Confessions of a Japanese Linguist (NJM Publishing, 2014) is a detailed book by Shane Jones, an American ceramist artist, Japanese/English translator and language teacher who shares, with tons of generosity, all his thoughts and secrets on how to really master Japanese, one of the most difficult languages around the world.
He not only mastered it in a few years to be able to talk with friends, understand TV shows, and read books, but he also learned it so well that he has been using Japanese efficiently and professionally since he first visited Japan more than twenty years ago.
Through six enriching chapters, Jones confesses his Japanese language learning journey chronologically, with an intimate and honest tone. Having failed on his first attempt to learn Japanese, Jones admits not having any special talent for languages other than a clear goal, the eagerness and commitment to master it and a good learning system.
Also, Jones’s book is an excellent source of real-life advice from an adult learner. He started in his 20s, demonstrating that being a grown-up isn’t an obstacle to acquire any language. He not only learned the 2136 Japanese Kanji of Common Use (the famous Joyo Kanji) and the Japanese grammar but also how to use it and keep learning, because any language-learning journey becomes an indefinite work in progress.
Some of the last chapters are dedicated to Jones’s area of expertise: translation, where you will find valuable advice and information regarding different job experiences and opportunities.
The core of this book has a lesson for us: the most essential key to mastering a language is your motivation to learn. In Jones’s words: “Motivation and persistence, not natural talent, are the most essential keys to foreign language learning success.”
Another quote from this book that can be applied to any language learning says: “If the language student is not prepared to process the coursework, even the best teacher and the best curriculum in the world will be of no help,” highlighting the students’ responsibility for his or her process. Because “simply living in Japan will not guarantee that you learn the Japanese language!”
This book is full of valuable information that will help the readers during their paths, with a variety of tips and tricks, based on Jones’s own experiences learning in his home country, the United States, and Japan. Reading these useful confessions is a must for all students who are taking a serious approach to acquiring the Japanese language.
Find this book on Amazon.
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