Nov 28, 2009 2:16 PM
Is learning Japanese from anime/manga valid?
Over the years, I've heard a lot of people, including "translators" from the American licensing industry say "those who learn Japanese from watching anime or reading raws from their basic knowledge isn't valid and is most of the time wrong even if they have references to other anime or such." Well, I have a good story for them, and do hear me out:
Fansubbing brings many mysteries aside from figuring out whether your colleague is a genuine female based on their nickname or a fat ugly bloke sitting behind his computer. A particular one was a translator I came across while helping this [insert] group out as a freelancer. The country he was a Native of wasn't particularly good in English or any other language and isn't when it comes to translation work. But despite that, I was overwhelmed by his knowledge in Japanese and how he learned it with minimal help and resources.
One particular day when he was on IRC , we began chatting about anime which led to how he learned Japanese as I was curious to know. Over a long discussion, I came to learn that he learned Japanese from watching anime and reading manga and just only that. Furthermore, he told me he didn't take a single Japanese course in any institution (this is before the Japanese Rosetta Stone). Then, I was pondering whether his knowledge in Japanese was valid. Several months later, he started translating an anime I myself didn't understand due to the dialect. Now, usually, most people who learn Japanese from anime and manga know of the Tokyo dialect, but this person knew other regions as well which is very rare. Heck, lines that I translated into something was completely different than what he put, but my weakness was obviously the dialect.
As you can see learning Japanese and translating it properly (my Japanese has surpassed the point where I can identify right from wrong; and him too) is certainly valid, but can it get you anywhere? Yes. [insert] is now living and studying (doing his Ph.D in Pharmacy) in Tokyo, Japan. Certainly, if he didn't learn Japanese from anime or manga he wouldn't be where he is now. In comparison, there is another translator, I know of, who studied Japanese in college but doesn't understand the dialect from the same anime. Now, I'm not saying learning Japanese via anime/manga is better than learning from school, but it does play a significant role. Also, being surrounded by the language is the best way to keep learning as you can use it everyday, while only watching or reading a certain media can keep you restrained - and an easier way to forget too.
Fansubbing brings many mysteries aside from figuring out whether your colleague is a genuine female based on their nickname or a fat ugly bloke sitting behind his computer. A particular one was a translator I came across while helping this [insert] group out as a freelancer. The country he was a Native of wasn't particularly good in English or any other language and isn't when it comes to translation work. But despite that, I was overwhelmed by his knowledge in Japanese and how he learned it with minimal help and resources.
One particular day when he was on IRC , we began chatting about anime which led to how he learned Japanese as I was curious to know. Over a long discussion, I came to learn that he learned Japanese from watching anime and reading manga and just only that. Furthermore, he told me he didn't take a single Japanese course in any institution (this is before the Japanese Rosetta Stone). Then, I was pondering whether his knowledge in Japanese was valid. Several months later, he started translating an anime I myself didn't understand due to the dialect. Now, usually, most people who learn Japanese from anime and manga know of the Tokyo dialect, but this person knew other regions as well which is very rare. Heck, lines that I translated into something was completely different than what he put, but my weakness was obviously the dialect.
As you can see learning Japanese and translating it properly (my Japanese has surpassed the point where I can identify right from wrong; and him too) is certainly valid, but can it get you anywhere? Yes. [insert] is now living and studying (doing his Ph.D in Pharmacy) in Tokyo, Japan. Certainly, if he didn't learn Japanese from anime or manga he wouldn't be where he is now. In comparison, there is another translator, I know of, who studied Japanese in college but doesn't understand the dialect from the same anime. Now, I'm not saying learning Japanese via anime/manga is better than learning from school, but it does play a significant role. Also, being surrounded by the language is the best way to keep learning as you can use it everyday, while only watching or reading a certain media can keep you restrained - and an easier way to forget too.
Posted by
alchemist11
| Nov 28, 2009 2:16 PM |
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