Is it possible to be self-taught in Japanese?

Sitron · (#1 (**permalink**))

I'm self-taught in German, and could easily teach myself Spanish or French or any other European language by starting out with children books and working myself up.

But with Japanese it's a whole different story. Books with furigana to all kanji are few and far between. So looking up a word with kanji that you don't know how to pronounce is practically impossible. I could see myself being able to read children's books, but there's no way I'd be able to become proficient in this language.

What do you guys think? Is it possible?

WesternInk · (#2 (**permalink**))

I think it's possible. I don't know how fluent you will become though. It's not impossible to look up kanji - you can always search kanji by their radicals, or invest in a Nintendo DS game that allows you to write kanji with a stylus, and it will search for the reading.

yuriyuri · (#3 (**permalink**))

Of course it is possible.
You can become fluent through self study if you don't get bored and quit.

NanteNa · (#4 (**permalink**))

I don't think so. It's very difficult to pick up on culture-based expressions without some amount of tutoring. Of course you can learn words and writings, but it's just not the same. Also German is FAR from the same as Japanese. You may know the language well, but 'self-teaching' never leads to "fluent". That's just my experience - and opinion..

Kawaiigurl1981 · (#5 (**permalink**))

I have been wondering the same thing myself, I have started using the genki japan videos and songs and have learned a few words, the months, and numbers but I wonder if I will ever be able to learn the language on my own

evanny · (#6 (**permalink**))

read, write? sure..speak? never. and how did you learn to speak german? how can you learn the sounds and pronounceion of a language if there is noone to tell you ? movies? well..how are you going to know what are they saying? subtitles - nothing to count on... maybe with same sound there are 2 different meanings....
well...music ...if you look up follow sounds with lyrics...but to actually learn a language just by that? yea....
so...dont give us the BS that you or anyone can learn any other language (all aspects) soly by self training.

yuriyuri · (#7 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by evanny

read, write? sure..speak? never. and how did you learn to speak german? how can you learn the sounds and pronounceion of a language if there is noone to tell you ? movies? well..how are you going to know what are they saying? maybe with same sound there are 2 different meanings....
so...dont give us the BS that you or anyone can learn any other language (all aspects) soly by self training.

Ummm... If this is true then I must have learned to pronounce and speak Japanese as if by magic.
(In case you haven't guessed yet I am self-taught so far, and I never plan to take any classes)

You can learn Japanese through self study only if you want to.

It just depends on if you are the kind of learner that likes to do things yourself or if you are the kind who likes to have a bit of guidance etc.

NanteNa · (#8 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by yuriyuri

Ummm... If this is true then I must have learned to pronounce and speak Japanese as if by magic.
(In case you haven't guessed yet I am self-taught so far, and I never plan to take any classes)

You can learn Japanese through self study only if you want to.

It just depends on if you are the kind of learner that likes to do things yourself or if you are the kind who likes to have a bit of guidance etc.

I'm mainly self-taught in German, but there are so many things I would NEVER have learned, if it hadn't been for German classes in school. I'm sure you can learn a lot by yourself - reading and so on. But SO many things go lost for those, who are cocky enough to believe that they can learn a language solely by watching anime and reading books.

evanny · (#9 (**permalink**))

you never visited japan? never talked to other japanese?
simply by siting in your room you thought yourself language? you are fluent in all aspects?

P.S as i said...yea there is stuff you can learn by yourself...but i do not belive that by having no help what so ever you or anyone will be able to learn a language on a respectable level.

Jaydelart · (#10 (**permalink**))

You said it yourself, you're self-taught in German; you already know the answer.

Whatever your native tongue is, chances are you started that process yourself. Like most people, you learned to speak before you could properly read and write, and that's mostly due to natural immersion and adaption.
Of course, there are many important factors that come into play now that you're older: willpower, resources, attitude, capacity, etc. but it is definitely possible. It's mainly a matter of finding the method that suits you naturally.

And if you can't quite find that right method yourself, there is always the usual/orthodox methods of learning it... which can sometimes be faster than being self-taught, depending on the individual.

In short: If a Japanese child can learn to speak it and understand it up until formal literacy... you can too. Succeed in that, and it all builds up from there, which I'm sure you already understand.

In any case, you have nothing to lose but time -- but people waste time all the time; this would be an investment.

Just my opinion.