4 Ways to Learn the Japanese Language with Subtitles
By: Vanessa Anderson Posted on Tue, 24-03-2020
There are many ways to learn a language. Many questions arise in the mind of people that include: What is a good way to learn the language, What is the fastest way to learn new words, How could I speak and sound like native people?, Do I need to learn grammar and conjugation? Do you have similar questions in mind? Looking for answers? We can help!
Everyone chooses to learn language medium according to its interest. Many people enjoy learning the language while watching movies and drama with subtitles. Let’s see how you can take Japanese learning to the next level with subtitles.
Reasons to Learn the Japanese Language Through Subtitles
Your learning capability enhances if you learn language by fun. Japanese dramas are considered to be the best in the world. They are short and have eleven episodes. You get involved in these dramas emotionally and become addicted to them. Communication in Japanese dramas is very precise and clear and only one person speaks at one time.
The conversational language of drama also depicts cultural problems and concerns. By watching these dramas you not only become proficient in language but also become aware of cultural nuances.
Drama Subtitles for All Levels of Learners
Many Japanese learners feel frightened by the view of watching Japanese dramas and of trying to understand and learn the language. If you still don't understand, it does not matter because your ears are getting familiar to individual sounds and you are hearing the words which you may know. Your mind will start making connections with the sound and a particular word that you heard in other languages.
At this level of learning it is very difficult to put off subtitles, and it is required to turn off when needed. Subtitles are an essential tool of those times when a Japanese dialogue was compact. Sometimes proficient speakers of Japanese language use subtitles to know the nuance of the dialogue.
In the present time, it is very easy to have access to different dramas with subtitles so take advantage of it according to your learning requirements.
The Disadvantage of Learning With Subtitles
There is one disadvantage of learning with the subtitles that is it becomes very tiring to listen and try to interpret a foreign language over a large period. You lose your attention and stop hearing what the actors are saying and start reading the subtitles. It hampers your learning and you stop gaining anything. If this is the case, you should stop watching and take a break. Don’t be dependent on subtitles.
If you feel that you are listening and understanding what different actors are saying then you should turn off the subtitles. Don’t use them if you don’t require them.
How to Know About the Japanese Dramas With Subtitles
DramaGo and Daily motion are the streaming sites where you can find the latest dramas with subtitles. You can also find a lot of subtitle content on YouTube. You can add certain Japanese phrases to make your drama search more specific. If you know the name of the drama, your search becomes easy on streaming sites. If you want to know subtitles yourself then you need not to worry.
There are many online communities where drama lovers create and share subtitles for popular shows. One of the popular shows is D-addicts. Moreover, you can watch the news, inspiring talks, music videos, and movie trailers. You can choose videos according to your mind and are align them according to your learning level.
Different Ways for Learning Japanese With Subtitles
Rewatch Strategy
One good technique can enhance your learning capabilities. Rewatch strategy suggests to watch every episode with subtitles. Listen and learn grammar and vocabulary which is used in the conversation. Next time try to watch the episode without subtitles. When you watch the episode for the second time, you will feel that you will remember the general essence of the communication, the most demanding part is to listen and grasp. By watching the drama for the first time, you can enhance your vocabulary and can inter-relate grammar with the vocabulary that you are already aware of.
When you watch the drama for the second time, you need to combine the old and new vocabulary for comprehending language fast. After watching the drama several times with subtitles, try watching it without subtitles. One good thing about Japanese dramas is this that these dramas have only eleven episodes if you have understood the first episode, you can understand other episodes easily without any preparation. You can also try to watch the rest of the series without subtitles. Do not be afraid to test yourself.
Analyze Each Subtitle and Enhance Your Proficiency
It is not sufficient to have a comparison between Japanese subtitles and English translation. To increase your proficiency in words, it is necessary to analyze the subtitles and study each word separately.
Use Dictionary and Thesaurus
It will assist you in clarifying the meaning and by using a thesaurus, you can find words with similar meanings.
Use Good Examples
It is not sufficient to just seek information from the dictionary. You also need to explore some examples with the word meanings for clear understanding.
Create Flashcards
To make your learning systematic, you can create flashcards from the information you seek from the dictionary and thesaurus. You can do this by online app and add new vocabulary to your flashcard deck or make a physical flashcard deck.
Analyze Words Regularly With Your Flashcards
You need to analyze words regularly and be systematic in learning difficult words.
Reverse Keylook – Using Subtitles to Translate Back in the Japanese Language
This Strategy is extremely good but it is tedious and time-consuming. The compound of English subtitles, sounds and videos are the tools that one needs to learn how to use them. You need to watch the drama episode with subtitle to have a better idea about dialogue delivery and to know about the type of language which is used. After that, you need to transcribe when the subtitles are turned off in Japanese.
For this, you need to watch and listen attentively so that you can jot down. If you are watching an episode on a computer than download such software that can slow down the video and sound so that you can analyze every syllable. Once you are done with it, you will have Japanese transcription with video audio and subtitle which depicts how drama has been translated. You can choose a lot of vocabulary and grammar to see how different generations speak and to have a thorough insight into translation.
Listen and Memorize
A very simple action you can do is pick a dialogue, listen to it carefully and memorize it loudly. The subtitles give you English meaning for each dialogue. In TV shows and dramas, one character speaks differently under different situations.
You should notice the way they speak and try to copy their accent and tone as well. Listen to the dialogues they say and repeat them loudly. While practicing you can reach a point in which you feel that your listening and speaking skills have improved.
Wrapping Up
Learning the Japanese language with subtitles is the easiest and cheapest way to improve Japanese proficiency. By following the above-mentioned information, you can learn to speak the Japanese language like natives.
Learning Japanese can bring numerous benefits including business opportunities and employment prospects. Considering the significance of the language, Mars Translation is also providing Japanese Translation Services in swift turnaround time and economical rates around the globe.
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