Composition 3

二十年ご私幸せ欲しいです。どんなうちがありますか。しごとをしますか。そしてどんなかぞくがいますか、毎日何をしますか。
あのう、じつはわかりませんが、たいせつじゃありません。二十二さいだけですから、その生かつはとおいです。
そう、二十年ご私は幸せだけが欲しいです。

Senryu

1.
女の人 　　　　(おんなのひと)
男に聞きます　(おとこにききます)
フワフワね　　(フワフワね)

2.
口説き文句　　　　　(くどきもんく)
ドキドキ、ニコニコ　(ドキドキ、ニコニコ)
疑わしい　　　　　　(うたがわしい)

3.
外に、ザアザア　　(そとにザアザア)
内部に, バラバラ　(ないぶにバラバラ)
愛は足りない　　　(あいはたりない)

Composition 2

山田さん、おげんきですか。わたしはブライアン*バージエスです。日本の宗教をべんきょうします。ときどきむずかしいですが、とてもおもしろいです。コロンビアだいがくかきました。おんがくがとてもすきです。日本語がすこしわかりますが、せんせいからたくさんならいます。六月十二日にひこうきで日本へいきます。ごご二じにいきます。よろしくおねがいします。

ーバージエス、十月二十八日

カタカナ Analysis Draft

The four words I found in カタカナ were:
1.) セイ- say (Used by レイザーラモン as an exclamatory.)
2.) ラーメン- Ramen (A Japanese noodle dish)
3.) フワフワ- fuwafuwa (Onomatopoeia; light and airy, the sound made when drunk, or sick)
4.) ネタ- Neta (A slang term for a hot topic in news or gossip)

“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world” -Ludwig Wittgenstein  

 This quote begins to grasp at the reason why katakana exists. As with any language, Japanese has limits. The concepts, emotions, and experiences we have, however, do not seem bound by these limits. As social creatures, then, it seems to logically follow that we would continue to strive for fewer and fewer limits on what we can effectively communicate. 

An excellent example is how the meanings of words have changed to become ambiguous concepts rather than simple "things" over time. One such word (concept) is "happy". Originally, in ancient Greek, the word happy simply meant to be lucky, and why shouldn't it? Even today, the lucky are quite often happy as well. However, in this definition, "happy" is a very simple thing to explain. Over centuries, the word underwent subtle shift after subtle shift until modern times, where the word happy is a very subjective word. To some happiness is being in love (which in itself begs much further explanation), for others its being wealthy, for some its being near family, etc. However, these things themselves aren't happiness; these things are the most simple explanation for a universal experience that we all feel the need to express. 

I posit, then, that the flexible and expansive use of katakana is another tool at enhancing the efficacy of the Japanese language. Some of the words are borrowed from other languages, presumably either because the Japanese speakers found the words more effective at making their point, or because the words work as well as it's Japanese counterpart, but is easier, quicker, or nicer to say. Other katakana words serve as Onomatopoeia, because sounds sometimes capture the essence of meaning much more effectively than the words to express the meaning can. (i.e., Imagine the sound commonly made from the back of the room when someone else does something that could be considered "crazy" or "insane".) Additionally, slang is sometimes expressed through katakana. As kanji and hiragana roots of words can lend their connotations to the words they build, it would not make sense for slang terms to be built from anything but katakana. 

Effectively, it seems that the point of katakana is to expand the reaches of Japanese language, and gives the speakers of said language a domain to experiment with the language in. It seems a highly effective and beautiful effort at a language's attempt to meet the needs and expanses of the human imagination. 

Sources: http://www.tofugu.com/2009/06/25/strange-katakana-words/

http://gakuranman.com/unusual-katakana-words/

Razor Ramon- Japanese comedian

Occupy Wall Street

せんしゅうのすいようび、Occupy Wall Street いきました。いいです。ごせんにんでした。マーチーしました。らいしゅうもいきます。いっしょにいかがですか。まいにちひとあそこです。Zuccotti Park　です。
ありがとうございます！さよなら！

Learning language through media....

Recently I have been choosing to watch movies and television shows that are in Japanese, with subtitles to help me along. I'm amazed at how coherent the conversations sound compared to the sounds I heard before I began studying. What's more, I think that immersing myself in the language for an hour or so each day has allowed me to internalize the more subtle aspects of language, such as pace, tone, and pronunciation.
One film that I would recommend if one wanted to try something similar would be "Ugetsu". It is based on an old folk tale where a man is taken in by Inari (demon-like creatures), and tricked to live in a mansion that is no more than a patch of bushes. The movie is suspenseful, and rich with fascinating Japanese culture.

Enjoy!
サよなら！

This time, in English!

I chose to study Japanese because I am studying Japanese Religions, and would be quite inefficient as a scholar in another culture's religions without knowing their language. I am excited about gaining a mastery of the Japanese language because it will allow me to be able to read primary religious sources such as the "Nihongi", "Kojiki", and "Engishiki" in its original format. This will grant me a much more in depth and subtle understanding of the religions which I seek to understand.
So far, there have been no frustrations in my Japanese education. The only minor setbacks have been learning to keep up with Eguchi Sensei's fast pace, which is a blessing as much as it is a curse, as it keeps me engaged and focused.

こんにちは！

わたしは”Captain Zen" or Brian Burgessです。わたしはがくしゅにほんご、いちねんせい
。Shelby, North Carolina からきました。どうぞよろしく！