From: Andrew Huang <alhuang@hcs.harvard.edu>
To: Miller, Bert <bert.miller@unisys.com>
Cc: 'David A. Tatum' <desaix@sysnet.net>; 'ffml@fanfic.com'
Subject: RE: [FFML] [fanfic][OMG\Ranma][Edutainment] Language Lessons,

Book I -  Japanese 100: Survival Course, Prolog and Chapter 1

Date: Friday, June 11, 1999 3:33 PM

I got these replies out of order, so I'll be replying both to one of Bert
Miller's comments in addition to Andrew Huang's.

On Fri, 11 Jun 1999, Miller, Bert wrote:

Also, <begin soapbox>, Japanese and Chinese people can't reliably tell

each

other apart until they open their mouths.  There is no difference in 
"slopes and lines around the eyes and nose" consistent enough to use as

a

distinguishing feature. <end soapbox>

Not really true- I'm not asian, and I can tell them apart rather easily
(though I have trouble sorting Koreans, Vietnamese, and Chinese).  The
thing I notice most is the eyes and nose, though there IS something about
the facial hair that I haven't caught yet.  My mother, however, is able to
catch all these things easily...).  Perhaps there's no 'official'
biological indicators, but in practical experience I have to say I can
notice it.  I do wonder, though, if Mr. Jonathan Desaix (who knows almost
nothing about Japan or the Japanese) WOULD be able to tell them apart. 
Well, I say he can (or at least that he thinks he can), so I guess he
does... *grin*

	More to the point on the fic--I'd say that Lost Lurker's covered
most of what problems I would have picked up on the Japanese lessons. I
must say, this is one heck of an undertaking, and quite a commendable
effort so far. But don't take this as a replacement for an actual college
level or language school class, remember; reading all of this just isn't
the same as speaking it with someone who is fluent, nor does it teach you
much about the writing, especially for a language which uses a different
syllabary along with pictograms. And, of course, nothing beats learning a
language like actually going to the place where it's the main language.

:)

VERY much agreed- I can't broadcast pronunciations over the internet (I
think it's possible, but I don't have the equipment for it) and I wouldn't
trust my own, anyway.  I'm not far ahead of the rest of you, myself- and
you should have a teacher who can REALLY answer your questions....  (not to
mention, I'm not even teaching you the alphabets (whatever they're called-
syllabary, pictograms, or whatever).

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