I am actually Tobberoth.

bork bork bork

Now way, Musashi! Tobberoth's taller and your swedutch accent is terrible.

Perhaps....　先輩！

This really complicates things doesn't it:

More on topic: I managed to say a few complete sentences this time.

Thora Wrote:I suppose now I can remind folks that Nestor's a she.

Suddenly my entire perception of the universe has shifted. My senses have been modified irreparably.

*contemplates on whether or not nest0r is also アイスcream*

But who in the world would have an internet conversation with themselves?

kazelee Wrote:But who in the world would have an internet conversation with themselves?

I sometimes ask myself that very same question. >_>

The best thing is to find a partner, look at all the basic nakama/genki exercises, they're all like 'find a partner, try to talk to them about < grammar topic here>.

I wish i had a permanent partner to prac with in my Japanese class, but I guess i'm TrueBlue when it comes to asking girls for partner prac

whats wrong with using Lang-8??

Language partners are useless, native friends are priceless.

The downside is that you get no one to use your keigo/teineigo/etc on

mezbup Wrote:whats wrong with using Lang-8??

Lang-8 is a pretty special form of output. My experience there is that you learn to be creative with Japanese, and it's better than just writing and letting a friend look it over... but it's just writing, and the pointers you get from the natives vary in usefulness.

Lang-8 isn't bad, it just probably isn't as good as people make it seem here. If you want to be able to write essays, blogposts and letters in Japanese better, I think it's very good. If you want to speak or write Japanese in a freer manner, getting a hold of natives in real life is perfect.

What about private tutoring to work on conversation? Is there any use in it? Or would you be better off in most cases to just hang out with Japanese friends. The only advantage I can see is, a tutor might be more willing to constantly correct errors.

Thora Wrote:I suppose now I can remind folks that Nestor's a she. (I was holding off doing that as she mentioned being in a no identity phase).

What's with multiple identities anyway? Makes me wonder if there's really only 6 people on the forum.

For the record, nest0r confided in me that they never declared a particular gender, though they did once lament being assigned a gender--which at the time was 'he', but it could just have easily been 'she'.

There's only one person on this forum, Fernando Pessoa. He's practicing his contemporary English abilities through imaginary conversations.

I think the only way to be fair about assuming forum user's genders is to just assume that everyone is a newhalf.

ruiner Wrote:For the record, nest0r confided in me that they never declared a particular gender, though they did once lament being assigned a gender--which at the time was 'he', but it could just have easily been 'she'.

I see. Your gender bias hint apparently went over my head that time.

Quote:There's only one person on this forum, Fernando Pessoa. He's practicing his contemporary English abilities through imaginary conversations.

His splintered soul left him perpetually unfulfilled despite the gallons poured in. Not sure I'd want to walk in any of his shoes. Tread with care, Ruiner (so uplifting)

Thora Wrote:

ruiner Wrote:For the record, nest0r confided in me that they never declared a particular gender, though they did once lament being assigned a gender--which at the time was 'he', but it could just have easily been 'she'.

I see. Your gender bias hint apparently went over my head that time.

Quote:There's only one person on this forum, Fernando Pessoa. He's practicing his contemporary English abilities through imaginary conversations.

His splintered soul left him perpetually unfulfilled despite the gallons poured in. Not sure I'd want to walk in any of his shoes. Tread with care, Ruiner (so uplifting)

pish posh.

drip drop

Jarvik7 Wrote:Language partners are useless,...

True

Jarvik7 Wrote:...native friends are priceless. The downside is that you get no one to use your keigo/teineigo/etc on

and true!
It always gets so awkward with language partners kinda like a certain stiffness/robotic. I mean, sure at least it's something, but it doesn't go smooth, often you'll be wondering for new things/topics to say and it becomes a drag.
Friends on the other hand, you just blabber away but it does 0 improvement for your keigo/teineigo etc. I was so used to too casual speech that I struggled when one of my Japanese friends had a new older roommate and I had to talk to her. I was stuttering and stuttering till she finally said: 'just use casual speech, it's ok'. And yes it was embarrassing.

I once met a foreigner in japan that was pretty good at communicating in Japanese. He had learned what he knew just by living in Japan, mimicing others and, using what he heard. No books, no grammar, no nothing! He was more of a party person than a book worm but never the less, his speaking was fluent and his accent was good.
It was pretty impressive!

His problem, though, was that he only knew casual and went around speaking that to everyone. He also tried to convince me that no one ever uses politer Japanese (let alone, keigo!) anyway so there is no point in learning any of it!

My own weak point is that in my time in Japan, I've mostly been around older people so casual speach doesn't come very naturaly to me and it feels uncomfortable..
Need to get some Japanese friends. The only thing is that all the asian people here seem to be Chinese..

Jeez,

Yesterday, I had to sit in on lunch with my boss's boss. He wanted lunch with his Japanese counterparts on base, and wanted me there as a standby.

Now I understand a little more why being an on the spot translator can be difficult.

PS: Yes, my output is FTL.

what does FTL mean?? All that I think is FML when I read it.

mezbup Wrote:what does FTL mean?? All that I think is FML when I read it.

For the lose! I assume someone made it up after seeing "FTW" meaning "For the win!", as I'm not sure why anyone would want to cheer about losing.

Alternatively, it can mean "Faster Than Light" travel. Yes, I'm a Battlestar Galactica fan.

I'll just take it as ***** THATS LAME.

It's just a negative play on FTW, though, **** The Language is also an option.

French, The Language
Fight The Liger

***** the lesbian...
Fail the limbo?

Jarvik7 Wrote:Language partners are useless, native friends are priceless.

The downside is that you get no one to use your keigo/teineigo/etc on

You could always roleplay with your GF!

いけない先生？

That's hot.

Also, FTL = Fake Thai Ladies (aka ladyboys). I win.