Finally picked up the phone to seek help from a language teacher, after self studying Japanese for about 4 months. Difficult task, but I really enjoy the learning process, and knowing that I am progressing, even though my capacity to memorize is nothing to be proud of, and can't even match my dad's! He learnt basic Japanese some years ago from a book, and I had to consult him from time to time!
It's really fun to be learning a new language, and discover the similarities and differences of one language from another. It wasn't until I start studying Kanji, that I realize that there are so many common words in Japanese as in Chinese, some with similar pronunciation, some with slightly different meaning, and it feels like studying Chinese all over again, as I go through the 500 Basic Kanji. I am wondering what will happen 2000 years from now, if language will converge, or diverse further. And I always wonder since there are so many sophisticated/uncommon vocabs in the dictionary that are not being used in our daily life, will those vocabs become obsolete soon?
With technology, I think in future we will all be "wired" in some way where we don't even have to speak but could use a "translator device" to help us communicate. Until then, I will continue experimenting "absorbing" the knowledge from the book without reading it, and dreaming that I could just speak Japanese once I touch down in Japan!
Gambarimasu!
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