Is it just me ?

[Totodile]

I haven't even fully mastered my Russian yet, fluent conversations are still a pain. Not to mention maintaining my English takes some practice even though i'm a native speaker but it is important to keep a wide vocabulary hence practice. I's honestly contemplating learning Japanese after i am more fluent in Russian and maybe start learning German again

[Kenshin_sama]

Hmmm, the english in translated VNs, and especially fan-translated VNs, tends to be quite limited. So I haven't picked up any new english words.

 

I haven't read that many though.

I was thinking the same thing. You're more likely to pick up new English words from literature that was originally written in English. Unless the translator is good enough to write a really good novel in the language he or she is translating to, you shouldn't expect much more than common terminology. Now, there are works out there that have received amazing translations in English, but I don't believe there are any VN companies with the kind of budget needed for that kind of quality.

[Life]

I always end up learning a bit. It may not be blatantly obvious at the time but after a while if I look back then i realise I know a new word.

[Zenophilious]

I've mostly picked up words to add to my personal lexicon from novels or the dictionary.  I might have found a word or two from really good translations, but no specific examples come to mind.  I know I've learned bits of romaji from listening to the voiced lines from VNs, but that's to be expected, even if you only read 1 VN with voiced lines.

[ff80c38]

I was never that good in English until I started reading VNs (and with that, stuff in English), so I always learn new words. Heck, I usually have an online dictionary in my browser open while reading VNs to look up new words I don't know. I'm glad I use the dictionary less, but at the beginning I usually had to look up a word every new line :\.

[Totodile]

I was never that good in English until I started reading VNs (and with that, stuff in English), so I always learn new words. Heck, I usually have an online dictionary in my browser open while reading VNs to look up new words I don't know. I'm glad I use the dictionary less, but at the beginning I usually had to look up a word every new line :\.

welcome to the painful world of second languages

[Albedo]

I don't think you can pick that much vocabulary from a VN if you've already been exposed to a fair amount of english writing, be it papers, "real" novels or even comics. But I imagine they would be pretty good if English is your second language and you want to read something that's not so hard. Most JRPGs would work, too.

[Zenophilious]

I don't think you can pick that much vocabulary from a VN if you've already been exposed to a fair amount of english writing, be it papers, "real" novels or even comics. But I imagine they would be pretty good if English is your second language and you want to read something that's not so hard. Most JRPGs would work, too.

I will say, I've heard a few words in G-senjou that I'm unfamiliar with, but I know I've heard at some point or another.  For example, the word "trite" was used, which I knew I'd heard before, but was a little fuzzy on the definition.  There's been more occurrences of that happening than actually learning new words from them.

 

EDIT: The word "porcine" was just mentioned in G-senjou.  Never heard it before.  I must humbly retract my statement.

[Ka-Aniki]

No it's not i have learned all my Japanese from watching anime and reading VNs.

[theboxcarracer]

I will say, I've heard a few words in G-senjou that I'm unfamiliar with, but I know I've heard at some point or another.  For example, the word "trite" was used, which I knew I'd heard before, but was a little fuzzy on the definition.  There's been more occurrences of that happening than actually learning new words from them.

 

EDIT: The word "porcine" was just mentioned in G-senjou.  Never heard it before.  I must humbly retract my statement.

The best use of the word "trite" is in the third Ace Attorney game. 

 

Also never heard "porcine", either. I must have completely ignored it when I played G-senjou.

[Zenophilious]

The best use of the word "trite" is in the third Ace Attorney game. 

 

Also never heard "porcine", either. I must have completely ignored it when I played G-senjou.

I don't remember who's route it was in, but Kyousuke was describing his therapist's appearance.  Hence, "porcine".  Kinda funny, it popped up right after I said I'd never seen a word I didn't already know about in a translated VN.

[Kosakyun]

About picking up new words from visual novels...

 

I keep on learning more things about the English language everyday, possibly because I have it as a subject. Or rather, I have had it from the first year of my education up to now. Possibly until I finish college. And possibly until I die. The English language is just that big of a part of my life, since we use the language for almost everything. Our subjects are mostly taught in English as well. But ah, I cannot fully master it. Just as others can't. It's simply too vast. Though grammar is a minor problem, the proper usage of words is what worries me. There are just some instances in which a word would fit the function better than another word. And it honestly brings me down if I use a word in a wrong way. Or wrongly, for that matter. It is also hard to identify which preposition best fits a sentence. For example... fill up, fill out, fill in. It also makes the language more interesting. Hihi.

 

Personally, I think it's easier to learn the language if you're knowledgeable enough about the different basic sentence patterns. It really helps improve the grammatical skills of a person.

 

Anyway, I learn many words from visual novels. Oh, maybe 'learn' is an incorrect term?

I think the word 'remember' would best fit the description, as most of the difficult words I encounter in a visual novel are words that I've met in the past. You can also vaguely get their meanings through context clues. Or how it's used in a sentence. Either way, those are the reasons I don't use a dictionary while reading a visual novel. I believe that you can decipher the meaning of the words through context clues. Though if it is a reaaaaaaaally hard word, which for some reason I have never encountered, I'd search for it in google. Or just use a dictionary. That's highly unlikely though.

 

I guess I have to thank the Americans for colonizing my country. Because of that, my country prioritizes learning English than learning more about its own language. GG Philippines. It'll be our downfall if you prioritize English over Filipino.

 

On another note, I have French as a foreign language. Yes, unfortunately, I have it as a requirement to graduate. I did not even choose it for myself. It's automatically chosen. So if some of you frenchmen have the time... would you be willing to have 'private lessons' with me? *sparkling eyes*

[Okami]

Well I learned English by playing games and watching movies and series so yea it's not just VNs/Anime as long as you listen to some language  alot you will start picking up words, in fact it is said that one of best ways to learn a new language is to listen to it as much as possible.

 

 

Yeah but too bad you won't be able to actually read Japanese with this method.

 

Not true, as long as you know words learning Kana is pretty easy and fast and once you know Kana you can read Japanese with help of text hookers  and then learn Kanji while reading.

[crunchytaco]

So reading grammar books isn't necessary. I memorized Hirgana and Kana 3 days respectively with each. If I just hook up a textbook, I'll be able to learn to speak like a Japanese native?

 

edit: NVM, I thought Kana was referring to Katanaka. Oopsie. 

[Okami]

So reading grammar books isn't necessary. I memorized Hirgana and Kana 3 days respectively with each. If I just hook up a textbook, I'll be able to learn to speak like a Japanese native?

 

Yea if you just listen to Japanese enough you will pick up grammar too eventually, of course reading books too speeds up a process but it is not necessary.

[Chewy]

It's normal. It is similar to how a baby can slowly understand different things if it is repeated to them over and over again and they slowly also understand the meaning of it.