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Post by Bokusenou on Dec 9, 2013 3:04:18 GMT
Oh, that's great to hear! Thanks for fixing it, Jade!
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Post by Jembru on Jan 9, 2014 19:02:26 GMT
I'm in chat!! Current UK time is.. 7pm. I'm also in skype if anyone would prefer to find me in there. I'm up for voice chat because JP isn't home (well, I'm up for voice chat until 8:30, then we'll have to switch to text). I have work though, so if no one shows up, I'll be logging out in exactly 2 hours. Any later than 9pm and there's no point starting a conversation. For once though, I actually need text chat more (well, no.. I really need to get better at speaking and especially listening, but you know what I mean). I haven't had a chat in written Japanese for quite a while, and I hate not being able to tick all the boxes on my weekly study checklist. It's a long shot, our times just don't match up well at all, but I'm really keen to start finding time to practice. My study time is greatly reduced, so I want to switch to high impact study methods that give me the most progress from the least time. My co-worker on nights is leaving soon, so I'll have to work extra shifts while they looks for a replacement (yey for money, boo for free time). So grabbing a quick chat before work may be my only choice for a while. よろしくね!
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Post by Jembru on Jan 9, 2014 20:45:47 GMT
Aaand, JP's home. I may as well log out now then. I'll try again tomorrow night, although I do think the time of day I'm trying to catch you doesn't help.
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Post by 魔 on Jan 10, 2014 18:40:04 GMT
The only speaking practice I get is when I speak to myself. I redownloaded skype, so maybe I can start getting some practice. Although I'd probably only be speaking around 12-3 in the morning.
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Post by Jembru on Jan 10, 2014 19:51:20 GMT
Speaking to yourself is really good practice! Even if you DO have access to warm bodies that can jibba the chibba (sorry, that's a made up expression my partner and I use, I just thought I'd throw it in there), I think you should still sit about chatting to yourself like a crazy person whenever possible.* It is possibly the best way to work on your fluency/recall speed. When you speak to yourself, you don't have to be hindered by trying to think about correct grammar or whatever. I can speak super fast outloud to myself. It's absolute meaningless jibberish, but damn it's smooth. lol
I'm in chat now. In skype too, although I'm invisible. Only so I don't get overrun with messages. I always feel bad if I'm skype calling and someone tries to message me. I tend to close skype when I end the call and so forget there was someone waiting for a reply until next time I log in. They're always cool with it, but I feel bad.
So what I'm saying is that for the next 30 mins or so, anyone can skype me and I should reply. After that, I'll have to log out for work though.
* I was saving this little gem of wisdom for an article I plan on writing at some point (I have a pile forming on my desk here at Gaiwa-Towers), but wanna know a really silly but very fun way I sneak in speaking practice? You don't? Like that's gonna stop me..
I walk to and from work and it takes just 8 minutes. It's usually during the school run on me way home, so it's a little too busy, but on weekends, I don't pass that many people at 8am. So I set my phone to 'flight mode' so I can't take calls, switch on my voice recorder and then have an imaginary conversation.. IN THE STREET, on my way home.. pauses and all! Honestly, I really, really do this and have done since that 'boot camp' back in September, when I completely immersed myself in the language for 14 days. I speak quietly of course, but it means if someone sneaks up behind me I don't seem crazy and people driving past in their cars won't think anything of me. I bitch about work, I talk about plans to see my friends, I make imaginary plans to see my friends. I even faked an argument one morning! ^^ When I make videos, I don't get to practice all those little aspects of speech that are so characteristic of conversations.. 'tashika ni..' 'majide?', 'heeeeee' and so on and so forth. So these little morning walks give me a chance to have a go at those too!
(I know what you're thinking.. this kind of ingenious idea could only be cooked up by a madwoman.. and you'd be quite right too. I may be a slow learner when it comes to languages, but I'm nothing if not a wizard of study techniques).
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Post by Jembru on Jan 10, 2014 20:30:13 GMT
Hey, I realised something earlier. I could kick myself for not thinking of this before. I CAN practice Japanese conversation at work!!!
Okay, Anna actually prompted me to realise this but.. facebook works on the work laptop. I've never tried, but I assume chat would work too. I actually have everyone blocked on there as standard, because my phone logs me in automatically sometimes, but I don't mind unblocking people while I'm at work.
So far, I think I only have Anna on facebook from Gaiwa, but I'd gladly add others for the sake of some sneaky chat. The only thing is that, as always, I'll have to use google input and copy/paste, so will be a little slower to reply than I am on skype, but I've been told I write too fast anyway (in English at least.. no one's complained about my Japanese yet). It was working last time I tried it, but sometimes the icon that allows direct input doesn't show. When that happens, I won't be able to use script at all, but could at least use romaji.
Woohoo, I'm pretty excited about this. Shame I have a heap of work to get through tonight.. I'll try to hurry through it as soon as I get to work though, just in case someone wants to FB chat with me!
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Post by Bokusenou on Jan 11, 2014 2:10:14 GMT
Jembru That's great! Well, I don't have an FB account (because I both don't trust it with my personal information, and don't want to take the chance I'll get addicted, and it'll turn into a huge timesink) but I'm sure others have it, and it should be a fun way to get some extra Japanese practice in.^^
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Post by Bokusenou on Jan 28, 2014 0:37:15 GMT
I'll leave my phone's browser app on chat for a while as I prepare for tomorrow's big snowstorm here, though it might timeout every once in a while. I'll probably be on and off, so sorry if my replies are slow. Tomorrow I might have a power outage or something as the storm hits. I'll probably spend a lot of the day shoveling. Hope everyone is doing OK.
Edit: Heading out. Maybe I'll catch someone next time.
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Post by chocopie on Jan 28, 2014 17:54:13 GMT
I've just noticed the chat function on this forum. Do people go on it often? Anyway, I'm there now
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Post by LittleGaijin on Jan 29, 2014 3:42:20 GMT
I've just noticed the chat function on this forum. Do people go on it often? Anyway, I'm there now Hey, Chocopie! I don't usually use the chatroom very much, but I think that you can often find Jembru, Bokusenou, and Demonhead in there! Don't forget that you can also plan a "chat event," and schedule a date for people to meet up in the chatroom!
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Post by Jembru on Aug 6, 2014 18:11:32 GMT
Going to start trying to get into chat before work a few times a week. Hopefully we can encourage others to join us. I'm usually doing other things while I'm online at that time of night.. studying, cooking, preparing my packed lunch, doing my makeup... so I may be quiet at times and get kicked out, but I'll keep logging back in.
Hope to catch some of you in there soon!
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Post by Jembru on Oct 30, 2014 13:12:33 GMT
Gonna sit around in chat for a couple of hours. I'm not sure if anyone will notice this message in time, but pop in if you fancy a chat.
(In Skype too.. )
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Post by Jembru on Oct 31, 2014 6:14:56 GMT
I have realised after yesterday that I really need to get my behind into chat more often. I thought with the fact that my spoken Japanese has started to come on in the last year, that I'd be better at text chat too, but actually I found it really cumbersome and no easier than last time I chatted (which turns out was longer ago than I realised). I had to keep retyping the same word because the word I wanted wouldn't appear and I stared blankly at the screen a lot, trying to think of the word I want or how to word what I want to say.
It's not like I never write in Japanese either, I just never chat in Japanese other than the few moments before starting a skype call, which is just letting one another know we're ready.
So I guess I really need more typing practice too. No more excuses then, I HAVE to get myself into Gaiwa chat more often.
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Post by Jembru on Mar 23, 2015 0:06:07 GMT
I'll be in chat for a few hours tonight. I'm at work and obviously that takes priority, so I might be slow to reply, but I'm around. Also, I don't have direct Japanese input here so if you want to chat in Japanese, please be patient while I type everything I want to say into google translate and copy it. Hope to see someone in there!
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