Zon70 Wrote:for the most part, though we only used genki 1 through those 2 semesters, and there is still some parts of grammar i have not learned, i know the basics however i really dont want to get into the parts of grammar where there is much exceptions and what not.

Well, the fact that you went through Genki 1 means that you should already have a fair amount of grammar and vocabulary under your belt. If working your way through Genki 2 doesn't interest you how about the Japanese in Mangaland series? They were written with the intention of being a more "fun" type of textbook, yet they supposedly cover all the necessary grammar up to the old JLPT3 level. I felt the books were particularly useful in helping me understand the nonstandard language often used in manga.

Once you get to that level I think you can begin to comprehend some simple native texts. Whatever you don't understand you can usually look up in one of the Dictionaries of Japanese Grammar, or else just ask someone.

sikieiki Wrote:grammar not much important. message feeling transmit well despite bad grammar. you sound like caveman. caveman good. caveman strong. impress japanese with caveman japanese.

Yes, I can see how omitting plurals and articles makes one sound like a caveman. There's more to grammar, though. In fact, it took an advanced knowledge of grammar to know you could get away with omitting these pieces and still convey your intended meaning.

Lets' get rid of the "X...despite...Y" and "impress...a...with...b."

How well could you convey your thoughts without them?

OP Wrote:i know the basics however i really dont want to get into the parts of grammar where there is much exceptions and what not.

You can either do something that you don't want to do for a short period of time, or delay your abilities in the language in the long run. Grammar is an integral part of any language. Could you drive a car if you didn't want to learn to use the steering wheel? Could you learn to type if you didn't want to press the keys.

Rip the bandage off. Just dive in, pace yourself, and it'll be over before you know it.... Okay that was a lie. It's never over, but it does get easier.

Zon70 Wrote:for the most part, though we only used genki 1 through those 2 semesters, and there is still some parts of grammar i have not learned, i know the basics however i really dont want to get into the parts of grammar where there is much exceptions and what not.

For the most part, though, we only used Genki 1 through those 2 semesters, and there are still some parts of grammar i have not learned[.] I know the basics, but i really don[']t want to get into the parts of grammar where there are many exceptions and whatnot.


Fixed that for you.

I think it would do you you some good to spend a little time brushing up on grammar, learning what an adverb is. If your English is already this riddled with errors, I shudder to think what kind of Japanese you would produce.

I love grammar. Am I a masochist?

I don't think i've studied grammar formally, even though I've done tae kims guide,etc
I've found that, best way to learn is through a lot of examples. Don't regurgitate the rules but to understand them in context.

[Come now. That's way out of line. ]

sikieiki Wrote:[.....]

JimmySeal has got a completely valid point -- way more valid than your oh-so-well thought out insult back at him.

If you're going to be dealing with languages then it makes sense to understand how languages work. We can save the "does grammar really exist?" arguments for later. Pointing out the fact that despite being a native speaker, he cannot correctly utilize his first language implies that he may not be able to learn how to utilize a second language either.

And I mean seriously, he's worried about learning a few words and concepts in English, while at the same time to learn an entire language which is completely filled with unknown words. I'd say learning a bit about how your native language works would help a lot when learning a second.

At least, if you're gonna throw flames, come up with something less offensive to... everyone