Final Reflection

Overall, the course was fun. I like the book a lot and I think it is very well-paced. I'm looking forward to finishing it up next semester and using a new book, though, because I think we're outgrowing this one. I learned lots of new words and kanji, as well as grammar points. I think I learned best by reading the chapters. I find that learning things for tests does nothing for my long-term memory, even if I take the tests again every so often. Reading the chapters, however, is more enjoyable, requires less intentional memorization, and since many kanji and words are reused in later chapters, I am forced to keep in memory.

Reflection 12 & アメリカ人の歴史上の人物

1. We learned about various Japanese historical figures. We also went over some kanji.

2. I liked learning about the historical stuff. Lots of violence and disembowelment.

3. Finishing the shinbun. It was late, but at least I finished it. I'm actually kind of proud of the manga. I was in Chipotle and saw a police officer and the concept came to me. I drew it in paint. It may look bad, but I drew it using the mouse (though to be fair, my actual hand-drawn stuff isn't really any better).

4. Making sure I have all the grammar points down for the final.

5. Study!

6. I don't really have any problems at the moment, but I do like ば～ほど. It's nifty. It literally means "if you do x, as much as you do x". We would say it as "the more you do x...".

アメリカ人の歴史上の人物

ニコラ・テッスラは有名なアメリカ人の発明家でした。最高の発明はACの電力でした。トマス・エティソンはライバルでした。エティソンはDCの電力を一般化したくて、テッスラと対しました。エティソンは強い相手でしたが、DCの電力は問題があります。DCは電気の物の動かすために効果的ですが、長いワイアを送られたらすぐに弱くなります。ACは逆：電気の物に効きにくいけど、長く送れられます。テッスラは電気をACとして送ってDCに変えました。勝負を勝つ後、テッスラがお金を高い実験に払って、びんぼうな隠者になりました。オフトッピクですが、あの写真にライアンさんみたいと思いませんか？私、ライアンさんに似ると思います。

自分で考えた自動販売機 (Reflection 11)

私の自動販売機は薬自販機と呼ばれる。痛みやお腹や風邪などの薬を売られる自販機だ。代表的な自販機の値段は店より高いので、非常な場合以外使いない。食べ物や飲み物は持っておけるが、病気は急に起こられて色々な病気があるので、私は薬自販機を使うと思う。

シロクマカフェ (Reflection 10)

あのアニメは笑うほど面白いです。言うまでもなくて、私は好きでした。あのアンメにおかしを得るに対してトリッキオアトリートしました。だが、店やバカな友達の家に行って、ぼんさいでも、ジャーキでも、変なものが手に入りました。ラリのビデオも好きでした。

日本、世界のおもしろい自動販売機 & Reflection 9

これは日本の面白い自販機の一つです。これでＴ－シャツや靴下を安く買えます。スポーツセンターにありますので売り上げが高いと思います。便利な物ですね！

1. We learned about Japanese vending machines, which are awesome.

2. Probably the reading. I always like those.

3. Doing all the homework, including making my own test.

4. Learning to write all the kanji for the test.

5. Study!

6. I used to have a hard time understanding ほど, but I found that if you replace it with the word まで it makes perfect sense. While まで can't technically be used in many of the situations, the English translated meanings are similar, so it works for me. I think I was confused because the translation "to the extent" sound weird when you substitute it into the sentence. Once I replaced it with made I began to understand its meaning, and now I understand it. Chapter 10 helps a lot too because they use ほど like crazy for some reason.

Reflection 8

Last week we had a discussion with Japanese students about the Japanese educational system. Overall, I think it went quite well. I was able to ask all the questions and follow-up questions without too much trouble. The only problem was my group had several questions that were similar, so we tended to step on each others toes a lot, but I was still able to use the answers to their questions, so I guess that worked out. I didn't have too much trouble reading the questions, but I was so nervous that any extra questions that weren't written down were very hard for me to say. I also didn't understand the vast majority of what was said: the problem was not the words/grammar used, but rather the speed. I understand spoken language very slowly, and it's much worse when I'm nervous. Despite this, I was able to get the main idea of what was said and fill in the blanks of what I didn't understand with context. Since my issues were primarily skill-based, I can't really say I would do anything different.

Reflection 7 + 教育制度について

1. We learned about the new grammar for Lesson 9. We also started watching the 狂言.
2. Reading the lesson, definitely. I find it very interesting, and I also like to translate stuff.
3. Learning the 漢字 for the quiz, definitely.
4. Same as always, learning how to write the new 漢字.
5. Study, practice, etc.
6. While I do understand it for what it means, whenever I read 思うように～ない, it seems like it should be saying that the speaker expected it to not happen. For instance, the example in the book "人の前では自分の考えが思うように言えない", means something like "unlike how I had wanted, in front of people I am not able to speak my thoughts". But to me it seems like it is saying "as I had expected, in front of people I am unable to speak my thoughts." I'm not really sure why it means what it does, so I guess I should just memorize it.

The Japanese education system is pretty interesting. If I'm understanding correctly, it was originally a relatively rigorous system that required lots of studying and resulted in overall good results from the students, but was causing a lot of pressure on the kids and taking away their free time. The government then decided to redo the entire system by making things easier and giving kids more room for creative growth, but it ended up lowering the performance of the students (wasn't that result obvious? How could they expect to keep the same good results with less effort from the students?) due to major flaws in the curriculum. As a result, colleges and high schools that had more advanced curriculum became famous, which made good companies want to hire their alumni more, which made more students want to go there. Since there were so many students who wanted to enroll and they needed to maintain their elite status, they made really difficult entrance exams, which required students to spend time outside of school studying to get in. This caused the growth of 塾, and created an environment in which students were spending all of their free time studying so they can get into a good middle school, which in turn will help them get into a good high school, which will help them get into a good college, which will help them get a good job. This means that their future is somewhat decided at the middle school level. The ironic thing is that the education overhaul was designed to give kids more free time, but it ended up creating an environment in which they had even less. Assuming that 塾 are private and not government run, it did then create a new market, which is probably the only plus I can think of about the whole thing. Also, The 四当五落 thing is awful. Plus if the students are anything like me they'll forget all the information they gained as soon as they get into college, making the whole thing pointless.

Reflection 6

1. We learned about the new grammar and I learned that きのこ means mushroom and not a sapling.

2. Probably the dialogue.

3. Finishing the accursed photo story.

4. Remembering to get my questionnaire done.

5. I don't know, write myself a note maybe?

6. Nothing's that difficult this time, but I do like 以外. It's nifty, and it makes perfect sense when you think about its kanji.

総理大臣

Reflection 5 + 狂言的な物語

1. We learned about 狂言 and various other Japanese traditional performing arts.

2. The Three Little Pigs story thing.

3. Doing the kanji quiz and getting my first 100% of the semester (thank you for not taking off points when I wrote あ wrong).

4. Writing my story and getting it done before Thursday. The questionnaire should be pretty easy.

5. Sit my butt down and get to work!

6. I'm not having any real problems with grammar right now, but I do rather like 逆. It's cool.



総理大臣

主人公：総理大臣と書記

日本の総理大臣はスピーチをする。作りたくないので、書記に作らせる。総理大臣は東大の出身者で、難しい漢字と言葉を知っているはずだと思っている書記は複雑なスピーチを作る。ツピーチの時、総理大臣はスピーチを読めなくて、ばかみたいだ。書記は助けてみるけど、総理大臣はすぐに再び続けないようになる。とうとう、書記は総理大臣の代わりにスピーチをする。後で、総理大臣は辞任し、書記は新しい総理だ人になる。めでたしめでたし。

Reflection 4

1. We learned the new grammar points for the new chapter.

2. Probably reading the main dialogue. I liked it.

3. Learning all the kanji for the super kanji quiz. Assuming I passed, of course.

4. Doing the homework and learning the new kanji. Luckily most of the kanji are ones we already know.

5. Study and do the homework in the downtime of my other classes.

6. I don't have any particular problems with any of the grammar, but I do particularly like verb-直す. It's easy to understand, useful, and makes a lot of sense if you think about what 直す means.

Reflection 3 + わかったこと + 血液型

1. We learned about Japanese onomatopoeia and even made one up. We also did some conversation practice and had another kanji quiz

2. The onomatopoeia thing wasn't bad. I didn't like the manga, though, since I lack any creativity or drawing ability.

3. Probably drawing  the manga. That was painful for me.

4. Having all the kanji in my head at once for the super quiz.

5. Study!

6. I don't really have any problems with the grammar, but I do have trouble remembering the onomatopoeia, probably because there are a million of them and many of them barely sound like the sounds they represent. The solution is one to my liking, though: read more manga!

 わかったこと：一人目の名前はしゅくのめぐみです。二十一歳で広島から来ました。広島しゅうどう大学の学生です。専門は英語けど、英語ではあまりしゃべません。アメリカに来た理由は英語の経験です。二人目の名前は分かりませんでした。十九歳で専門は経済である学生です。ファンタシイの本を読むが好きです。三人目の名前は田中みよで二十歳です。りっきょう大学から来た大学生で専門は経済です。ゴルフが好きです。

血液型：日本にみんあが自分の血液型を知っています。日本人は血液型で人の性格の種類をわかります。Ｂ型の人が嫌いです。先生はＯ型です。日本人はほとんどＡとＯ型です。

わかったこと

日本人の名前はさとうまいとかわなみありさです。さとうさんは二十歳であるりっきょう大学の学生です。しぶやで買い物するのが好きです。かわなみさんは十九歳のヨロッパの歴史を勉強している学生。りっきょう大学も入っています。東京の弁を使います。

Reflection 2

1. We learned a bunch of new grammar points, like さえ and X に当たり.

2. Probably the new grammar points. さえ seems to be the most nifty.

3. Doing all the homework in time. By nature I'm a procrastinator.

4. Doing all the new homework in time. And probably learning to write the new 漢字 by the next test.

5. Study and force myself to do the homework.

6. I seem to have trouble remember if the particle comes before or after さえ. I think the best way for me to remember it is to think of it like the particle も: it can either replace the other particles or follow them (e.g. にも).

Reflection 1

1. We really haven't learned anything yet, we're just sort of settling back into class.

2. Doing the blog entry, I guess.

3. Doing all the homework before the next class. That is, in itself, a great accomplishment for me.

4. Doing the next homework before the next class. Learning to write the new kanji will also be a challenge, as always. I always find writing far harder than reading.

5. Practice. That's about all I can do.

6. We haven't learned any new grammar yet, but I learned about the particle とやら over the summer. Unfortunately, while I remember what it means, I wasn't smart enough to write down any of the sentences I heard it used in, and now I don't know precisely where to put it in the sentence. I'm guessing it goes at the end of the clause that is secondhand information (ｘｘ-先生が病気になりましたとやら）, but I'm not sure about details, like whether です would still be necessary after it or not. The way to learn is to either ask, find an example sentence, or replay the game I heard it in and pay attention this time.



１５２ページは二つの部分に分かれましたポップカルチャーと手塚治虫についてです。ポップカルチャーの部分に空の棒グラフと箱(Can I use 箱 to refer to a box of this type, or only literal, physical boxes?)があります。両方は学生に完成されるためです(Can I say it this way, or do I have to say ためにあります)。手塚治虫の部分にたくさん空の箱もあります。これも完成されるためにあります。私は手塚治虫についての本が持ちます。明日（木曜日）、私この本をもっと来るつもりです。

私の紹介

初めまして、私はベン・ホルコムともします。コンピュター科学の専門の学生です。四年生で十二月に卒業するつもりです。趣味はビデオゲーム（特にRPG）とかアニメとか漫画とかコミックとか本です。夏休みに日本のゲームを遊び始めました。ゲームはRPGのためにたくさん会話があり、色々知らない漢字がありました。RPGに会話は大切なことで無視すると遊べないになります。それでゲームで遊びながらたくさん漢字を暗記しました。漢字を覚えるために毎日フラッシカードで勉強しました。たくさん新しい漢字や言葉を覚えました。

RPGはロールプレーイングゲーム です。昔、人は冒険のボードゲームを作りたかったです。このゲームに想像で冒険を作りました、ゲームのルールで遊びました。コンピュターが出来た後にRPGのビデオゲームを作りたかったです。RPGがたくさん数や方程式がありましたから変わりやすいでした。この新しいRPGの中にアメリカにアルチマは一番人気がありましたけど、日本人はウイザーズアンドウアリアーズの方が大好きでした。現在のRPGは始めに日本人にあのRPGをもとに発明されました。今日本はRPGの王です。日本の一番有名なRPGはドラゴンクエストと呼ばれます。アメリカにファイナルファンタシーの方が有名です。私もファイナルファンタシーを好みます。（したにドラゴンクエストの写真があります）

Reflection 14

夏休みにたくさん勉強したいんです。そのために、日本のRPGを遊んだり、漫画を読んだり、アニメを見たりするつもりです。また、たくさん漢字を習うつもりです。書き方に構いません。そして、たくさんお金を受けるつもりです。これ以上することをあまり知りません。

Reflection 13

元の考えは日本とアメリカのスーパーヒーローかビデオゲームのジャンルについてです。ボイルと話した後にスーパーヒーローに共に決めました。グラフは書いてあったデータから作ろうと思います。まず、日本とアメリカのスーパーヒーローの表を集めるつもりです。次はグラフを作ることです。最後はグラフを調べることです。表を集めることは思ったより難しいですが、がんばります。プロジェクトの他の部分は簡単と思います。

Reflection 12

日本の主な宗教は仏教と神道です。両方は多神教です。多神教というのは神が多くいる事です。葬式はたいてい仏教の式です。たくさん神道の神社があって、色々な目的があります。例えばITの神社や旅行安全の神社や赤ちゃんの神社（ちОぽの神社...）があります。この神社で守りを買えます。守りが一年間だけしますから、毎年新しい守りを買わなくていけないと言われます。一般的な日本人は宗教の信者ではありませんが、宗教を全部尊敬します。それで神道や仏教は同時に存在できます。

１：親子
２：姉と弟
３：ます体で「おかあさん、お茶をくれませんか。」
４：伝統的です。
５：ピクニックのように座って、食べたり、飲んだり、歌ったりします。違うことは花を見るのです。
６：ひざで座ります。
７：面白いです。日本人はアメリカ人より自然が好きだと思います。

Reflection 11

春休みに私は新しいビデオゲームのデータベースを作るつもりです。たくさんビデオゲームがあるので、データベースは繰り合わせることを便利にします。データベースがありましたけど、最近主なハードドライブが死んでデータベースがなくされました。だから新しいヴィデオゲームのデータベースを作ります。他にもたくさんリラックスするつもりです。いい春休みだと思います。

Reflection 10

I really need to start keeping up on these blog posts...

1. If I remember correctly, we finished up Chapter 5 and did some tongue twisters.

2. Definitely the tongue twisters.

3. Saying the tongue twisters.

4. Memorizing the kanji for the weekly quiz.

5. Study.

6. I believe we hadn't started Chapter 6 yet at this point, so I'm gonna do a tongue twister instead: "tonari no kyaku wa yoku kaku kuu kyaku da." Literally translated, it means "the customer next to me is a customer that eats persimmons regularly." A better translation would be "the custome next to me eats persimmons regularly." Easy to say once, hard to say three times fast.

Reflection 9

1. We went over some dialogues from Chapter 5.
2. Probably the dialogues.
3. Learning the kanji in time for the quiz.
4. Studying for the next kanji quiz.
5. Study!
6. Tokoro ga. It is used like a "nonetheless" or "however". It means that you are about to say something that is different than what would be expected from the preceding part of the conversation.

I really am not sure what to do about the essay as I haven't heard details on what it is about. I heard it was something related to Japanese culture and that we can choose pretty much anything within that realm. I like to do things related to video games, so I could always do the Japanese RPG and compare it to RPGs made by American companies. I could pick a different genre, too, and maybe do games in general. The only problem with this would be that I would constantly have to write in katakana, which can be tedious and I usually don't learn anything from it. I could do Japanese swords comparison to swords of other cultures, which would allow me to do some research and learn some things (I would probably learn some kanji along the way, too). The blog post, however, seems to indicate that we're to base it off things from the book, in which case I have no idea. I suppose the differences in weaponry is along the same lines as the difference in sports. So I guess I just need a little more detail before I can really choose a topic for certain. I'm not sure what to do for the hypothetical situation, I may very well have the wrong idea about what the sakubun is about.

Reflection 8

1. We learned all about Andou-san, the creator of Instant Noodle and Cup Noodle (Ramen no Chichi).
2. Probably reading the manga.
3. Reading the manga and understanding it.
4. Learning to write the new kanji.
5. Study and practice.
6. Ijou and Ikan. They mean more than (or equal to) and less than (or equal to) respectively. Not hard to understand, though...

Reflection 7

1. We learned about all the new grammar for Lesson 5.
2. Not sure. Maybe learning the grammar?
3. Getting a 100% on the kanji quiz. First time I've ever done in Yuki-sensei's class.
4. Learning the new kanji.
5. Study and practice.
6. Ijou and Ikan mean more than (or equal to) and less than (or equal to) respectively. I'm pretty sure we learned these before, though.

I did like the number+counter+atari. It means per x. So $5 per person would be "hitori atari go doru". Nifty.

Presentation Stuff

発表のビデオはプレーしませんので、思いから書いてみます。ペイズリーさんは病気のうさぎでした。ライアンはワインが好きですが、ルペは「ワインは女の飲み物だ！ビールは男の飲み物だよ！」と言いました。これ以上忘れました。

Reflection 6

1. We studied dialogues and kanji.
2. Probably the dialogues.
3. Memorizing most of the kanji for the super kanji quiz.
4. Doing the blog.
5. Do the blog.
6. Mazu. It means firstly.

I don't remember too much now, I probably should have done the blog that night. I just remember something about Ella being a lesbian (not for real) and something about Emi eating either an alligator or a cat. I also thought I heard something about putting the alligator's soul in a cat or something.

たくさんアニメを見たことがありますが、そのアニメは一番つまらないのでした。女らしいのためではありません、クリシェですから。

Reflection 5

The glogster thing was surprisingly fun. The content of the dialogues usually boring stuff like students asking questions to teachers or talking with friends, so it's fun to finally get to explore the more mythical/historical aspects of Japanese culture. I wasn't too keen on the actual flyer thing itself, but the freedom was enjoyed.

私は大人になったからバスや電車を乗ったことがありません。でも、ここに優先席の必要がないと思います。店に電気のスクーターに乗っていて太りすぎる人をよく見られます。優先席があったら、その人はいつも使います。ひまんは病気ではなく、選んだことです。けががある人やにんぷを本当にやさしくしたいなら、席をゆずることは優先席よりいいです。

白刃取りボット

見るとテクストをスコロールして下さい。元のバージョンはここです 。

Reflection 4

1. We learned some really cool stuff about kanji that was slightly interesting. My concept of radicals was completely wrong, I wasn't aware there were such strict rules about what is considered a radical and what isn't. I like the way the parts have some meaning as well. That may help me remember kanji better.

2. Same thing. The radicals were the best part. Anything that makes kanji more interesting or easier to remember is a great thing.

3. Learning about radicals.

4. Remembering many of the radicals and doing the homework.

5. Study!

6. Mazu. Mazu basically means "first." Nifty!

すもうは日本の一番有名なスポーツと思われています。すもうの力士は相手に土俵の外までおし合ってみます。体重はすもうの力士にとって大切なものです。それで代表的な力士は大きく太っています。他の日本のスポーツは剣道や柔道や合気道です。アメリカと日本のスポーツの違いは態度です。日本のスポーツに選手はアメリカの選手より丁寧です。

Reflection 3

カタカナ語の三つの種類は：外国語の音やスペルをカタカナにおきかえたものであり、元の意味とは違う意味のカタカナ語であり、短くして言うカタカナ語であります。プリントは英語で「ＨＡＮＤＯＵＴ］です。スマートは英語で「ＳＭＡＲＴＰＨＯＮＥ］と思いますがよく分かりません。チアガールは「ＣＨＥＥＲＬＥＡＤＥＲ］と思います。フロントガラスは「ＲＥＡＲＶＩＥＷ　ＭＩＲＲＯＲ］と思います。ポケットベルは「ＰＯＣＫＥＴ　ＷＡＴＣＨ］だかもしれません。マジックテープは「ＤＵＣＴ　ＴＡＰＥ］と思います。スキンシップは。。。分かりません。姉とショーンさんのスピッチレベルはくだけたです。丁寧な話し方は：「英語のクラスのレポートを書きましたけれど、ちょっとこの部分を読んでくれませんか」です。

Reflection 2

新成人についてのビデオは面白かったです。ビデオの始めに人がたいほされました。日本人の新成人とアメリカ人のは同じぐらい：両方はばかです。成人の日は面白そうですが、その払い方の意味をよく分かりません、私は。二十万円が持ったら、その人より楽しみます。それに一日よりに使います。市長が飛び出した時、私はびっくりしました。「ほねがこわれるか」と思いました。最後の新成人が好きです。りっぱな大人に本当になりたいなら、もういい成人だと思います。

Reflection 1 (New Semester)

私の冬休みは楽しかったです。クリスマスに家族が私にお金をくれました。私はお金の他にビデオゲームももらいました。私もお金をあげました。きんがくは同じぐらいでした。毎日なるべくねました。勉強しようとしたが、忘れてしまいました。新学期にがんばろうと思います。