Hey Everyone!

I'm excited about starting a new chapter, mostly because of the struggle with katakana last chapter but also because now we're learning verbs and really expanding vocabulary. Also Kanji! So as far as study tips, lots of practice? I find it really helpful to just be exposed to the material a lot, but learning by association is also helpful (for example, breaking down words). This class really does involve a lot of work compared to my other classes...or maybe it's just that I do a week's worth of work at one time for them. In any case, Japanese is actually very rewarding. I'm impressed with how much we've learned in such a short amount of time and how comfortably some phrases just roll off my tongue.

In other news, I'm going home this weekend to see an American Sign Language show at Gallaudet University. It's exciting! These shows never happen, at least not when/where I can go. They're also just generally amazing. And it's great to be able to do this this weekend because last week was just sooo stressful. A quiz every day in Japanese, a quiz on Monday in ASL, a Chem quiz on Friday and a Bio Exam on Friday. I hope midterms are not that closely packed. I believe not. But anyway, this will be a great change of pace from last week and the perfect way to finish this one. I might even get around to posting some entries in other languages this weekend; I've been meaning to. I just went to go watch un film en francais. (how do I do accents on this blog? I shall figure that out later...I'm way too tired now.) So possible french film review/asl video forthcoming.

じゃあまた。

カタカナ

こにちはみなさん。 Ｉ　ａｍ　ｆｉｎｄｉｎｇ　カタカナ　ｔｏ　ｂｅ　ｓｏｍｅｗｈａｔ　ｆｒｕｓｔｒａｔｉｎｇ；　ｍｏｓｔｌｙ　ａｔｔｅｍｐｔｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｐｒｏｄｕｃｅ　ｉｔ．　　Ｗｈｅｎ　Ｉ　ｓｅｅ　ｉｔ　ｗｒｉｔｔｅｎ　Ｉ　ｃａｎ　ｇｅｎｅｒａｌｌｙ　ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄ　ｉｔ　ｂｕｔ　ｗｈｅｎ　ａｔｔｅｍｐｔｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ｃｏｍｅ　ｕｐ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｙｌｌａｂｌｅ　ｍｙｓｅｌｆ　Ｉ　ｋｅｅｐ　ｔｈｉｎｋｉｎｇ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ひりがな　ｆｏｒ　ｉｔ．　Ｉ’ｌｌ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｋｅｅｐ　ｐｒａｃｔｉｃｉｎｇ　ａｎｄ　ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌｌｙ　ｏｎｃｅ　Ｉ　ａｍ　ｃｏｍｆｏｒｔａｂｌｅ　ｅｎｏｕｇｈ　ｗｉｔｈ　カタカナｔｈｅ　ｔｗｏ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｎｏｔ　ｂｅｃｏｍｅ　ｃｒｏｓｓｅｄ　ｉｎ　ｍｙ　ｍｉｎｄ．　＞，＜　

Ｗｈｙ　にほんご？ Ｉ　ａｍ　ｎｏｔ　ｓｕｒｅ　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ａ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｒｅａｓｏｎ　ｏｔｈｅｒ　ｔｈａｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｆａｃｔ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ａｌｗａｙｓ　ｆｏｕｎｄ　ｉｔ　ｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔｉｎｇ．　　

いまどこがわたしですか。クラールクとしょかんです。　Ｉ　ａｍ　ｓｔｕｄｙｉｎｇ　ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　せいぶつがくのテスト　ｔｏｍｏｒｒｏｗ．　ごごさんじ　ｔｏ　ごごごじです。

ｏｔｈｅｒ　ｌａｎｇｕａｇｅｓ　Ｉ　ａｍ　ｌｅａｒｎｉｎｇ：　

Ｆｒｅｎｃｈ　（フランス）
American Sign Language （しゅわ）
welsh (ウェルズご）

likely posts will occur in these as well (videos for asl) =P...If I can get my wireless to cooperate.

はじめまして。このバォグだれのですか。わたしはばじにあだいがくのがくせいのスミスです。いまにねんせいです。アメリカじんです。わたしのにひんごのがくしえです。わたしのせんもんはなんですか。しんけいかがくです。　わたしのともだちのワンユはりゅうがくせいです。いいばじにあだいがくですね。おかあさんはかいしゃいんです。．．．いまごぜんじゅうにじじゅうよんぷんです。じゃあまった。