Japan really seems to be a foreign culture to our Western minds. You may think you don’t know much about Japan, but in the past few decades there has been increased communication with our neighbor in the Far East. Our great grandparents probably didn’t know nearly as much about Japan as we do.
Think about it. I’ll bet you know nearly a dozen Japanese words! Sushi, karaoke, anime, kimono, sake, Suzuki, Toyota, teriyaki, origami and bonsai. That’s ten! How did you do? I’ll bet you knew at least 8 of them, if not all 10. I’m sure you know that a kimono is a traditional Japanese dress that women wear with a sash tied around their waists.
You’ve probably had Japanese food, too, right? Nearly everyone has had teriyaki chicken or steak. Are you a sushi lover? I am. We may make it into a California roll, but the basic idea is still from Japan. Generally, it’s raw fish served in rolls with rice, soy sauce and wasabe, the green mustard. Did you have a little sake with your meal? Sake is Japanese alcohol, often served warm by the shot.
What about karaoke? You may never have been into a karaoke bar, but you’ve at least heard of them or seen parodies of it in comedy routines. People singing to recorded music, mostly amateurs who probably had a little sake before they got up on stage. It’s a lot of fun that came from Japan.
Then there are Japanese cars and motorcycles: Suzuki, Toyota, Hyundai, Subaru and more. For the longest time, I have chosen Japanese cars because of their performance and low maintenance requirements. They have historically done better on gas mileage than a lot of other cars, too.
The Japanese are definitely known for their attention to detail in the arts. That gives us origami, the Japanese art of paper folding and the art of growing those little bonsai trees, which require such meticulous care and pruning.
Last, but not least, what about this computer you’re reading me on? I’ll bet that at least part of it, if not all of it, was made in Japan. The Japanese are masters of detail and computers require very close detail work.
See? You know a lot about Japan and you didn’t even know it! I’ll bet you’d even feel at home there to some degree, because even if they do drive on the other side of the road, most of their signs are in both English and Japanese! It’s a sign of the bigger world community that we are becoming. “It’s a small world after all!”
About this writer
Tisho Mettarod teaches Japanese to American businessmen. He travels to his native Japan to visit his family at least once a year. Sometimes he teaches English to Japanese travelers on cruise ships for his summer vacation. You can read more articles about Japan at 1st Choice Japan
Quantum Mind of God by Philip Gardiner might be an entertaining read, but today’s busy life-styles make reading hard to achieve. Long commutes to work and day-to-day activities could take up large chunks of time without you seeing it. Working, dealing with children or even housework can all cut back the time available to persue your hobbies. It’s simple to make use of the hours you spend driving to catch up on novels you can’t get around to reading. With user friendly media files, you can savor Dave Gorman Genius Series 3 by Dave Gorman by Download Audio Book Online, or audio-books recounted by Edgar Rice Burroughs without turning a page.
Nowadays multitasking has become the norm. Audiobooks such as Pimsleur Haitian Creole Compact by Dr. Paul Pimsleur available from Download Audio Book Online fill the wasted time in our daily routine, whether it is waiting at the physician’s office or maybe driving the family to piano lessons. Audio books are obtainable to download as mp3 data files for example Pimsleur Angle - English for Haitian Speakers I Part 2 by Dr. Paul Pimsleur, so if you’ve got an iPod or another mp3 player and earphones and take the time to listen to the current bestseller, such as audiobooks written by Oliver Green without dragging cumbersome books with you.
The various benefits of audiobooks include the chance to rent or purchase many titles and listen to them at your leisure. Do you wish to study French? Try audio books! Possibly new sales techniques are your thing, you may even discover the paranormal. Audio books are in stock in a multitude of titles and writing styles. It really doesn’t matter if you like natural history, or you are crazy over horror even interested in health and physical fitness, you can access most audiobooks at once. Choices are wide open; it’s simple to subscribe to a rental program or else make a purchase. Reading enthusiasts will always seek out a time to enjoy books, nevertheless audiobooks offer a handy option for busy people. A author or celebrity can heighten the experience of numerous books. Just reading a novel isn’t the same as listening to an audio book performed by Kate Douglas Wiggin, including the all the subtleties of an actual rendition. Your enjoyment of the book can be elevated when you listen to audio books such as Glenn Harrold’s Ultimate Guide Quitting Smoking Forever by Glenn Harrold and frequently will mean much more to you than the words on a page.
Don’t forget about audio-books next time you want to buy a novel, they are a fantastic means of squeezing all the titles you desire into a busy routine.
Why learn languages? Why would anyone want to learn someone else’s language? Obviously, there are a lot of reasons, and if the question is on your mind, then you probably have a desire or need to learn a language yourself. The answer is often different for people. Put 10 random people together who are learning another language and you will probably have 7 or 8 different reasons and 5 or 6 different languages. Every answer is valid. Every reason is the right reason for that person and every language is the right language. There is no wrong answer to the question ‘why learn a language?’ and there is no wrong language to learn.
The ability to learn another language is not limited by economic background, ethnic background, nationality, gender, race, religion, age or the grades you got (or are getting) in school. While everyone is different, and we all have differing abilities and strengths, we all have language ability to some degree. Maybe we all aren’t going to become great orators or novelists in another language, but we all have the ability to learn, and communicate in other languages.
There is no danger of learning ‘too much.’ You can’t fill up your head with too much language, and there’s no danger of you losing knowledge of the languages you already know. In fact, learning a foreign language (or more than one) improves memory, math skills, analytical skills, problem solving and increases critical thinking and creativity. Furthermore and most remarkably, learning a foreign language actually improves our reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in English.
Languages don’t just pop up out of nowhere, they evolve from other languages and change over time. Many of the most widely spoken languages are related and share some vocabulary, and even if they aren’t, languages are always borrowing words from each other. English is full of words from many other
languages. Learning another language not only gives you new knowledge, but expands upon your existing knowledge of English and gives you a whole new way of understanding it. Furthermore, you begin to learn how to learn languages, making it easier to learn other languages and understand how language and
communication works in general. Other languages are not just a word for word translation of English, but an interpretation of events and opinions from a different point of view.
So, why learn languages? Ok, so there are some benefits. Can learning a language benefit everyone? In a word - Yes. I’m sure if you look around and evaluate your life you will see lots of opportunities to use different languages. We are all surrounded by people who use other languages, or opportunities we could
benefit from by using other languages. The possibilities are there if you look for them.
You may have relatives living in Japan, or you want to visit China. Perhaps you have a life-long desire to see Italy or you are planning a vacation in Argentina, or retirement in Costa Rica. All are valid reasons for learning a language. Learning for travel is one of the most common reasons to learn a language. There are more opportunities to travel today than there have ever been before, and they are likely to increase in the 21st century Global Village.
Many people learn a language to connect with their roots. You may still have relatives living in the ‘old country,’ or you may just want to define yourself a little bit. Learning the language of our ancestors can help bring us into better contact with ourselves and open up a whole new understanding of ourselves and how we got to be who and where we are.
Do you have a new addition to the family by marriage? Learning even a little of your new family members language can bring both families closer together. Or maybe you’re looking for love yourself. Think of the possibilities when you learn another language. The increase in possible social contacts is tremendous when you add a whole new way to communicate. That goes for love, friendship, travel or business.
Learning a language for business is a very common reason. The business opportunities that have arisen in the last few decades have made it almost imperative for a businessperson to have language skills. English may be spoken by many people and it is the language of the internet, but in order to really cultivate
business relationships and get ahead in the business world, language skills are a must. There are a wide variety of industries in which having language ability is a great advantage. It broadens our job skills and career options.
The reasons for students to learn languages are many, and not just because you need it to graduate or get a certain degree. Obviously, improving English skills and overall communication skills are both valuable to students. Improvement of memory, creativity, problem solving ability and analytical skills also are of significant importance to a student. Studies show that bilinguals routinely outperform monolinguals in all areas of testing. Scores for SATs and other tests are shown to be higher for foreign language students, and the longer the foreign language study the higher the average test scores. Having second language skills also makes a student more competitive in the job market.
Learning a language isn’t just learning some new grammar concepts, vocabulary and different sounds. It gives insights into other cultures. It creates a more positive attitude toward people who are culturally different and gives us a better understanding of what it’s like to be an immigrant. Accomplishing this life skill will give you increased prestige in your own culture and a markedly increased status in other cultures. It’s a required skill to become a World Citizen. Ultimately, learning other languages gives us a better
understanding of our own language and our own culture, and a new viewpoint to look at the world in which we live and define our place in it.
One of my favorite quotes about language by Ambrose Bierce :
Belladonna, n.: In Italian a beautiful lady; in English a deadly poison. A striking example of the essential identity of the two tongues.
It’s meant to be funny and it reminds us that languages really are different, but it makes me laugh every time I read it. This, to me, also reminds me why I like to learn languages. It’s fun! The inner workings of each language are full of little nuggets that are downright enjoyable to learn. So, why learn languages? Lots of the reasons above pertain to me, but my answer is much simpler - because I enjoy it.
Ron is a long-time language enthusiast, exploring Spanish, French, Swedish, Esperanto and others. Learn more about studying a language on your own at Language Learning Advisor
This guide for self-study language learners has reviews and recommendations of language learning methods and products, links to online learning resources, learning tips to maximize your study time and effectiveness and articles on language learning.