[SOC] One must know own limits

[soc@mailman.qth.net]

Konbawa Ian-san,

<<
I'm told by several people here [in OZ] Japanese (spoken) is relatively easy, 
written is an entirely different story. 
>>

I am not pretentious enough to try to learn the written Japanese, only try to 
get some basic knowledge of the "transliterated" version.
Assuming that even the JA natives spent a looot of time learning ideograms from 
childhood, it is now far too late for me to start such a "game" !
But, for the "fun", some ideograms can be studied.
And besides the language, there is the whole "philosophy" around it. Learning a 
language means trying to catch part of the people way of thinking/acting too.
Japanese way of life is far different from the one I/we know ...

Yes, the spoken language seems "easy" to get. The grammar structure seems 
easier than the French one. Pronounciation should not be a problem, all letters 
(but few exception) are pronounced the same way as in French.
Verbs have no tense, everything is understood via the context. That point 
should be the hardest one to master. Just try it on English : no more past, 
future, present, preterit or whatever it can be. Only the "to <verb>" forms.

To be or not to be ...

Oyasumi !

72!
Claude