Chapter 9: William’s Story. All is Not Lost by William Bishop
Abstract
William had a 45-year break after learning Japanese at university for a couple of years. In Chapter 9, he recalls his first studies of Japanese and what he remembered when he restarted. The question of how much language stays with us when we take a break and how much is lost, is the topic of Sensei’s Tips. The conclusion is rather encouraging in the light of the considerable effort and resources that learners invest in their learning.
About the author
William Bishop graduated in 1967 with majors in History and Psychology, and a minor in Japanese. Following that he worked as a psychologist in most Australian states and in Singapore. He has visited Japan on three occasions. Over the years he has maintained a general interest in East Asian matters and recently he joined Japanese classes at the University of the Third Age (a volunteer-run educational institution for senior citizens). With the advantage of the free e-books (pre-1955) of the Gutenberg Project he is able to read how commentators of the late 19th - 20th Century interpreted Japanese history, the events and changes of the Meiji era, and even the Japanese psyche. He also finds that the books on Japanese myths and legends offer interesting insights.
Citation
Bishop, B. (2017). William's story. All is not lost. In B. Kennett & Y. Nagata (Eds.), Learning Japanese: Voices of experience (pp. 94-101). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/6/9
William had a 45-year break after learning Japanese at university for a couple of years. In Chapter 9, he recalls his first studies of Japanese and what he remembered when he restarted. The question of how much language stays with us when we take a break and how much is lost, is the topic of Sensei’s Tips. The conclusion is rather encouraging in the light of the considerable effort and resources that learners invest in their learning.
About the author
William Bishop graduated in 1967 with majors in History and Psychology, and a minor in Japanese. Following that he worked as a psychologist in most Australian states and in Singapore. He has visited Japan on three occasions. Over the years he has maintained a general interest in East Asian matters and recently he joined Japanese classes at the University of the Third Age (a volunteer-run educational institution for senior citizens). With the advantage of the free e-books (pre-1955) of the Gutenberg Project he is able to read how commentators of the late 19th - 20th Century interpreted Japanese history, the events and changes of the Meiji era, and even the Japanese psyche. He also finds that the books on Japanese myths and legends offer interesting insights.
Citation
Bishop, B. (2017). William's story. All is not lost. In B. Kennett & Y. Nagata (Eds.), Learning Japanese: Voices of experience (pp. 94-101). Candlin & Mynard. https://doi.org/10.47908/6/9
Information About the Book
Title: Learning Japanese: Voices of experience
Editors: Belinda Kennett and Yuriko Nagata
Publication date: July, 2017
Read more...
Title: Learning Japanese: Voices of experience
Editors: Belinda Kennett and Yuriko Nagata
Publication date: July, 2017
Read more...