[alanX]

The big problem with Japanese I've noticed is that most English speakers are having a problem understand the big difference between what's "proper japanese" and what's "commonly spoken japanese"

In English....If you want to say "This apple is red." Then there is only really one way to say it. "This apple is red." If you say "Apple red" then you're either black, or have down's syndrome. But in Japan, it's the opposite. If you go around saying "Kono ringo wa akai desu" people will think you're weird, even though that's basically the proper way to say it. You would usually just say "akai desu"