Comments on: Unrealistic Expectations That You Need To Stop Having

By: People are their Histories | Ordinary Times

People are their Histories | Ordinary Times — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 09:18:07 +0000

[…] Khatzumoto […]

By: For Creatives: Inspiring Comic Explains Why Failure Should Be Your Best Friend

For Creatives: Inspiring Comic Explains Why Failure Should Be Your Best Friend — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 05:45:32 +0000

[…] simple instance of a child studying to talk, impressed through language acquisition website online AJATT.com, for instance why artists want to loose themselves from being overly harsh self-critics and […]

By: Daikoru

Daikoru — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:56:12 +0000

Japanese Fairy, huh. I like that picture. I’m gonna surround myself with a bunch of fairies that keep me motivated!

By: Miss Language Learning

Miss Language Learning — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 15:59:58 +0000

Obviously, hoping that you’ll become fluent in a matter of weeks equals setting yourself up for failure. Having fun should be your number one priority, like Khatz said.

By: ライトニング

ライトニング — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 07:26:12 +0000

The definition I got of 何 is actually a lot simpler but I think it still get's the job done, right? （１） 名前や正体のわからないもの． （２） はっきり言えないもの．

By: How It All Started – Part III (And Part Last): Where I Am Now « T.G In Tokyo

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:21:41 +0000

[…] me to borrow from his post, Unrealistic Expectations That You Need To Stop Having, which is an excellent read for when I begin to wonder if I’ll ever get […]

By: J Griffin

J Griffin — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 23:08:49 +0000

Three things…

1. Your writing is meandering, hard to follow and freakin’ hysterical.

2. I’m learning Spanish in Peru and the last couple of weeks have been frustrating because I’m not where I want to be. Your little rant here helped with the perspective, so thanks.

3. I can’t remember what I was going to write here. Screw it. I should be out practicing my Spanish anyway.

By: アメド

アメド — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:42:54 +0000

@chad
No problem. I’ve started making some observational notes on my progress. Although doing it everyday would be great, it’s best to do it at least every week or month. So then it’s at least some noticeable changes in people’s progresses. There’s one thing I’ve noticed recently. Let’s say you;ve been SRSing for a few months, just like me. It’s reaching 4 months of doing SRSing+immersion via sentences. 3 months before that were kanji. So as i was saying, let’s say you worrying about writing from memory for certain sentences. You shouldn’t be lol. It’ll correct itself overtime, this is due to massive exposure of Japanese+immersion factor. This creates that memory easily of those kanji. Writing kanji occasional that you have difficulty remembering or writing. Write those down, as you want those to go into you’re memory than compared to the other easier ones that you know. I’m still far from fluent, but gradually I’m pretty confident reading+understanding will be come fluent or even native-level. As for speaking+writing. Writing should correct itself via heavy immersion to japanese sites, anything you like via games, anything in Japanese-text form. You should be able to unconsciously to do it. But this of course takes time. As for speaking, the immersion will make it easier to form the connections of Japanese words+sentences+kanji filled sentences plus when and not to use certain kanji and sayings. But this of course takes time. A lot of immersion will do this. When those connections are made, speaking will become easier. But as well, try to practice with native-speakers if you can. The internet is key here lol if Japanese ppl aren’t around where you live. So you can work on output via ppl+internet+by yourself. The rest will come into play, it’s just that easy or is it? lol Of course it. Initially i had my doubts that this method would work. Anyone would it’s only natural. But now i do believe you can become fluent via this method. SRS+immersion is a powerful thing!

By: chad

chad — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:00:16 +0000

thanks for sharing your experiences アメド, i enjoyed reading about your methods

By: アメド

アメド — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 04:49:14 +0000

@Drewskie
Yea i want to start practicing output, with some Japanese people around where i live, if possible. Well the sentence 解らない and 日本語を知らない.’ (Don’t understand and don’t understand Japanese , they both are correct, but when to use them that’s the key). 日本語を知らない. seems alright to me. You could be saying 私は日本語を知らない　or 私は日本語の知らないそれとも分からないです。There’s so much different ways of saying the same thing in Japanese(i’m not sure 100% if that’s the right thing to say lol, i’m still at a low-level of output, but i think it’s better i practice the basics then onto random conversations in Japanese so i can get some active advice and learn about speaking in the basics, then proceeding onwards to some other levels of speech). 分からない　I’m sure that is the correct to say for that one (解らない).

Yea for conversations if we keep up the SRSing you’ll be able to read almost anything in Japanese, but replying to it in the proper manner, that’s another story. But i think that will all come into play if you keep the immersion and try speaking with Japanese ppl, even if you’re levels are low. But one thing i noticed is that, I myself think i’m at a low level still, not where i want to be. But when i tell some of my Japanese friends about my progress, they are like nooo way!!!!. But since there always busy i never get the time to practice lol. So i’m thinking, i’m still at a low-level but there’s nothing wrong with practicing output in basic terms and getting massive input at home,etc,etc.

By: Drewskie

Drewskie — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:26:37 +0000

Maybe it’s time you started practicing output, eh? Start some conversations, the internet is full of Japanese people. Even in my super-novice state, I was able to hold several lines of conversation in an MMO before going ‘uh, the jig’s up, 日本語を知らない.’ I bet you’d surprise yourself. 😉

Oh-dude, could you tell me if that’s right? I’ve never heard confirmation on that sentence. Dunno if it should be 解らない or what.

By: アメド

アメド — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:00:23 +0000

haha, this is getting interesting. Although I’m far from fluent, I’ve noticed some things. My mind seems to be able to make connections in Japanese without much thinking towards it. My readings are going up(this is pretty normal for me as well as the understanding part). But unconsciously I’m able to make connections of words in Japanese so much easier now then compared to 4 months ago. That’s not the only part, recently I’ve had a dream that for some reason i was speaking in Japanese but in reality I’m not speaking much lol. I guess this could be decoded as, unconsciously I can actually speak, but in reality i choose not to b/c I still think i’m at a low level still. I guess i’ll just have to wait and see in the coming months of continuing the SRS+Immersion.

By: アメド

アメド — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:43:30 +0000

i can understand about the forums things. Those sites are filled with debates and cursing at people, sometimes for no reason too lol. Anyhow yea i get that people do tend to criticize other peoples workings. And if these workings are criticize, well not much people want to be criticized for their work. But i guess since the process takes a while to notice, and what exactly is or should i say when we people notice their progress?. I think this all depends on the time and enjoyment as well as effort for wanting the results to improve. Enjoyment does go along way, for anything.

By: 亜波愛留 /アメド

亜波愛留 /アメド — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:33:55 +0000

Yea i know what you mean. Almost all forums do that. Everyone criticizes one another and not much people tend to get to the same conclusion unless they have visible proof. So that’s probably why we don’t see much people giving info in detail about there steps to fluency in japanese via AJATT method. But i believe if you’re a beginner, you’d love to know how step by step increases in you’re japanese ability from the initial kanji+kana stages all the way up to 1 year stage of full immersion japanese+sentences+full of kanji SRS strategies. I’d love that personally but not everyone will give that info. Yea i understand you fully on the forum chats lol, so much swearing+debating it’s just funny but all at the same time cruel lol. I do agree with khatz on the method, i’ve seen people+talked to ppl(via internet of course about the method). They have said they got good in the method, but all at the same time, no one ever shares details of the specifics. I don’t mean to doubt them but sometimes people would like this for learning purposes not criticizing purposes i mean where all hear to learn Japanese right? or at least languages in general.

By: Drewskie

Drewskie — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:04:10 +0000

I think I can understand peoples’ hesitance when sharing information. It’s difficult to hear someone criticize something you’re so invested in. Even if you’re in the middle of a failed experiment and have no idea yet, everything you do, you do because you think it’s the best thing for your Japanese. To have someone criticize the process just because it’s a forum might be a little difficult.

Additionally, forums would inevitably lead to group think, and a sort of ‘best method’ being agreed upon by the entire community. When you adjust the method right now, you’re disagreeing with Khatzumoto and only Khatzumoto, and even then, he’s often left things so vague that you have to just guess on how to do them, so you’re not disagreeing with ANYBODY. Imagine if you walk into a forum and say “I’m going to forgo X to do Y,” and an entire thread full of posts tell you you’re full of crap, and that nobody does Y and you should feel bad for even suggesting X, which THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY loves, is possibly flawed-let alone so wrong you’d do Y. Of all things, Y! Y is the worst idea to come out of a person’s head since W. W was so dumb, once all the people who do it get on the forums and find out about X, they all drop W and cling to X with the cling of a young monkey on his mother’s back. And now you suggest Y? Y? YYY? GET OUT. GET THE F*CK OUT.

—you get the idea

(may’ve spent a little too much time on forums)

By: アメド

アメド — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:16:03 +0000

@drewskie

lol forums, it wouldn’t be a bad idea. But i guess it was create so much debates, but as well useful info on other people’s progress. I’ve always wanted to know, in a year or so someone else progress in detail. Like how is there output level, input level, reading level, writing level. Can they write+reply to majority of a Japanese conversation. Little specifics on what they noticed in a few months of doing AJATT and 6, 8, 12, 14, 18 months things like that. Step-Step on what they noticed on each of the skills needed for proficiency in Japanese. That is hard to find, and not everyone willing to share that info(for some reason). But that would help me alot. I’ve gotten used to SRS+immersion right now. Yea i can’t wait till this semester over, just want to relax and do SRS+immersion+ work so i can get some electronics(yea ipod classic 160gb!!! fill that up with all japanese stuff, and some manga on the side-which is already coming haha). I think in a years time (by september 2010 i’ll consider that 1 year mark-for SRS sentences+immersion, kanji i started around end of june 2009). I’ll write some specific details on my SRS+sentences+how i did the things in detail(if possible). I would love to know these details, especially for someone starting out in the method. Since it’s hard to find i’ll just make my own thing, once i get to 1 year mark of doing AJATT.

Also it’s no problem, I’m willing to help anytime(if possible lol-refering to school taking majority of my time and all).

By: Drewskie

Drewskie — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:11:43 +0000

アメド　（laptop, yay),

Thank you so much for describing your process for me. Khatz is probably right not to have forums here, but I feel like this sort of thing is too difficult to find because of it. Insight into someone else’s process, especially someone who seems to be on top of things, is pretty valuable.

Good luck with your end-of-semester (mine’s kicking my ass), and of course, good luck with your Japanese. 🙂

By: アメド

アメド — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:44:08 +0000

In the beginning i was focusing on sentences to learn it to the fullest(obviously this will take a large amount of time and inevitably time-consuming). In anki i tend to rate myself a hard rating almost always, even if i know it lol (I’m just the type of person who’s always hard on myself, b/c i want to see how good i can get if i go really far into this). Depending on the sentence(how long, how much kanji) this like this. If it’s a basic-type sentence such as: 私はアメドです。お元気ですか then i’d say just let the SRS do the work for you. Larger SRS sentence that contain kanji, then do those more than the smaller+easier type of sentences at hand. I’ll give you example of my long+so much kanji srs sentences vs small-type ones. 仕事の後、映画を見た(this i found hard intially, cuz yea this had quite alot of kanji in this beginning, now i consider this a joke). This is what i consider long+hard now.

次世代の高容量携帯電池を使えば、充電（補給）しなくても、何週間ももつかも知れない。
[じ][せ][だい] の [こう][よう][りょう][けい][たい][でん][ち] を [つか]えば、 [じゅう][でん] （ [ほ][きゅう] ）しなくても、 [なん][しゅう][かん] ももつかも [し]れない。

I know what you’re thinking “Why do a long one? and is it possible to retain majority of it the first day?” from my personal experience i tend to do these ones more than my usual regular sentences, but i do let the SRS do the work for the readings. So for this one i did a few times, and the rest (for shorter sentences, the srs anki will do the rest). I do like to long sentences rather than short ones, but by no means this doesn’t mean it’s better than the shorter ones, i’m just the type of person who likes to do massive amounts of kanji, but i do enjoy the smaller sentences. So my advice would be shorter, rank it hard, longer ones do it more!. 30/day isn’t too hard, but all depends on the person who’s doing it too. You’re probably a busy person with school,etc,etc cuz i’m sure everyone does have there own lives to continue while doing this of course. For me i’m finish this semester of post-secondary school(how come university can get annoying at the end? cuz they always mash everything near the end and i tend to get lazy!) lol. Also if you’re wondering about the output thing, i’ve found out that if you do massive+correct input, the output will work itself pretty good. It;s just that easy, i’d admit in the beginning i found doing the SRS sentences hard, but overtime i’ve gotten usec to it and the immersion thing as a whole, so all you can do now is to fix the small stuff in anki+do you’re own amount of sentences(i don’t do 100 per day always, well as of now at least cuz of school and all). Also by giving it time, i’d say around a year you’ll be pretty happy with the results(this is what i’ve heard from most ppl who’ve done this for a year)

By: Drewskie

Drewskie — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:27:23 +0000

Ah, a chatterbox! Perfect! Khatz is so tight-lipped on specifics.

I want to jump on “The only thing i wouldn’t know are the readings(SRS corrects this over time without much effort).”

I’m finding I might have a tendency to over-learn sentences when I first meet them. What do you count as ‘added’ ? I use Anki as well, and I increment ‘New cards per day’ by 5 or 10 or so at a time as I do my reviews, or after I do my reviews (Haven’t decided which I like better). There’s such a delay for my queue that I’m basically seeing that sentence for the first time again, so I get a good look at it, write it out, and hit ‘again.’ And I keep hitting ‘again’ every time it comes up that session until I get the reading and meaning down. After that initial encounter (of which I really can’t do more than 30 per day), I’m more lenient on the readings, putting down a ‘hard’ if I mess it up, ‘good’ if I get it with some thought/delay, ‘easy’ if it comes straight up in my mind.

What do you think? Too rigid? It was worse before. o.o

I appreciate you taking the time to help out. This is a pretty big area of concern for me right now.

By: アメド

アメド — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:15:47 +0000

@drewskie
I shouldn’t have said 85% retention. Since these are sentences i haven’t encountered yet(Majority of SRS sentences are like this initially of course, majority of srs sentences are there as a reminder for alot of things you do not know yet, but after a while you’ll get the majority of the sentences pretty easily, well for me that’s what i’ve found, i’m sure that already, anyways enough of my ramblings), i mean i could understand the general meaning+writings of them. The only thing i wouldn’t know are the readings(SRS corrects this over time without much effort).