Shounenbat

Thanks for the post! I'm just now starting to branch out into other dialects, and getting to know Kansai is an absolute must!

I've actually never been mocked for my accent, although it's caused me to be misunderstood before. Accents are easier for some people than others, but most people are kind enough to not mock a non-native speaker. I mean, do you mock the people you meet who speak English fluently, albeit with an obviously foreign accent? No, and I don't know anyone who actually does that sort of thing unless it's just joking around, and even then I've never heard someone do that. It seems as though that's a very real fear for people, though. I know a lot of people who could use speaking practice but never get it because they're terrified of their own accent.

I could be self-righteous and say I'm learning it for heritage reasons, but truth be told I'm learning it because I'm a nerd and Finnish is basically the real-world equivalent of Tolkien's Elvish. Laugh all you want, I think Finnish is a very beautiful language, and the fact that it inspired one of my favorite authors (and linguist) so much is enough for me to want to learn it. Also, if I ever decide to ditch the US, I'd probably relocate to either Finland or Iceland, even though I speak Japanese much better than either of those two languages!

Try iTalki and Lang-8. They're excellent ways of finding teachers and practicing your target language. If you really want to do things hard-core, there's also Khatzumoto's way language learning. This site is specifically for Japanese (and I think Chinese now), but you can apply the method to any language, really. http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/all-japanese-all-the-time-ajatt-how-to-learn-japanese-on-your-own-having-fun-and-to-fluency

The best way to learn Japanese through anime, if you're motivated enough, is to use an SRS system. I recommend Anki, as you can use it with Subs2SRS. What you do, is get download anime with soft-subbed English subtites as well as soft-subbed Japanese captions. Kitsunekko is a good site to get them, as it has sections dedicated both to English subs and Japanese closed captions. You can use a software called Aegis to adjust the timing of the subtitles if they seem off, but you want the English and Japanese synced up as closely as possible. Using Subs2SRS, you import all of this into the Anki flashcard program and you have yourself a flashcard deck of anime! You can even choose to play the audio clips of what's being said, too. Of course, you to make sure your subs are timed really well to the audio so you don't cut it off. Just add whatever vocabulary or grammar notes to the cards that you want and get studying. It's fun and easy, though a bit time-consuming.

I find it terribly sad, as languages give us different perspectives of the world. They drive cultural perceptions as much as they are formed by them! Read this article for more on that. That's, to me, why it is sad. As languages die, so do cultures, and so do the various ways of thinking that we've developed. Globalization, while good in many ways, also seems to mean the streamlining of human thought and behavior.

I've got a ton of resources I'll gladly share! The great thing about Japanese is that it has a ton of resources, including imported media, compared to other languages. It's just so accessible when you think of all the other languages out there. Whenever I start a new language journey, I typically find myself lamenting that there just isn't a lot of stuff available. Indonesian is a huge pain to try and learn because of that fact! Anyway: J-Gram - Have fun with this one; it's a huge database of just about every single grammar nuance you'll ever come across! Renshuu - Another great one that has its own community to provide answers to whatever questions you have. Imabi - Similar to Tae Kim's site, but very comprehensive. The notes are all easy to understand. Erin's Challenge - If you can get over the fact that the girl playing the British foreign exchange student is very obviously a native Japanese, these videos will be of great help to you. Register here and go through the lessons. There's video, manga, and all kinds of stuff to help you out! When it comes to grammar, those are probably my best recommendations. I hope they come in handy.

俺の目標はお金を稼ぐことです。　。。。。。。そんなことの方法は何ですか。

Grammar and slang are the hardest for me. Words and forms change so often that figuring out what some people say, especially on Youtube videos and in the comments section of Nico Nico Douga, is like learning an entirely new form of Japanese. The kanji feels easy to me compared to the ever-changing words and grammar patterns.

I'm a language addict who loves the language learning community. I'm from Minnesota, up near where the Concordia Language Camps are held, although I never attended them. Maybe one day I'll do an adult week there, but I envy the high school students who can attend certain camps for a whole month! Anyway, thanks for letting me join this community. Learn lots!