I met a non-Japanese in business yesterday. He could speak Japanese fluently.
There are a lot of non-Japanese who can speak Japanese well, but his Japanese is a bit different from others'.
He spoke very slowly but used difficult business words perfectly, as well as native Japanese business people. I think that Japanese business words are distinctive and difficult for non-Japanese to use them. In fact, I haven't heard that non-Japanese speak having a good command of Japanese business words.
So, I couldn't help asking him how he mastered Japanese language.
He said he started learning it when he was 12 years old. He also studied Japanese at university in Japan. Several years after graduation, he came to Japan again and worked there for a couple of years with a working holiday visa. He came back to Japan and now is working.
Hmm... I think there is nothing special. There are a lot of people like him.
I bet that he is VERY interested in and REALLY likes learning Japanese language, so he has an inquiring mind of the language. Those are very important to improve language skills. I'm sure I'm lack in them.
The reason I am studying English is that I have to use it. Just it. I don't like English so much. On the contrary, I sometimes take a dislike it when my studying isn't going well. And I'm probably not interested in English. Those facts may be obstacles to improve my English... It may be just an excuse.
Anyway, I will get over them and improve my English for sure!
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3 comments:
Yeah, I think you have to enjoy it if you are to become really good at it. Either that, or if it becomes an absolute necessity to learn it.
BUT - It must be difficult for "non-native speakers" to use them. You forgot about the 1 million or so Koreans in Japan that speak Japanese perfectly. (I seem to have an obsession with reminding you of this, don't I?)
If I could enjoy learning English, it would be great and help me improve my English a lot...
I can't understand why you are concerned about ONLY "Koreans". There are a lot of people from other countries who can speak Japanese perfectly.
Oh. I am obsessed with Korean people.
Just kidding.
Well I guess I did not explain myself too well. When you wrote "I think that Japanese business words are distinctive and difficult for non-Japanese to use them," you are kind of implicitly equating the Japanese ethnic group with the Japanese language. I mentioned the Zainichi specifically because they are a large group of native Japanese speakers, but are not Japanese. So, its not difficult for non-Japanese people(the Zainichi, for example), but it is difficult for non-native speakers.
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