#going to start using this in response to new vocab I don't understand

[flapperwitch]

Why isn't this a meme/reaction image

[onigiriforears]

After approx. 2-3 months of studying Japanese I started to read free graded readers online and then graduated to a collection of short stories that I purchased off of Amazon. I thought that the reason I was starting to have trouble understanding sentences was because I didn't know enough vocabulary but it was because I neglected grammar completely. It was sorta drilled into my head off of Youtube creators to just study kanji, vocab and simple sentences as much as possible before even touching grammar. I feel absolutely lost, dude. I am at the 5 month mark now. I can "breeze through" kanji for the most part. (as in, I can actually retain it in a decent amount of time) I decided to study grammar about a week ago. It is SO FREAKING HARD. I don't know if there's something wrong with me or what. I don't know if it's supposed to feel like what I thought I knew is being ripped apart at the seams, stapled together, and then torn apart again....but it does.

Do you have any tips for learning grammar? Is this feeling normal? Can you tell me when the pressure in my skull will subside? I am using Bunpro's free trial but I'm unsure if this tool will actually help me. I write tons of notes to flip through but I still fail to give them the nuanced answer they're looking for. I really enjoy the setup of Bunpro and I want to like it since it's similar to WK but I'm not sure if I'm going too fast or there's a better way to learn. I stopped learning 5 new grammar points a day and started doing only 2. (I also have Genki I and watch GameGengo. He explains things in a way that's easy for my brain to understand.) Sorry for the long post but any insight would be appreciated. I'm a bit nervous asking people in the language learning community for help or insight because a lot of them treat it as a way to show how fast they learned/1-up others. Tumblr's langlearn community is a lot different with what I've seen (or maybe I'm just following the right ppl lol)

Hi! Thank you so much for waiting for this response--I'm sorry it took so long. Your message was one of the ones that popped up when they locked my ask box (they actually still haven't answered me on why it was locked so 🤷‍♀️). To make up for that, I'm gonna be longwinded because I think that this is a super valid and important question that others may also want to know the answer to!!

Pls pls PLEASE DM me if none of this is helpful or if you'd like to talk more about what you think you need help with!!

I think that sometimes when we're learning a new language that we know is so overwhelmingly different from our own language, we focus on the things that we think will be the main hinderance and sometimes we forget the key points. You might be thinking "how did I forget grammar?" but I would say don't beat yourself up about it! Many of us focus on the things that we think are our problems(--the last time I studied for the JLPT, I focused on my weak point too much and then was frustrated with myself during the exam bc I neglected the other areas.)

I don't want to lie to you and say that learning grammar will is going to get easier because that's not the case for everyone. Think of learning grammar vs everything else as learning different types of math or science--have you ever had a friend that was absolutely phenomenal at algebra or calculus but couldn't do geometry? Or a friend that was wonderful lab partner in chemistry but struggled in biology? They're struggling in biology because it requires a ton of rote memorization in comparison to practical application and math that's present in chemistry and rote memorization may not necessarily be their strong point. Personally, I think that's also why a lot of us struggle with certain grammar points. There are some that just click with us immediately and then there are others that we have to see over and over and over and over and over--you get the point--just for us to find a single sentence with it that we understand. If you're math oriented, we need to figure out a way to no longer make grammar points rote memorization for you, but to turn it into a formula of some sort. I actually write my notes out in ways that are like that--I use plus signs (+) in my notes not because the textbooks use them but because my brain genuinely reads it as "noun + particle + grammar point = a sentence that makes sense" because, for me, formulas don't fail. Your weak point doesn't have to be your weakness--you can turn the weakness into a strength that works just for you.

I've been going at this for years and every single professor or Japanese friend (or even people from the discord server) I have can tell you that I've struggled with pretty much any grammar point that included ~ように--and it wasn't because I wasn't trying, but because I couldn't find myself using any sentences that with those grammar points because I found the alternatives/similar ones to make more sense. Surprisingly, it wasn't until I was reading 夜カフェ for our book club that I was actually able to start grasping the meaning (ngl, I still haven't used it myself--I'm notorious for using alternatives); I was finally witnessing it being used in a way that made sense in my brain.

The frustration you're feeling when you encounter a new grammar point or overload yourself with too many things in one go is completely normal and I promise that a ton of us in the Japanese langblr community have definitely experienced it too! It probably feels like everything you know is being ripped apart because your native language may have a SVO (subject-verb-object) format while Japanese has a SOV (subject-object-verb) format--your 1-to-1 translations for your notes may not be helpful in the beginning because you're still trying to wrap your brain around the fact that your words still need to go in another order than you're used to. And then you add the new grammar points and concepts on top of that (like particles and other things) and it can become overwhelming and frustrating. Sometimes, you're going to find some grammar points just downright annoying--especially when you find that there's no equivalency to it in your own language. But don't give up!

I know this is a super cliché thing to say, but practicing them will help. If you can, I would make note of the grammar points that you're struggling with, try to make sentences with them, and ask somebody to check them and explain exactly why (or why not) they're working and then ask them for examples because they may have an even better way of explaining it to you than what you've come up with for yourself!

I can look back at old notes and see when I wrote a sentence as an example just because a textbook/professor used it but I didn't actually understand why it worked at the time and then I can also find notes where the sentences written as examples were added once I finally found something that clicked for me.

You've already done yourself a favor by learning a lot of vocab, kana, and kanji because now you'll be able to try out an array of ways to pick up grammar instead of just a textbook. (I will make a note that if you're looking to take the JLPT, I would recommend having a list of grammar points that you would need to know for the level that you're planning on sitting for because there's no guarantee of what will or won't pop up on the test.)

Another important thing while you're practicing: be comfortable with making mistakes. We all make them, but when you're learning a new language it's important to be ready to make mistakes and to welcome them with open arms because it gives you a chance to experience and learn in real time.

ALSO: for you specifically--because you're interested in reading, you might enjoy learning grammar through tracking the different grammar points through what you're reading and using the sentences as your examples because they're all going to be cohesive. And if reading books or other things totally turn you off right now, maybe games? Animal Crossing and Pokemon are very nice games to play in Japanese for people that are just starting out! You may also enjoy using Lingo Legend--it's an JRPG language learning app that I beta tested and I think that it's a nice way to review (it has some fun incentives). I'm not a big gamer, so I struggle with learning through games, but I've been picking up a lot of grammar through reading because I focus on finding things that I'm interested in, rather than things that are "at my level." When I start a manga, I will scour a ton of websites and forums and bug a ton of people when I come across a grammar point that I can't wrap my brain around because I want to be able to understand what's going on.

We have book clubs and gamers in my discord server, as well as places for people to post what they're practicing or to ask for help. We have people of all varying levels and different skillsets that love to share their wisdom with others.

I haven't used Bunpro, but I know that @sammilearns has, so she may be able to weigh in on that! And @tokidokitokyo @nihongoseito @chouhatsumimi @kanpeki-bekki @burgeoning-ambition probably also have even more tips that me--I'm trying to tag people that I know we all learn in different ways, so their tips and tricks might be just what you need!

Please weigh in, fellow langblr members! How have you been learning grammar? Are you game-ifying it? Have you turned it into math equations? Have you managed to tie it in with your special interest? I can't wait to see what people add to this post!

[council-of-beetroot]

co cię skłoniło do nauki polskiego? czemu sobie to robisz?

I get asked this a lot usually for example when i am putting in a phone number for a customer and just for fun i pronounce their long polish last name and they are like wow you pronounced it correctly and I'm like yeah my family is from Poland and learning Polish and their response is why would you do that to yourself?

When i was younger i wanted to learn more polish and my grandma only knew so much so at one point i signed up at like seven for some polish online learning thing back in the day and took one look at words like piętnaście and turned my sights to mandarin Chinese. (Never got far on teaching myself Chinese at seven but i do remember some really random things that come back to me when i see some Chinese tik tok on Tumblr.

Flashforward a bit to where i did manage to learn a second language - Spanish. The state gave me a piece of paper that says i am literate in Spanish and English but reading my fanfiction it suggests otherwise.

Anyway i get into genealogy after learning that i actually had a family and turns out ancestry is useless if you are anything other than of western Europe heritage (it's gotten better though but still) so i go straight to the source and find archives in Białystok which lead me to some other archives and it's pretty successful (I still don't know much the one side of my family that comes from Toruń idk why the areas of the Russian partition is easier to research than the Prussian partition. Maybe it's also that that side has a ridiculously common last name.

Anyway to actually use the polish archives it's good to know some polish and have a handle on things like the alphabet and pronunciation or you'll just be lost. So i start learning some more of that.

Then i was like fuck it I'll just study more polish and i was kinda absorbing random polish because there are stores i shop at that sell polish items for example and whatnot

Polish is hard! Cases are the main bane of my existence. Anytime i learn a new vocab word it's like i can't even use it until i learn seventeen other versions of the exact same word. As a result i understand more polish than what i can actually speak and write ☹️

But i won't give up and there is a small possibility that my sister and i can go to Poland in a year or two so that motivates me a bit.

Every once in a while my uni offers polish classes but usually there aren't enough people dumb enough to take polish at my small university. I envy my friends at larger universities because they have more classes and public transportation.

For some reason Spanish impacts how i learn polish because when my brain isn't in English mode the default is Spanish which sometimes makes it so i get them mixed up or accidentally use Spanish grammar in a Polish sentence.

Pronunciation isn't as difficult but please tell me how to pronounce Strz correctly

[beeseverywhen]

I think one of the things ppl don't really get when writing children is like, kids don't learn words in order of difficulty. They don't learn anything in what you as an adult would perceive to be a logical order.

To begin with there are certain sounds babies find easy? So it's pretty common for them to start with names/everyday things that use those sounds (that's why in English we get mam/mum/mom and da/dadda/dad) but once they've got a few words under their belt? There's no telling where they'll go from there. They only have to hear it once and if they like it? They'll be devoted to it. Often they pick up words they like to say either because of it having a good mouthfeel and being fun to say or because of the attention they get when they say it (this is usually the case with the weird ones) and that'll become their new favourite word. Words from TV, songs, things they've heard strangers say.

And as the responsible adult of a kid, it's kind of your job to let them know what words mean? (If they haven't figured it out from context, which a lot of the time they do. They are mini humans, their brains are just as logical as any humans.) So yeah totally expected that they'll have a mixed vocab with words of different levels and understand how to use select complex words in the appropriate context. (The only time you don't see this/ you tend to see it less is when adults intentionally restrict a kids vocab by only speaking to them in babified words, not engaging in conversation around them, not socialising with them, not taking them out in public and limiting the media they consume which is widely regarded as a bad thing to do and not a helpful way of teaching a human language.)

I see ppl like 'that's not a realistic word for a kid of that age to know' and I can always tell they haven't spent much time with kids. Because when you have spent time with kids, it's pretty expected that they'll occasionally come out with things that just make your brain skip. like wow I didn't know you knew that word. How the fuck do you know that word? And usually its with the most inane 'college reading level' words. Kids often don't think like adults which certainly impacts on the way they speak and the way they put thoughts in to words, but yeah, if you try and restrict a fictional child's vocab to a spelling list of words they are 'expected to know' education wise, they just won't seem real.

[pbandjesse]

Today was a pretty excellent day. I was still very tired and I feel frustrated with some stuff but in general it was great. Just hot.

I slept okay last night. I woke up at 7 without an alarm. And James made us pancakes. I got dressed and I felt very cute. Let me cup was very good and I left on time.

I had to wait a little while for the bus but I still got to the school before 8:30. I ended up being on the bus with two other people going to Wildwood so I had a nice chat with them. Joked about how we are the bus crew. And then headed upstairs.

I felt frustrated because we had made the lesson plans for stem literally the week before Camp started which was weeks ago. But for some reason every morning we're having a discussion or an argument about what's going to happen that day. And there's no reason for it. All we were doing today was tissue paper art. Yes it's kind of messy. But it's not that big of a deal. Things can be messy. We can clean up afterwards. And just the whole sucking out of all the fun is no good. It is not fun for me it's not fun for everyone else. So I just had to smile and walk away. Because honestly it's not that deep. And I am sick of having the same conversation every day. So I'm not going to ask for permission anymore. I'm just going to do my thing and just let the people who want to complain complain.

It was a very fun day though. We did yoga. And I did ballet stuff with the older kids. Art went pretty good. We couldn't find our laptop. No idea where that could have gone. So instead I just drew examples on the board and the kids got it. They did drawings of symbols that represent of themselves and then I had them all sit around while we guessed what the symbols were and who they belong to. It was fun.

Reading was nice. I got to read some of the book to the kids. And I enjoyed that even though I stumble on my words sometimes.

Lunch and recess were no big deal. I came in early from Recess to set up stem. Got all the tables covered with plastic. And got everything ready. Basically you take the watercolor paper and you draw a picture. And then you take your tissue paper and different colors and you wet it over top of the sections. The ink and the dye from tissue paper then stains your paper. It's basically painting with a non liquid medium. Well liquid and non liquid because of the water. Honestly it's easy it's fun and they get to learn a couple simple science stuff. I just have to deal with sour puss face for a lot of it but you know what kids show had fun it was only slightly messy and all of our hands got stained a bit but wash it with hot water a couple times and I'll come right off. Close I don't know but I am going to continue saying that you shouldn't send your kids and something you don't want them to get pain on to an art summer camp. I hold no responsibility to that.

We played a two truths and a lie at the end. And I wasn't thrilled with my co-teacher because she admonished me for not getting the entire class quiet before I spoke to them. And I just had to be like dude. I work at museums. The whole group is not always going to be silent and that's my teaching style and that's just the way it's going to be. I understand what you're saying. You want them to all be silent but how about we just worry about that when it becomes an issue. If we're playing a game it's not that big of a deal. And again I just had to walk away because it's not that deep. It's summer camp. Organized chaos is the name of the game and they should be having fun. And the game was fun until you started screaming.

I just had to walk away. I took my break a little bit early because I was just disgusted. The screaming is breaking down the trust in a relationship with these kids and it does not need to be happening. I have fun with them we're having a good time and then all of a sudden they're screaming. And so I'm out in the hallway and one of the little girls who is usually a monster in class is leaning on me because she's upset because she feels like she's being screamed at for no reason. And she was she didn't do anything. She was giggling with her friends. And honestly that's not a big deal! She should be allowed to do that at summer camp! I'm just going to have to keep pushing against it and fighting the good fight.

We ended the day with snacks and hanging out. We did some vocab. And soon enough it was time for everyone to go home. I was outside with the kids and chatting and stuff and then I remembered I had to get James HDMI cord so I went upstairs again. Still can't find my needles which is annoying. I did end up finding them when I got home which means I could have been sewing yesterday. But that's fine! I guess! And then I went to go get the bus.

Which didn't come from was 25 minutes. I was not happy. I'm so hot and uncomfortable. I just wanted to go home. Bus came around 4:15 ish. And I went to streets and got a few things. I got back here and I took a shower. Felt a lot better after that. I made a quesadilla for dinner and I've just been hanging out since then. James has D&D tonight. People are supposed to start getting here soon. But it was James's first day of work at his new job and he gets out and about 7:30. It sounds like it's a lot of remembering numbers and products and things. But he'll pick it up. He's got a big big brain. I hope you guys all have a good night. Tomorrow is another day. We're going to start working on posters and we're making tote bags out of t-shirts. It's going to be good. Hope you all have a great night. Sleep well.