Re: Watakushi ni nihongo wo oshiete itadakemasenka
I have a degree in Japanese, worked as translator, interpreter, etc., etc. for 20+ years.
As far as the most bang for your buck, roleplay here is probably not what I'd recommend. I would only recommend it as a supplement to intensive learning elsewhere.
There are two things difficult for English speakers learning Japanese (other than the kanji, which is not as crucial at the beginning stage): 1) vocabulary (yes, that one's obvious); and 2) the grammatical structure.
Vocabulary is learned through repetition. Knowing the difference between shuriken and katana, bushido and samurai is not going to help your language. Beginners need practical, everyday language.
English grammar is in "SVO" (subject-verb-object), whereas Japanese is "SOV." The mind has to become so accustomed to this different grammatical structure that it can decipher it naturally. This is through repetition too, particularly everyday exchanges and sentences.
What you need is immersion in the language and Readers that teach you, plus maybe flash cards. Roleplay would be a supplement, maybe, but I don't see it making anyone fluent.
If you wanted a roleplay session all in Japanese, it would have to be by someone willing to be patient and use only basic terminology. Otherwise, I presume a Japanese themed RP game would be mostly in English but with some Japanese exchanges by characters. After you immerse yourself in the language for 2-3 years, the roleplay idea has significantly more value, I think.
That's just my 2 cents worth...
This message was last edited by the user at 15:25, Tue 20 Aug 2013.