When I was a kid I used to memorize all of the answers to Trivial Pursuit, and I remember that in addition to learning trivia, it also improved my English. The questions were very well phrased, concise and grammatically perfect. And for each question there was only a single possible correct answer. I've been thinking lately that this might be a useful tool for studying Japanese because it would be Japanese only (no English), and the answer would reinforce understanding of the question. Some example questions below. Note Japanese versions were done with google translate, so they're probably Japangrish.

Q: Who was the founder of McDonald's?
A: Ray Kroc

Q: マクドナルドの創始者はだれだった?
A: レイクロック

Q: What is the only bird that can fly backwards?
A: The hummingbird

Q: 後方に飛ぶことができる唯一の​​鳥は何ですか？
A: ハチドリ


Any thoughts on the utility of this? Or suggestions where to find a digital version of Japanese trivia or Trivial Pursuit?

Just need to point out there's an obvious mistake on that first question, its pretty common knowledge that Ronald MacDonald founded McDonald's after fighting in the American Civil War. I think Ray Kroc is that Australian guy who died a couple of years ago.

my initial thought is that all the questions will follow the same sort of grammatical pattern so only new vocabulary will be learnt.


Incidentally Ray Kroc didn't found Mcdonalds.

Wikipedia Wrote:The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonald's#History

Wikipedia Wrote:The McDonald's concept was introduced in San Bernardino, California by Dick and Mac McDonald of Manchester, New Hampshire. It was modified and expanded by their business partner, Ray Kroc, of Oak Park, Illinois, who later bought out the business interests of the McDonald brothers in the concept and went on to found McDonald's Corporation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_McDonald%27s

HonyakuJoshua Wrote:my initial thought is that all the questions will follow the same sort of grammatical pattern so only new vocabulary will be learnt.

Good point. To my recollection most of the questions were along the lines of how many, who, what, etc.

I'm still struggling to find an all Japanese method.

What about close deletion of factual statements in Japanese? Because of the dependence of the sentence on the missing word, this might help to reinforce the meaning. An example would be the following:

Q: １ドルは１００セントに__しい。
A: １ドルは１００セントに等しい。
English: A dollar is equal to a hundred cents.


I guess you could use factual statements, common phrases, positive affirmations, whatever you would like to reinforce in your mind while learning a new language.

Yeah, that's a good way of drilling Japanese grammar. I think if you find trivia interesting like I do, it will help you learn.　I can't find a Japanese version of Trivial Pursuit online.

This might be what you're looking for, but you'd probably have better luck just browsing around the correct section of a Japanese bookstore (maybe even Kinokuniya, if you're near one) if you want something more in-depth like a bathroom reader.

http://contents.kids.yahoo.co.jp/quiz/