There is no such thing as a native language or a native dialect or accent. You don’t have one. I don’t have one. No one does. Let’s unpack this. The word “native” comes from the Old French natif, which comes from the Latin nātīvus, which itself comes from nātus (also Latin), the past participle of…
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Why I Can Guarantee You Will Be Fluent in Japanese
by khatzumoto
Can you learn 1 Japanese word perfectly? No? Come on. Don’t be such a used tampon. Go back to step (1). Yes? OK, go to the next step. Do you still remember the word from step (1)? No? Maybe? Review it in an SRS. Yes? Good. Now, pick a new word and return to step…
HABU Yoshiharu’s “The Big Picture”, Part 5: Why You’re Wrong to Have Intermediate Angst
by khatzumoto
This entry is part of 10 in the series What Shogi [Japanese Chess] Can Teach You About Languages, Learning and Life 「最も悩む局面が、最も面白い」 “The parts of the game [situations] where you worry the most are actually the most fun and interesting parts”. 最も＝もっとも 悩む＝なやむ 局面＝きょくめん 面白い＝おもしろい “The parts of the game where you worry the most…
Comparison is the Path to Perpetual Misery
by khatzumoto
“…refrain from comparing yourself to others, especially rock stars in your field…Comparison is the path to perpetual misery. There’s always someone richer, faster, hotter, or whatever.” — DeMarco, “Unscripted” Focus on yourself. Focus on 改善 (kaizen). Don’t look outside yourself for competition or comparison. You already have the best (psychologically healthiest, most perfectly calibrated, most…
HABU Yoshiharu’s “The Big Picture”, Part 4: Don’t Overthink It
by khatzumoto
This entry is part of 10 in the series What Shogi [Japanese Chess] Can Teach You About Languages, Learning and Life 「如何に深く考えるか」よりも、「如何に上手く見切るか」 [I think that there are many times when] it’s more important to just give up and let go gracefully than it is to think deeply 如何に＝いかに 深い＝ふかい 考える＝かんがえる 上手い＝うまい 見切る＝みきる “to abandon; to…
HABU Yoshiharu’s “The Big Picture”, Part 2: Never Perfection, Always Improvement
by khatzumoto
This entry is part of 10 in the series What Shogi [Japanese Chess] Can Teach You About Languages, Learning and LifeOK, so, just so we’re on the same page, this is the book we’re talking about: [大局観 自分と闘って負けない心 (角川oneテーマ21) | 羽生 善治 |本 | 通販 | Amazon], and the unofficial English title we’re giving it…