Is the Japanese language harder than English?

[Ed62]

It seems so http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090304/...ading_japanese

Ed

[leehljp]

Agreed!

The kanji character for "day" looks like two small squares, one stacked on top of another kind of like looking at the "blank" domino standing upright.
. . . It has up to 17 pronounciations and the correct one depends on the one it is next to, and the context also has a role in it.

Our organization makes sure we are fluent enough in listening, speaking, reading and writing to function like at least an 8th grader in Japanese.

Japanese language has two special characteristics that make it more difficult and time consuming to learn as compared to neighboring Asian languages.
1. Characters are relative; IN China, all characters have ONE pronounciation and specific meaning. Here, with all of the variables, it increases the learning difficulties almost exponential.
2. There are three basic levels of language (Direct, polite, super polite) and each is quite different philosophically, and changing from one to the other is almost as difficult as changing from English to German to French. Improper timing in usage can turn a normal polite or super polite sentence into a rude and offensive challenge.

Most language learners for our organization in SE Asia spend 2 years in intensive language study. For Japan, it takes about 4 years to pass all the basics. (But only 2 years for every day conversational Japanese).

[Ed62]

Now why was I thinking of you when I posted this? When I read that article, I thought it must be harder to learn Japanese than English for someone who speaks neither.

Ed

[Uncle Cracker]

I have been trying, because of my martial arts fetish, to learn conversational Japanese for years (and don't even get me started about kanji, hiragana, or katagana). And the answer (for me, anyway) to your question is:
Heck, yes... Japanese is a helluva lot harder than English.

[leehljp]

Now why was I thinking of you when I posted this? When I read that article, I thought it must be harder to learn Japanese than English for someone who speaks neither.

Ed

I have never been asked my opinion by my co-workers on this subject and they don't listen to me when I give it anyway - BUT our Language supervisors usually approach it from an academic point of view, which is wrong. I let them know it.

Language supervisors keep pushing the Japanese language learners (in our organization) to achieve normal fluency in 2 years as is with other SE and E Asia personnel. I keep pointing out the differences! Apples and Oranges!

I worked with one of our language supervisors 10 years ago and he was fluent, he learned fast and had an academic mindset and personality! But he didn't get the nuances. He used a very super polite tone to a landlord and was almost kicked out. NUANCES, situations and circumstances are moving target variables.

Hint: it is not that difficult to those who were raised in a "Yes sir, no sir, yes mam, no mam" - environment - in relation to age, gender, status, situation etc. Replying to your mother, father or teacher in a "Queens English" can be perceived as mocking. That is very much the case here, HOWEVER "Queens English" like Japanese is used regularly in "customer service" and to high up bosses. You gotta "know" the situation and who "else" is present - for which to use.

[leehljp]

I have been trying, because of my martial arts fetish, to learn conversational Japanese for years (and don't even get me started about kanji, hiragana, or katagana). And the answer (for me, anyway) to your question is:
Heck, yes... Japanese is a helluva lot harder than English.

The problem with "Martial Arts" Japanese is that it adheres to the rigid disciplines of language as well as the mental and physical rigid disciplines. "Martial Arts" Japanese conversation encompasses all three levels - direct, polite and super polite. Improper timing and usage is almost like doting the "t" and crossing the "i" for a grammarian.

[jackellis]

I know a few words of Japanese and my wife knows more than a few word (one of her hobbies is foreign languages - Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese).

It's tough for all the reasons Hank points out even though I never had to deal with the circumstantial cases. It's also hard because other than the borrowed words like "computa", there's nothing in English you can related it to as you memorize words. English isn't so easy with all of its special rules, homonyms, and exceptions, but at least it has some familiar basis in French/Spanish/Italian/Latin/German.

Even the Japanese have trouble with...Japanese

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090304/...ading_japanese

[Uncle Cracker]

The problem with "Martial Arts" Japanese is that it adheres to the rigid disciplines of language as well as the mental and physical rigid disciplines.

It's even worse than that for me, as I meet many top instructors in a social setting, and they are almost offended if I don't communicate in a more informal manner there than I would in a training context. It's very confusing. I am grateful that most will try to converse with me in English, or have a translator standing by.