and practice Japanese.
The first video is by Tofugu. The video talks about how learning Japanese isn't "easy as pie" or wtv like most books, markets etc try to make you think. He says that it's hard work, even someone natively Japanese would agree. Tofugu is a Japanese man who has dozens of videos about how one should or shouldn't study Japanese. I recommend looking through his channel for some important insights about Japanese. He also has a website for learning Japanese things~ a good bit there is free, but he does offer paid-for lessons that you really don't have to buy.
The second video is about immersion. In my option, I'd say don't go crazy at first, you'll hurt yourself. I have my ipod touch set to Japanese. It's something I can be comfortable with, without "blocking out" the language as clutter. (Steve talks about this in one of the video links, I think it's "burnout.") This is something that you'll want to do once you have practice a few kanji to remember what something looks like, what it does, etc.
Most of the youtube links you'll find is by LignoSteve. Steve is a language professor that knows several languages and can tell you far more than an amateur youtuber. He beats around the bush a bit, but you'll like some of the main points he makes. If you watch his videos, you'll understand more about what I'm going to say below. He also talks about his "golden trinity" of learning which I recommend watching.
Remembering The Kanji (RTK)
Videos aside, Let me mention some things about text books, and a review I saw about "Rembering the Kanji." I couldn't find the comment again, but there was someone on amazon that made some clear points about the shortcomings of this book and kanji.koohii.com. This person said that he went through this book twice doing exactly as Heisig instructed, but could not remember most of the kanji. His main point for Heisig was how Heisig basically distorted a kanji's meaning, since a single kanji can have multiple meanings/readings. I can testify to this: The kanji that I did not learn with its reading, I forgot no matter how many times I reviewed and practice writing it. There are Native Japanese people who correct Heisig's meanings of the kanji via kanji.koohii.com While this method is good for the first 100 kanji you need to learn, you should probably use other methods once you've gotten the idea of how kanji work. The biggest downfall for this book is a lack of experience/practice using the kanji. While you could make words with the kanji, you may end up saying it means something different than the true meaning.
koohii
Even though koohii is useful, it can be a bad thing. Most people are making stories than infer the incorrect meaning for a kanji, and sometimes the wrong reading. There are professional native speakers on the forums who can tell you about this. I've seen threads before about how Heisig "swapped" similar meanings so that he could use his study method. Granted, it's a good way to learn writing kanji, but not the best way. They suggested that it's best to learn the vocabulary from a more reliable source, and then use RTK. The Japanese have compared Heisig's meanings with ones they actually teach in school, books, etc.
As Steve pointed out, it's a balance of reading and listening to get a good foundation, but with a little writing and speaking. Heisig does not include these elements which would enhance remembering and using what you've learned.
For a more visual way to remember kanji, I suggest looking through "Basic Kanji Book Vol. 1" (kanji from pics)
It includes an interesting way to see Kanji being made from pictures. It's a good start, but it's worthless unless you practice each lesson often. I recommend that you sentence mine with each lesson of kanji for a week. Then at the end of a month, give yourself a test of all the lessons cumulatively.
For Japanese vocabulary, There is a special deck for Anki called "Japanese corePLUS" It uses words, sentences, sounds and detailed explanations from a professional teaching program: http://iknow.jp/ This website use to be free, but has turned into a paid for service. This deck was taken from the freely given professional translations. There is audio that can be obtained in the description of the deck. There are over 25,700 words in the deck, which is the most of all the Japanese content in Anki. There are also pictures, but I couldn't get them to work :f
The biggest disadvantage of Anki is that you can't use the new words or sentences outside of their context easily. For example: 今(ima) is not pronounced the same in 今朝 (kesa), even thought they present it as "ima."
They do use both words like that, but unless that's been explained to you (Via sentence mining) then you'll have no idea that you've just learned conflicting information, or an exception.
The only way to practice using context efficiently is through exposure via talking to the Japanese online. Not having a microphone or webcam can be a problem for this, but it's not impossible. You need at least some kind of output to see how you're understanding the language. There's websites where natives will correct what you write, and you'll correct their sentences. Even though I can type Japanese sentences and know what kanji I'm using, I can't read or speak when presented with the same thing sometimes. But at best, I can recognize the kanji until I know it. Interaction with Japanese people can remind me why I'm learning Japanese.
Whether or not you're serious about learning Japanese, you can still get native audio to practice listening. Anime can be helpful, but you should also consider some podcasts. There's a podcast within a link called "Japanesepod101" Personally, I think they are horrible at teaching written Japanese, but they are pretty good with most explanations. But again, you can't simply rely only on audio, you have to practice what you hear. Speak and sing~
So what I'm getting at is that you need a variety of sources to actually learn something. If all you're doing is "memorizing for a test", you'll forget quickly. To help add understanding with the variety, I recommend Sentence mining. (there's 2 links to explain that). I'm not going to be extreme on sentence mining, since you do need to actually enjoy what you're doing or have an interest.
Trying to read Japanese from books is also helpful~ Even if you don't understand what you're reading, it can help motivate you if you find a word that you've learned. The excitement you feel when that happens is worth your time~
Sentence mining has given me some thoughts about how I recall words and pictures. The main idea is how you get a large context for a full picture. I would use this to learn kanji readings. I heard from a Japanese friend of mine that he didn't learn kanji readings by memorizing them, he learned them from the word/context itself. He said that people in Japan can sometimes only remember a kanji reading when they see how it's used. Instead of reading each kanji one at a time, they see it as a whole word. It's almost like how we have vocabulary and know it's meaning by how it's pronounced. for example: "The road winds with the wind." There's two words spelled the same, but pronounced differently. Kanji is similar, we only know how to say a word when we see how it's used.
So when learning new words, pick a kanji and practice how it's used with more words. You'll remember the kanji more than the readings, but that's one step further than just forgetting the kanji. (lol. "Forgetting the Kanji. :D)
Use sounds, sentences, pictures, stories, everything with the kanji.
Another important thing for learning Japanese is to have some clear short-term goals. If I just decide to learn 2,000 words in a year, I'll eventually get bored or forget most of them. Even if I go through my 25k deck everyday, I'll eventually forget them unless I'm in front of that deck. My brain has been trained to know Japanese at my computer more than anywhere else. That's something you should teach yourself not to do.
The best way around this is to find things to identify. Anime is a great way to just have the "aha!" moment, but only if you're actually attentively listening to the Japanese. The way I like to use the most, is learn something in Japanese, and then making sentences with that. It can be particles, kanji, sounds, a pun, anything. As long as I practice it a few times and review what I did wrong later. You want enough information to work with while enjoying what you do.
The last thing I want to talk about for now, is intermediate level Japanese. Even if you're a beginner, you should lightly learn some intermediate level things to keep you interested. The worst thing you can do while learning Japanese is get very comfortable. If you're at the point to where you can understand 80% of something, you should move up. If you're afraid you'll miss something, don't worry. You'll get to the point where you can learn a Japanese word through a Japanese explanation~ It sounds difficult, but it's a gold mine once you've entered.
The way to learn Japanese through Japanese is to have at least one focused goal. For example, one of my big goals is to know what my computer says when I set it to Japanese. The smaller ones would be the menu, file names, errors, etc. You don't need an ocean to make a pond, since Specialty is almost like that. You don't have to be a musician to be a doctor or teacher. In that sense, some words you won't have to learn to know others.
I hope this encourages you to explore more about what works for you and what doesn't. If you feel like something is preventing you from learning Japanese, search about that. Ask for support when you feel like giving up, and remember to take breaks~
resources
(bottom has download links)
*note* don't kill yourself watching all of these videos in one day. Only watch the ones you find helpful/interesting.
japanese resource youtube videos:
"The Secret to Learning Japanese! Amazing!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flBMpY7ZNX8&feature=relmfu
-
日本語 Immersion - Why and How (Hikosaemon agrees)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BISS6efQoOo
-
Juggling with Language Learning Theories : Krashen Hypotheses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qj5CxkwxaE
-
LingoSteve:
Limits to Krashen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyoraDhrfcc&feature=related
The most important thing in language learning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJbEP9_efe0&feature=relmfu
Memory and language learning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30eAPRR0vLg&feature=relmfu
Input based language learning, a powerful snowball.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ddNVFWdnZI&list=UUez-2shYlHQY3LfILBuDYqQ&index=10&feature=plcp
Can we learn 100 words a day?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwxVcevwIBw&feature=relmfu
Language learning burnout
(summary: explore the language via reading things you're interested in)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHxqkLFRhws&list=UUez-2shYlHQY3LfILBuDYqQ&index=5&feature=plcp
How not to forget languages you have learned.
(skip to 2:20)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4th_VK8rJs&feature=relmfu
Most Chinese immigrants don't improve their English after 7 years. Why?
(first 3 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW-WeO82OaI&feature=relmfu
-----------------------------------------------
sentence mining
http://www.xamuel.com/sentence-mining/
juggling with language learning theories.
http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/6129
University level/material instructions free.
http://www.nihongoresources.com/language/lessons.html
Pearltrees (firefox or GC) -a GUI online bookmarks plugin
My Japanese resources in pearltrees: http://www.pearltrees.com/s/collect...3731&N-f=1_1853983&N-s=1_1853983&N-p=13230403
-Chat online with Japanese people
http://www.language-exchanges.org/content/welcome
http://lang-8.com/
-A free flashcard program (download "Japanese corePLUS. visit the links in its description and add the sound)
http://ankisrs.net/
Plugin for mouse-over readings and meaning for Japanese text. (also uses Heisig cards as an option)
http://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/
*note* don't kill yourself watching all of these videos in one day. Only watch the ones you find helpful/interesting.
japanese resource youtube videos:
"The Secret to Learning Japanese! Amazing!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flBMpY7ZNX8&feature=relmfu
-
日本語 Immersion - Why and How (Hikosaemon agrees)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BISS6efQoOo
-
Juggling with Language Learning Theories : Krashen Hypotheses
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qj5CxkwxaE
-
LingoSteve:
Limits to Krashen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyoraDhrfcc&feature=related
The most important thing in language learning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJbEP9_efe0&feature=relmfu
Memory and language learning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30eAPRR0vLg&feature=relmfu
Input based language learning, a powerful snowball.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ddNVFWdnZI&list=UUez-2shYlHQY3LfILBuDYqQ&index=10&feature=plcp
Can we learn 100 words a day?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwxVcevwIBw&feature=relmfu
Language learning burnout
(summary: explore the language via reading things you're interested in)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHxqkLFRhws&list=UUez-2shYlHQY3LfILBuDYqQ&index=5&feature=plcp
How not to forget languages you have learned.
(skip to 2:20)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4th_VK8rJs&feature=relmfu
Most Chinese immigrants don't improve their English after 7 years. Why?
(first 3 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW-WeO82OaI&feature=relmfu
-----------------------------------------------
sentence mining
http://www.xamuel.com/sentence-mining/
juggling with language learning theories.
http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/6129
University level/material instructions free.
http://www.nihongoresources.com/language/lessons.html
Pearltrees (firefox or GC) -a GUI online bookmarks plugin
My Japanese resources in pearltrees: http://www.pearltrees.com/s/collect...3731&N-f=1_1853983&N-s=1_1853983&N-p=13230403
-Chat online with Japanese people
http://www.language-exchanges.org/content/welcome
http://lang-8.com/
-A free flashcard program (download "Japanese corePLUS. visit the links in its description and add the sound)
http://ankisrs.net/
Plugin for mouse-over readings and meaning for Japanese text. (also uses Heisig cards as an option)
http://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/
pw for incoming archives:
Code:
~!@angelsound2
pack1:
grammar:http://www.mediafire.com/?6a89m5x4444bxn5
Kanji from pictures: http://www.mediafire.com/?y6tq52ck50nb0c0
Remembering the kanji: http://www.mediafire.com/?jjthhkix0nivcbu
open djv windows: http://www.mediafire.com/?cunye5455z1x5q2
open djv mac: http://www.mediafire.com/?7s4q8oq8cucv3tq
Kanji penguin game~ http://www.mediafire.com/?95fa0t1ff2190sf
http://vnsharing.net/forum/showthread.php?t=482167
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