[30DRYC] Day 1.1: Why learn Japanese?
English

[30DRYC] Day 1.1: Why learn Japanese?

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language learning
language exchanges
linguistics

Hello~

I'll be doing the 30 Day Record Yourself Challenge (30DRYC). As the name states, you'll have to record yourself discussing various topics for 30 days. I've postponed doing this since I was busy with studies but now I'm free! I feel the true extent of my enthusiasm for language when I take a break from studying a hard subject by studying a harder subject.

Today's topic will be: What languages are you learning and why?

日本語

English

こんばんは、ラベンダーです！ チャレンジするのは初めてですので、お手柔らかにお願いします。

今日は、私が学んでいる言語とその理由についてお話します。

私は現在日本語を勉強していますが、ロシア語、スペイン語、韓国語も学びたいです。

どうして日本語を勉強する？日本語はむずかしですけどとても楽しいです。　　　　　

Good evening, this is Lavender! This is my first time doing any challenges so please have mercy on me.

For today, I'll be speaking what languages I'm learning and why.

I'm currently learning Japanese but I also want to learn Russian, Spanish and Korean.

Why am I learning Japanese? Because it's difficult but it's fun.

I also would've added the part below, but it's still too difficult for me. Please correct the lines if grammatically incorrect or for better phrasing.

私は叔母の家で本をランダムに見て、それを学ぶことにしました。 私が最初の外国語として日本語を学んだのは偶然でした。

将来、日本の大学で勉強できるように、日本語を学び続けています。 字幕なしでアニメを見るのはおまけです。

I randomly saw a book in my aunt's house and decided to learn it. It was a coincidence that I learned Japanese as my first foreign language.

I've continued learning Japanese so that I can study at a Japanese university in the future. Watching anime without subtitles is a bonus.

It really is true, though. It was very happenstance that the textbook I read was a beginner Japanese learning textbook for foreigners. My family and I went to the province and visited our aunt. One day, I just finished watching a movie and was quickly bored. Curiosity and boredom are a staple for children so, naturally, I roamed around the room. There were tennis rackets and framed cross stitches on the walls. I found dusty bookshelves with encyclopedias lined up to form an image of a tiger. I could've focused my attention on any of those things but I chose an unseemingly orange book titled, "Foundations of Japanese Language."

In an alternate universe, I could've studied German, Italian, or any other languages. The Japanese language meant nothing to me then. I didn't even like anime at the time. I was too busy reading the Game of Thrones series or playing a Fire Emblem game. It was only when my interests expanded to anime and manga that I realized the benefits of learning Japanese. By the time I was able to take a beginner Japanese class at the university, I've already been immersed in the culture and language.

On a side note, I still feel somewhat guilty about taking the textbook back to the city. Maybe it was there because my cousin wanted to learn and I just took it. Years later, I learned that he became a priest by studying in Spain and I don't feel guilty anymore.

A quick disclaimer that I used Google Translate for the Japanese part. My current level is barely N4 nor A2-1 after all. I'd like to improve my enunciation by doing this challenge and I won't improve if I speak in short sentences. I'll stick with daily diary entries for my writing practices.

Click here if you want to see the recording of this topic or if you just want to be friends on Twitter.

Thanks for reading. Till next time~

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