as of march (~7 months in), i’m having the feeling of things coming into focus. i am able to watch pokemon without subtitles and understand (what feels like) an appreciable amount. whereas when i first arrived i had to watch at a reduced speed and was still struggling to keep up with the pace.

i would describe my experience of language learning to this point as starting off with a blurry image that slowly comes into focus over time. at first, you struggle to discern anything at all. colours and shapes swirl around you in endlessly random combinations. then, at some point, forms emerge: first, as being distinct from background, sounds begin to convey their boundaries to one another. then, as a members of a meaningful type or kind (this green patch seems to denote “tree”, whereas this green patch denotes “grass” or “field”). finally, as familiar, discrete entities, full of detail, with branching connections woven throughout reality.

the emerging clarity of speaking seems to parallel that of writing. while playing fire emblem i’ve noticed an ability to read certain strings of kana or combinations of kanji at what feels like a semi-fluent pace. but there are still points where i stumble slowly through some unfamiliar vocabulary or phrase structures. the approach i’ve taken moves through text and speech in stages: first, a “deep kanji study” phase, breaking down new vocabulary and kanji through writing and reading practice. then a reading phase, where i play through cutscenes and read aloud, noticing points at which i’m able to recall things from the study phase, and any recurring difficulties. finally, a listening phase, where i watch a playthrough by a native speaker who reads through the text, sometimes rapidly, sometimes substituting words or expressions, or sometimes omitting sections entirely. the key components with this approach are familiarity, recognition, connection, and repetition.

there is a teacher here at my thursday school who will sometimes come to me with questions or asking me to evaluate her writing. during our conversations, she will often mention how something i said corresponds with something said by her private english tutor. this kind of “double-confirmation” seems to me an effective way of creating recognition and connection—especially given the context of living in a country where english-speaking opportunities are few and far between. recalling and reiterating something you’ve heard previously would, i imagine, have the effect of connecting language concepts to lived experience, and would thus increase the likelihood of retention and understanding.

lately i have not been as rigorous with following the japanesepod lesson pathways. at the peak of my study, there were so many instances where something that came up in a lesson would, almost eerily, appear that same day in some other part of my life. now it seems like i am spreading my attention across multiple sources (games, manga, videos), and still finding those eerie moments of connection. it doesn’t feel like academic study, but the fact that i’m noticing connections and creating moments of memory and recognition—i am wagering—will create some kind of lasting form of learning.