Learning environment and methods, whoa!

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Reply #1 - 2008 October 05, 10:44 pm
alyks Member
From: Arizona Registered: 2008-05-31 Posts: 914 Website

Ok. Do something like post a picture of your desktop when in Japanese learning mode. Sentences or kanji or whatever. Here's mine:

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/4256/mono1sx1.th.jpghttp://img129.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif

1. I always have something Japanese playing.
2. Timeboxing alarm. What can I say, it works. For the allotted time, I give what I'm doing my all without distractions (no email, no forum surfing, video minimized). Then I have the option of stopping.
3. OS converted to Japanese
4. My new cards never seem to go down...
5. Script for show playing. If I can't figure out a word, I'll search for it on the script. If I find it, it's instant context. Sometimes I hit a word in the script that's describing what's happening in the show and that's awesome.
6. Firefox always open to a Japanese page.

Yeah, so that's basically how I've been doing it. I've finally gone monolingual after finishing UBJG, which is fun. Vocabulary just skyrockets. At first I thought "CRAP man this sucks! I don't understand anything!" But as I got into it (read: the next day) it got really fun. I'd play FF7, look up a word I didn't know (FF7 is great because there was only 1, maybe 2 words I didn't know in a sentence) then put the sentence from FF7 into Anki. Then I'd go through and add sentences for all the words I didn't understand in the definition...
It was awesome because I massively expand my vocabulary quickly this way.

Anyway, how have you all been doing? I know it was very inspiring to see people taking about learning Japanese on this forum when I was still on kanji. So I think it would be cool to post our stuff and what we're doing/plan to do.

I myself just ordered a huge shipment from YesAsia, which should arrive in the next couple of weeks. I plan to go nuts with my Japanese books I bought. I tried buying the Japanese Fight Club, but they didn't have it, which sucks 'cause I've seen that movie a million times and can recite it from memory.

Reply #2 - 2008 October 06, 12:06 am
Jarvik7 Member
From: 名古屋 Registered: 2007-03-05 Posts: 3946

I'm too lazy to take a screenshot, but my setup is pretty simple anyways. Maybe it's not even a setup. I just have a copy of anki open, kotonoko with about 30-40 epwing dicts loaded (although I usually just use 3 or so), and a spreadsheet of JLPT1 vocab I add into anki as I encounter them in normal life & reading. I suppose I could include iTunes and all the jp music loaded into it, but I don't consider listening to music as studying (cause it isn't unless you're reading the lyrics along with it or really paying attention etc).

I never really "study Japanese" aside from going through the anki flashcards while in lectures etc. I get plenty of JP input just from normal life.

Reply #3 - 2008 October 06, 1:29 am
nickoakden Member
From: England Registered: 2008-08-06 Posts: 42 Website

Seems like a good set-up, Alyks. I'd copy you shamelessly, if my computer wasn't Amazon's cheapest - no way it's handling all that at once!

So at the moment I'm just Anki-ing it up. I've got that, TextAloud with Misaki for making vocal cards, and Firefox with DenshiJisho and this site. I really should try to find some J-Drama+scripts... also, going monolingual is a very exciting prospect. But since I've only just started UBJG, I'm not even close to being there yet.

By the way, can you just change the language of your OS to Japanese, or did you buy the Japanese version of the program?

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Reply #4 - 2008 October 06, 1:38 am
cracky Member
From: Las Vegas Registered: 2007-06-25 Posts: 260

I only have a setup sometimes when I'm playing a Japanese PC game.  Which looks like this: http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2531/playinggameou5.th.jpghttp://img139.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif

Last edited by cracky (2008 October 06, 1:38 am)

Reply #5 - 2008 October 06, 1:48 am
Jarvik7 Member
From: 名古屋 Registered: 2007-03-05 Posts: 3946

nickoakden wrote:

By the way, can you just change the language of your OS to Japanese, or did you buy the Japanese version of the program?

For windows xp you have to buy the Japanese edition of the OS. For osx it's just an option you can switch in realtime. Dunno about Vista, maybe if you have the highest end edition you can switch languages.

Reply #6 - 2008 October 06, 1:55 am
alyks Member
From: Arizona Registered: 2008-05-31 Posts: 914 Website

I just found the Japanese MUI online and installed that. I'm not allowed to say where here.

Reply #7 - 2008 October 06, 2:00 am
lerris Member
From: Orlando Registered: 2006-06-17 Posts: 44 Website

Jarvik7 wrote:

Dunno about Vista, maybe if you have the highest end edition you can switch languages.

As far as Vista goes, to the best of my knowledge, only the Ultimate and Enterprise editions allow you to change the interface language (on a per-user basis). For all others you probably have to buy a copy for the language you want to use.

Reply #8 - 2008 October 06, 3:54 am
hknamida Member
From: Sweden Registered: 2007-08-16 Posts: 222 Website

I may add a screenshot later, but for now, I'll just describe it.

1. Anki, obviously.
2. Firefox, with this site's study pages and Yahoo辞書 open in two tabs.
3. iTunes, playing Japanese news, comedy or literature podcasts, or music, depending on my mood at the time.
4. Mac OS X, set to Japanese.

Edit: As for non-digital equipment:

* Graph paper and three different pens for writing kanji.
* Whatever books I'm mining sentences from at the time. Right now I'm using UBJG and volume 1 of さよなら絶望先生.
* RtK 2. When I have trouble remembering a new reading, I use Heisig's book as a reference to see if I can get another compound containing the same reading, or if it belongs to a pure group.
* Post-it notes. I use these to jot down notes about things I need to learn, in case I lack time or energy to do it right away.
* 玄米茶. You'll rarely see me without a mug of this stuff.

Also, I tend to keep my Casio EX-word XD-SW4800 nearby, for additional examples and definitions.

I'm doing some half-assed timeboxing, too. I usually have my armwatch make some noise once an hour, at which point I take a short break from the computer and move around a bit. I then decide whether or not to carry on with the same part of my Japanese studies for another hour.

Last edited by hknamida (2008 October 06, 5:36 am)

Reply #9 - 2008 October 06, 4:41 am
CaLeDee Member
Registered: 2008-08-31 Posts: 170

Most of my work is done from books on pen and paper so my desktop isn't inundated with Japanese stuff. However my Firefox has about 12 different Japanese related pages open at any given time. I also can't concentrate if there is sound so listening to Japanese while studying just distracts me. I don't get any benefit other than reminding myself of things with Anki, so I just read over notes and grammar points instead.

Reply #10 - 2008 October 06, 4:47 am
ファブリス Administrator
From: Belgium Registered: 2006-06-14 Posts: 4021 Website

I am doing a bit of timeboxing lately but didn't think about using a program.

This looks like the program that Alyks is using: Alarm (other timers/alarm programs here).

Reply #11 - 2008 October 06, 5:39 am
mikemikepw New member
Registered: 2007-09-15 Posts: 6

cracky wrote:

I only have a setup sometimes when I'm playing a Japanese PC game.  Which looks like this: http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2531 … ou5.th.jpghttp://img139.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif

Cracky, could you tell us the name of the japanese dictionary/translator program you're using?  plus what is the name of the Japanese pc you're playing?  It looks really interesting.  Thanks

Reply #12 - 2008 October 06, 5:45 am
wccrawford Member
From: FL US Registered: 2008-03-28 Posts: 1551

cracky wrote:

I only have a setup sometimes when I'm playing a Japanese PC game.  Which looks like this: http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2531 … ou5.th.jpghttp://img139.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif

!!  I had never heard of AGTH! big_smile  That is SO gonna help once I get to that point!

I also would like to know what game that is.  smile

Edit:  My guess is that the game is Eiyuu Densetsu VI Sora no Kiseki.

Last edited by wccrawford (2008 October 06, 5:51 am)

Reply #13 - 2008 October 06, 5:47 am
phauna Member
From: Tokyo Registered: 2007-12-25 Posts: 500 Website

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/9352/japanscreenby7.th.jpghttp://img72.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif

I just use Anki with a dictionary program called JLookup.  I use an invisible English field which I've highlighted a bit.  I can't listen to Japanese and do cards as well, it stuffs up my pron.

Last edited by phauna (2008 October 06, 5:50 am)

Reply #14 - 2008 October 06, 6:23 am
Tobberoth Member
From: Sweden Registered: 2008-08-25 Posts: 3364

I don't really have a setup.

I just open Anki and do my sentences in that when I want to do sentences, I watch a show without subs when I want to study like that, I talk japanese to my japanese friends when I want to study like that, I listen to japanese music very often regardless, sometimes while reading/translating lyrics, sometimes just listening.

I have not set my Windows to Japanese because such immersion simply doesn't work for me. I've tried it, I use mixi, I use facebook in Japanese etc and I haven't learned anything from it, because I simply learn how the interface works and then I stop reading. Just like how I use an English interface.

EDIT: I do have a "semi-"setup when adding stuff to anki though, and that is having the KO spreadsheet up in google docs, one tab with Sanseido and one tab with jisho.org, but it's not really a setup, it's just what I use.

Last edited by Tobberoth (2008 October 06, 6:24 am)

Reply #15 - 2008 October 06, 8:27 am
cracky Member
From: Las Vegas Registered: 2007-06-25 Posts: 260

wccrawford wrote:

cracky wrote:

I only have a setup sometimes when I'm playing a Japanese PC game.  Which looks like this: http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2531 … ou5.th.jpghttp://img139.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif

!!  I had never heard of AGTH! big_smile  That is SO gonna help once I get to that point!

I also would like to know what game that is.  smile

Edit:  My guess is that the game is Eiyuu Densetsu VI Sora no Kiseki.

Oh sorry, I forgot to describe everything.  You are right on the name of the game. 

AGTH is a really cool program I just stumbled on recently, it grabs the text thread from Japanese games.  I think most people use it with some kind of live translator, but it works great just for copying and pasting for me. Here's it's site: http://agthook.googlepages.com/index.html

The dictionary is Ebwin with Kenkyuusha, Kojien, and kanjidic.

Reply #16 - 2008 October 06, 2:47 pm
Erubey Member
From: Escondido California Registered: 2008-01-14 Posts: 162

You guys are pretty hardcore. I don't do anything like this. I study a good, more than good, amount of time but I never really liked the immersion path. The fact that I don't really like Japanese music clinches it.

Props to you guys

Reply #17 - 2008 October 06, 3:17 pm
nickoakden Member
From: England Registered: 2008-08-06 Posts: 42 Website

Erubey wrote:

I don't really like Japanese music.

That's like saying "I don't like music". They've got everything.

Reply #18 - 2008 October 06, 3:23 pm
Raichu Member
From: Australia Registered: 2005-10-27 Posts: 249 Website

So what kind of music do you like?



Nothing special for me either. Usually just the website I'm currently using.

Reply #19 - 2008 October 06, 3:42 pm
Erubey Member
From: Escondido California Registered: 2008-01-14 Posts: 162

Raichu wrote:

So what kind of music do you like?


Nothing special for me either. Usually just the website I'm currently using.

I listen to japanese jazz and hardcore bands. So, they either don't have vocals or use english. I just mean that japanese media, the type that would you would use for immersion, just doesn't interest me.

Reply #20 - 2008 October 06, 3:48 pm
CaLeDee Member
Registered: 2008-08-31 Posts: 170

nickoakden wrote:

Erubey wrote:

I don't really like Japanese music.

That's like saying "I don't like music". They've got everything.

Whats wrong with that? I've never been interested in music o.O

Reply #21 - 2008 October 06, 4:10 pm
Tobberoth Member
From: Sweden Registered: 2008-08-25 Posts: 3364

Erubey wrote:

Raichu wrote:

So what kind of music do you like?


Nothing special for me either. Usually just the website I'm currently using.

I listen to japanese jazz and hardcore bands. So, they either don't have vocals or use english. I just mean that japanese media, the type that would you would use for immersion, just doesn't interest me.

Well, maybe you would find some you like if you gave it a chance? I don't expect everyone to like mellow rock, but since there's so much japanese music of relatively high quality, I find it hard to believe that you can only listen to and enjoy japanese jazz and hardcore... (I like jazz but I loathe hardcore so I will refrain from recommending any bands, I doubt you would like my picks). You could check around listen.jp and stuff for the bands that aren't as popular as the "wow-this-song-was-in-naruto-so-every-japanophile-in-the-world-loves-it" kind of band (I assume those are the kind of bands you been listening to the most since they are EVERYWHERE on the internet, and I wouldn't be suprised if you came to terms with not liking it before you found something you really like or at least can listen to enough for immersion.)

Reply #22 - 2008 October 06, 5:20 pm
Erubey Member
From: Escondido California Registered: 2008-01-14 Posts: 162

I didn't mean to make it out that I have a prejudice against Japanese music. I'm sure there is good music, but I mean I already have a bunch...I mean a bunch of music that I'm into, and while the whole premise is that you take something you like then do it in Japanese, I'm too big of  a wimp to do it.

I have listened to music that isn't just typical...uhm how would you put it, just you know stuff people who love japan listen to. Hard to point out without maybe insulting somebody. Anyways, I just don't get the same excitement from it probably because aside from huge acts, they don't tour here in the US, I can't buy their records except super high prices at import shops, etc.

One thing I do love is japanese literature as far as media goes. I could read japanese novels forever. My point really, though its my fault for not clarifying better, is that I've just never been able to "immerse" myself even though I HAVE wanted to. I just don't find the premise of doing stuff in my daily life in japanese as fun or something I even want to do today or eventually. Its kind of dumb and I realize this.

Reply #23 - 2008 October 06, 5:36 pm
iSoron Member
From: Canada Registered: 2008-03-24 Posts: 490

ファブリス wrote:

I am doing a bit of timeboxing lately but didn't think about using a program.
This looks like the program that Alyks is using: Alarm (other timers/alarm programs here).

I didn't find any timer I liked, so I created my own: big_smile

    http://isoron.org/code/timebox.py

It is really simple. Left click to pause and resume. Right click to reset. Middle click to dispose. Keyboard arrows keys to set the time. Here's a screenshot (the timer is on the lower right corner).

Edit: Here's a windows version. But you have to install PyGTK first.

Last edited by iSoron (2008 October 08, 3:47 am)

Reply #24 - 2008 October 06, 5:54 pm
alyks Member
From: Arizona Registered: 2008-05-31 Posts: 914 Website

That's nifty, iSoran. I personally need the alarm function in some cases, though. If you added that functionality, I would definitely use it.

Reply #25 - 2008 October 06, 6:52 pm
FutureBlues Member
From: Japan Registered: 2008-06-04 Posts: 218

Tobberoth wrote:

Erubey wrote:

Raichu wrote:

So what kind of music do you like?


Nothing special for me either. Usually just the website I'm currently using.

I listen to japanese jazz and hardcore bands. So, they either don't have vocals or use english. I just mean that japanese media, the type that would you would use for immersion, just doesn't interest me.

Well, maybe you would find some you like if you gave it a chance? I don't expect everyone to like mellow rock, but since there's so much japanese music of relatively high quality, I find it hard to believe that you can only listen to and enjoy japanese jazz and hardcore... (I like jazz but I loathe hardcore so I will refrain from recommending any bands, I doubt you would like my picks). You could check around listen.jp and stuff for the bands that aren't as popular as the "wow-this-song-was-in-naruto-so-every-japanophile-in-the-world-loves-it" kind of band (I assume those are the kind of bands you been listening to the most since they are EVERYWHERE on the internet, and I wouldn't be suprised if you came to terms with not liking it before you found something you really like or at least can listen to enough for immersion.)

Most Japanese music is pretty terrible. The only thing I've ever found that I've liked is jazz here. Not everyone who studies Japanese is a Japanophile.

Last edited by FutureBlues (2008 October 06, 6:52 pm)