A note on vocabulary and an example using time

Ohayo gozaimasu!

  

I find it interesting that we are now on lesson 5, and this vocabulary list is the first one to list off words for relationships.  Within the first lessons we learned ちち , ("chichi") which means father and "chan" which means child, but now we have ひと(person), ともでち(friend), かん(he/boyfriend/lover), かのじょ(she/girlfriend/lover), かぞく(family), and ひとりで(alone).  

Perhaps this stood out to me because learning spanish, the words for familial relationships were one of the very first lessons.  

     Right now we are learning how to talk about time.  In Japanese, the verb always comes at the end of the sentence.  Here's an example of a sentence dealing with time.  My computer won't allow me to type the hiragana right now, so I will figure out why and try later to re-type these words in Hiragana.

kanban, benkyo-shimashita.  Ju-ji ni  nemasendeshita.  11ji yoji pun ni nemashita. kesa, watashi wa gozen nana-han ni okimashita.  Kyo, gogo 2ji:45 fun ni kara gogo 5:45ji ni made benkyoshimashita.  keiban,  watashi wa dance rehearsal  6 ji kara 9ji made desu. 

これ　は (This is)the paragraph in hiragana, with corrections and the translation, because we discussed in class that blog with translations is easier to follow(10/10/11).  I also found that writing the translation helped me to evaluate my work.

かんばん　べんきょしました。 ごぜんじゅじに　ねませんでした。 きのう　の　けさ 　わたし　は　ごぜん　ごぜんななはんに　おきます。きょう　ごご　じによじゅいごふんに　から　ごじよじゅごふん　まで　べんきょします。　ごごごじごじゅうぷん　dance rehearsal  へ　いきます。　Contemporary の　Dance 　を　します。ごごじゅういちよぷん　に　ねます。

This evening I studied.  I went to bed at 12:00am.  Tomorrow morning at 7:30am I will wake up. Today I will study from 12:45 to 5:50.  At 5:55 I will go to Dance rehearsal.  I will dance contemporary. I will go to bed at 11:45pm.

As maybe you can tell, there is a lot to keep track of. However, the language has a clear structure so far, and as long as the connections are kept in mind, the sentence lays itself out.  Also, the more I practice, the more natural the layout feels, and it doesn't feel like there is as much to keep track of.  

Arigato, Sayonara!

Why I Chose to Study Japanese

    I have studied French and some Spanish, but I want to learn an entirely new kind of language.  I chose to study Japanese because I am fascinated by Japanese culture, language, and philosophy.  I believe that the language is both a result of and provocation for the culture, that is to say that the culture is a result of the language and the language is a result of the culture.  Through learning and speaking the language I expect to gain valuable and intimate insights into the Japanese way of life.  By observing, interacting with, and reading people, art, scientific papers, and books of Japanese origin, I find common threads that I already find exhibited in and/or enabled by the language.  Some of these characteristics are: Clarity, seriousness, thoughtfulness, efficacy, naturalness, activeness, respect, play, joy, and care.  I think that engaging with the Japanese language will only reinforce my understanding of these characteristics and how they can be part of a way of life.  I hope to visit Japan, and to engage with the people in their native language.  You might say that I am asking for unrealistic results and insights from an elementary language class.  Even in 2 years, how can I expect so much?  However, I already see the common traits that I listed imbued in both the language and in the way that it is taught. I read that the Columbia Japanese department is fantastic, and all impressions thus far verify the reviews. I cannot think of any better time or way to learn the language.
     I believe that the challenge will inform my study techniques, and that the memorization will make easier my everyday life and my ability to pick up dance choreography.  I really like the sounds and visual presentation of Japanese. Learning the artful, unified characters will leave nice impressions on my mind. Finally, I like being challenged consistently, especially when that dedication leads to positive, enlightening results. 

    So far, I have found it difficult to learn the Hiragana in such a short time period, especially given that I have been a little over- committed at this beginning of the school year. In particular I have had trouble distinguishing Hiragana that look  similar to each other.  This, I believe, will become easier the more I expose myself to the characters and study them carefully.  The pneumatics are still helping me, especially with certain characters.  I also find that as I build up my vocabulary, I sometimes mix up certain words or halves of words.  I think that this will be resolved the more I practice speaking and use words in context. I really look forward to continuing to learn this language.

Introduction

こんにちわ。はじめまして、　わたし　は　Tracyです。  わたし　は　Columbia　 だいがく　の　がくせいです。　さん　せんせい。　あめりかじんです。　はたち　です。どぞよるしく。