For anyone who hasn’t seen this yet…
Along the lines of All Things Japanese, this site was helpful for me in deciphering why it was amusing for an anime convention to be named Nan Desu Kan. I’d heard enough Japanese to recognize it (or, rather, “nan desu ka”) as a common turn of phrase, but the Learn Japanese website explained that it means, “What is it?”
I’d love to take a Japanese class. I don’t think there are any local evening classes taught by native speakers, though. I want to be able to do more than count to twenty badly, ask “what is it,” and other fun otaku tricks. If the Learn Japanese site had audio clips to confirm pronunciation, it would be even better. I’ll have to look into some of the podcasts on learning to speak Japanese.
Not like I’m ever going to make it to Japan any time soon, unlike *some* people I know. And, yes, I do know more than one person who either has been or is going to Japan. ^_^
There is an Con up in Ann Arbor call “Con ja Nai”, “not a con” kind of along the same thought asrun by the people who do animania. I haven’t been there in many years. It is a good time. 🙂
I took Japanese classes for a couple of years at UT. It was one of my favorite classes the whole time I was there. Unfortunately I have found no use for it exept for the occasional chance where I can rough translate the Simpsons episode where they go to Japan.
Also it takes lots and lots of work. I really had no talent for it either which made it even worse. Though I’d really love to study it more. Time is so much more valuable now that I’m out of college. I encourage it if you actually intend on speaking to Japanese people. Just watching Anime really isn’t all that fulfilling. I spent a lot of time studying and I’m losing all that hard work due to lack of use.
Sorry This message became really long. I just spent a lot of time with the whole anime thing and the trying to learn Japanese so it just all kind of comes out. I just started reading your blog last week. Good stuff. Also I checked out the podcast, fun stuff. Good luck with your goals.