Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4
Thanks:
0
Maybe if you study for 15 hours a day, sleep for 4 hours and spend the remaining 5 with a live-in Japanese nurse drilling you in Japanese while you sit around with a feeding tube pouring proteins, vitamins and coffee in your veins...
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,541
Thanks:
4
No, it's impossible. Let's end this thread now because there's been a million others about how short a time is necessary to learn Japanese.
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 304
Thanks:
0
Obviously all this is skeptical. You've got Heisig who claims to have RTK in one month, and who is gonna call him on that because he apparently did it before pretty much any of us were born. Did anyone actually see him do it, any proof at all besides his word?
Also, Kanji is more than just RTK. RTK is pretty much just the beginning. Afer RTK you still have to figure out compounds, readings, alternative meanings, general uses, etc. Don't forget RTK3 and all the common kanji used that aren't in either book. This stuff adds up you know. You dn't just automatically know kanji completely because you did the RTK1.
Also, a lot of these 'Speed Polyglots' tend to have a much varied opinion of fluent. Usually it's something like, have a conversation. What really goes into a general conversation? Not much. Talking about the weather really doesn't require a ton of vocabulary. Also, you barely see them use the actual target language, how do you know they're as good as they actually say? Can you really consider yourself fluent if you can't read a book for an 8 year old?
Sure, they're probably good at learning the basics of a language quick and dirty, but honestly could they pass high school in that language? Doubt it.
Of course, everyone gets sold on the 'accomplish this quickly with little effeort' plans. Just take a diet pill and you'll lose a ton of weight fast with no exercise.
But in reality, they never give you the results you really want.
And honestly, who here just wants to learn just enough Japanese to order a meal, or talk about the weather?
Edited: 2011-05-12, 10:24 am
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 468
Thanks:
0
Kanji is not really Japanese. In fact, the relatively short time of 1 month isn't even enough time to master the basics of it. Real Japanese involves manipulating the language as well as comprehending it to levels much further beyond just basic writing and reading ability. Your yardstick is too short, my friend; therefore, the time frame is too short.
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 468
Thanks:
0
On a side note, yeah, there are better and faster ways to learn, but the problem is it takes you a long time to figure out how you learn and there is 'no one size fits all' in learning, although many of us are similar. Unfortunately, this makes it hard to speed ahead.
That said, the more time you put in; the more you get out of it. Put in 15+ hours a day with the perfect method for you and you could quite well pass N1 JLPT in 6 months (given you studied only for the test, not for the language skills - TOIEC learners are known for doing just that and succeeding well enough). Sadly, the chances of achieving this are pretty low, but it does seem possible to me.
#Note: With the above you wouldn't actually be able to speak and you would be more 'test ready' than 'real world ready', between which there is a massive divide.
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 468
Thanks:
0
^I'll probably do the 'test ready' approach at some point myself. Japan loves certificates and N1 just looks nice.^
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 468
Thanks:
0
Alrighty... So I reread a bit and now I actually sort of see how this could be answered.
FOR ME to get to N1* in 1 year within a perfect situation I would need to:
Phase 1: (0-1.5 months)
1.5 months of RTK (7 hours per day) + 7 hours per day for each day with a writing/reading tutor working through pre-prepared texts (by him or her) that allow me to read these Kanji in use.
Phase 2: (1.5-3.5 months)
2 months of listening level appropriate material with transcripts and a teacher who speaks to me in English and Japanese perfectly and explains things perfectly. (10 hours per day)
5 hours of grammar, speaking and writing tutorship with the perfect teacher for 2 months.
Phrase 3: (3.5-6 months)
15 hours listening, reading, speaking, writing practice per day with a good teacher on hand at all times.
Phrase 4: (6-12 months)
Test specific practice in reading, listening for 5 hours per day.
10 hours listening, reading, speaking, writing practice per day with a good teacher on hand at all times.
Congratulations N1! 5475 hours put in to get it.
Note:
*I mean the real N1 level including the stuff that's not tested.
# In our lives often the textbook, internet, grammar book, ourselves take on the role of the teacher. We also don't lead perfect lives, so the above is impossible. 2-3 years is fine for 2 hours or so of quality study, plus a lot of extra time spent just enjoying the language, to reach most people's goals. Additionally, not everyone wants to get N1 - I want it for work, so that people will give me better jobs (I mainly study Japanese so I can understand manga and TV, not much else!)
Edited: 2011-05-12, 11:15 am
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 118
Thanks:
0
No I don't see anyone doing that, unless they have a photographic memory or something and are living in Japan for the duration.
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 304
Thanks:
0
You could spend 10 hours a day doing it. You'd just have to give up TV, the Internet, your computer, your cell phone. Petty much anything that gives you ADD.
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 351
Thanks:
1
The most active study time I can handle per day is around 8 hours. I'm not sure I know how to study for 8 hours straight though.
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,174
Thanks:
0
To be honest, I'd say you can study for a few hours a day but immerse for hours and hours on end. That's what I did for the first year of studying. Worked really well so far but, you definitely need breaks in-between.
