Futenma (kanji: 普天間) is the name of the big American air base on Okinawa that has been the subject of much political controversy in recent years. The current Prime Minister of Japan, Yukio Hatoyama, has decided, under heavy, even overwhelming American pressure, including a personal visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to allow American…
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Japanese Keigo (Respectful Speech)
The Japanese language has the interesting and curious trait of actually varying the forms of verbs used in otherwise normal, standard sentences to convey greater politeness and respect. This is often done in business, particularly in hospitality; however, “polite” speech is also the standard form in classrooms, on news broadcasts, and so forth. Japanese Keigo…
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Looking for Justice – A Parable
They speak about someone who lost his way. And as the evening approaches he reaches a great cave. He enters the cave and the cave is filled with candles. He turns around, squints his eyes and aks, surprised by the way his voice sounds in the hollow of the cave: “Hello! Is there anybody here?”…
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How To Learn Japanese
There are many schools of thought for how to learn Japanese. Allow me to briefly present mine. #1: Settle On A Goal If your goal is to know a few cool words to impress your friends, you do not need to learn very much. If your goal is to hold a brief oral conversation with…
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Want To Study At A Japanese University?
If you’d like to study at a Japanese university, read on. If you don’t… read on anyway! You might find this interesting. At the present time, Japan is undergoing a chronic shortage of students for its well-respected universities. (Most of you will have read one of the numerous news reports in recent years concerning Japan’s…
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Sun Tzu: Ancient Wisdom, Relevant Today
Sun Tzu was a general in ancient China, known almost exclusively for writing the book known in the English language as “Sun Tzu’s The Art of War.” This book has been exhaustively studied by great generals of Chinese, Japanese, and in more modern times, European and American fame. Today, the book is studied to some…
Meet detectives Baumgartner & Momsen and learn German effortlessly with special emphasis on idioms and natural language crammed with humor and suspense.
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Mystic Tales from the Zohar Naso
Introduction to Idra Raba (The Great Chamber) Rabbi Shimon and his nine friends were sitting silently in The Great Chamber but their hearts were afire in the threshing field of revelations. Thus Rabbi Shimon opened and said: “A gossip walker reveals a secret, and a spirit trust person covers it” (Mishlei 11, 13) He spoke…
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Mystic Tales from the Zohar Mishpatim
Hasaba (the Grandfather) – Part I Rabi Hiya and Rabi Yossi met one night in the tower of Zor. They sat together around a table and were delighting in each other’s presence. Rabi Yossi said, “I am so happy that I have seen the face of the holy spirit, this delicate meaning with you, my…
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Japanese Culture: Why “Gaijin” Isn’t So Bad After All
The Japanese concept of 内と外 (uchi to soto; inside & outside) is considered a cultural concept that perpetually keeps the 外人 (gaijin; foreigners) on the outside of society. In some sense, this is entirely correct. However, it is not the complete story. “Uchi and Soto” is, first and foremost, a linguistic concept. Take Las Vegas….
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Fundamentals of Japanese
Hello, this is Jeremiah Bourque, head of the Japanese department of Learn Out Live. I want to tell you about the immense progress we have made in a short time, and what value we can offer our students and clients. I am just completing a unit of courses that, taken together, I call Fundamentals of…
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IELTS Speaking Test: The Public Library Issue
I was looking into publicly available information about the types of questions on the speaking portion of the IELTS academic test, which is a test used by universities in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada to assess the English language skills of non-native speakers. The testing system was designed to test the readiness of a…
