Quote:
Originally Posted by enyafriend
As a rule of the thumb, one who has attained the Japanese Level 1 would know enough most basic vocabulary and would be good enough to hold a basic conversation, though, with errors here and there.
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I think you mean the other way around - The JLPT level 1 is the highest level. Level 4 is the lowest. At level 1, you better be able to read a novel and have an in depth university level discussion about it.
Either way, I really don`t put too much faith in the tests. All that it means is that you can pass the test - not that you can actually make any use of the stuff covered. Especially with the JLPT. I`ve seen Chinese exchange students pass the JLPT 1 with seriously poor Japanese skills... They just know all the kanji covered by it, and it gives them a huge advantage.
And more on my take of the JLPT...
I did take the JLPT - 2 and then later 1 - but they don`t really mean much of anything. I`ve never used it for anything, and doubt I ever will. I`ve heard of a lot of people using it to help get a job, but if talking to me isn`t enough to prove my Japanese ability, then I wouldn`t want to work there anyway.
It`s sort of like the Eiken - It is just a pretty paper. Most people study for the test, not study the actual content. (It`s hard to explain this, but I hope the idea gets across.) They memorize the patterns and strategies they need to pass the test, not to actually learn the stuff in a way so that they can use it. English teachers in Japanese schools generally have the top level of Eiken, but god forbid you actually try to get them to use any of that skill because it isn`t really there. I`m sure they spent the week before the test memorizing every little pattern and then promptly forgot it all the minute they passed.
It doesn`t help that listening is like 10 steps down from the actual reading content. Where in the written part they`re asking you to distinguish between 4 very similar high level kanji, in the listening you end up with two extremely slow speaking people talking about cleaning up dog poo outside their apartment... That a 5 year old could understand.
You should be able have a conversational ability LONG before the written ability... Which is why I really don`t like the JLPT. It doesn`t say a thing about your actual Japanese abilities.