I've always watched anime and read manga but just recently thought it would be a good idea to try and take up japanese. I know it's extremely difficult, but I think if I take my time with it I could have a decent grasp in about 5 or so years. So my question to you is: can you give me any advice on the language or any information you know at all. Anything is useful.
I actually really want to do that someday, or at least go on vacation there. But I think it's better if I knew the language first, instead of learning it while i'm there.
Take like an introductory linguistics class. It helps with languages in general to have a sense of how language itself is structured. Japanese is a mindfuck though, if you can go learn it in a class setting, because you're gonna need the support.
My daughter has been teaching herself to speak Japanese for about a year now, and she is getting very proficient...She uses on line programs as well as "Japanese For Dummies" etc...The library has also proved to be useful...Check out the DVD/CD sets. She is almost 12, and her "dream" is to study her Sophmore year of High School in Japan. She is very set on this, so she is researching the areas that she wants to visit and learning about their specific cultures and language(s)... She uses the internet a lot to learn...Another thing that she does is makes flash cards to quiz herself...Oh yeah..She loves Manga and Anime and is hoping to be a comic artist one day...I'll post a couple of her pics that I have scanned or taken a photo of and have on my computer. (I am so proud of her...she is talented) She said it is difficult, but with a lot of time and effort into studying, she is able to learn it on her own.