Languages change over time. No matter how hard we try to control and regulate them, they exist in a state of endless metamorphosis. This does not mean, though, that we should simply stand by and watch as language devolves into nonsense. What should we do, then? Recognizing the inevitability of change is a given, of course. But we must also navigate the delicate line between the pull of popular trends and the urge to cling blindly to the ways of the past. The ideal balance, Professor Nakanishi argues in this book, lies in being "one step behind the times," which is the best approach for wielding.
Many students dutifully memorize the simple English equivalents that are usually given for Japanese words—with the result that they speak poor Japanese. Effective communication requires an understanding of the unique usages of Japanese vocabulary items, which often differ greatly from those of their English "equivalents." Until now, one of the biggest problems has been the lack of adequate reference materials on Japanese usage. This book fills the gap by concisely explaining 300 troublesome but essential words and phrases, which are alphabetically arranged for easy reference. It discusses not only how they should be used but also how they should not be used, contrasting them with their English "equivalents." The entries include many sample sentences and cross-references, along with notes on usage mistakes committed by the author's own students. Drawing on his long experience in teaching Japanese, as well as scholarly research, Professor Miura has produced a work that offers real help to students and teachers of the language everywhere.
A handy supplement for learning 300 of the most common Japanese words, works with any textbook! Modeled on the same winning format as his Speak and Read Chinese, teacher Larry Herzberg's latest book offers simple, fun, and imaginative ways to remember essential Japanese words and characters. Mastering basic vocabulary and kanji is one of the first challenges any Japanese learner faces. This book addresses this task head-on, complementing the content of all major Japanese textbooks and providing valuable tips to independent students. Includes three hundred essential words and kanji from the first two years of study, indexed for quick reference.
Do you want to learn Japanese the fast, fun and easy way? And do you want to master daily conversations and speak like a native? Then this is the book for you. Learn Japanese: Must-Know Japanese Slang Words & Phrases by JapanesePod101 is designed for Beginner-level learners. You learn the top 100 must-know slang words and phrases that are used in everyday speech. All were hand-picked by our team of Japanese teachers and experts. Here’s how the lessons work: • Every Lesson is Based on a Theme • You Learn Slang Words or Phrases Related to That Theme • Check the Translation & Explanation on How to Use Each One And by the end, you will have mastered 100+ Japanese Slang Words & phrases!
Benny Lewis, who speaks over ten languages—all self-taught—runs the largest language-learning blog in the world, Fluent In 3 Months. Lewis is a full-time "language hacker," someone who devotes all of his time to finding better, faster, and more efficient ways to learn languages. Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World is a new blueprint for fast language learning. Lewis argues that you don't need a great memory or "the language gene" to learn a language quickly, and debunks a number of long-held beliefs, such as adults not being as good of language learners as children.
Following the first volume of Remembering the Kanji, the present work provides students with helpful tools for learning the pronunciation of the kanji. Behind the notorious inconsistencies in the way the Japanese language has come to pronounce the characters it received from China lie several coherent patterns. Identifying these patterns and arranging them in logical order can reduce dramatically the amount of time spent in the brute memorization of sounds unrelated to written forms. Many of the “primitive elements,” or building blocks, used in the drawing of the characters also serve to indicate the “Chinese reading” that particular kanji use, chiefly in compound terms. By learning one of the kanji that uses such a “signal primitive,” one can learn the entire group at the same time. In this way, Remembering the Kanji 2 lays out the varieties of phonetic pattern and offers helpful hints for learning readings, that might otherwise appear completely random, in an efficient and rational way. Individual frames cross-reference the kanji to alternate readings and to the frame in volume 1 in which the meaning and writing of the kanji was first introduced. A parallel system of pronouncing the kanji, their “Japanese readings,” uses native Japanese words assigned to particular Chinese characters. Although these are more easily learned because of the association of the meaning to a single word, the author creates a kind of phonetic alphabet of single syllable words, each connected to a simple Japanese word, and shows how they can be combined to help memorize particularly troublesome vocabulary. The 4th edition has been updated to include the 196 new kanji approved by the government in 2010 as “general-use” kanji.
Introduces pragmatics, discourse, language, and culture in the Japanese context. It covers: Language in context; Japanese in conversation; Honorifics and politeness; Language and gender; and Young people's language.
A Frequency Dictionary of Japanese is an invaluable tool for all learners of Japanese, providing a list of the 5,000 most commonly used words in the language. Based on a100 million word corpus, composed of spoken, fiction, non-fiction and news texts in current use, the dictionary provides the user with a detailed frequency-based list, as well as alphabetical and part-of-speech indices. All entries in the frequency list feature the English equivalent and a sample sentence with English translation. The dictionary also contains 25 thematically organised lists of frequently used words on a variety of topics such as food, weather, occupations and leisure. Numerous bar charts are also included to highlight the phonetic and spelling variants across register. A Frequency Dictionary of Japanese enables students of all levels to maximise their study of Japanese vocabulary in an efficient and engaging way. It is also an excellent resource for teachers of the language.
