[aizk]

The Japanese immersion language learning rabbit hole goes very very deep, and it super interesting. I'm writing some info about it here because I just don't want it to be lost to the sands of the digital times:

It all started way back when with this guy named Khatzumoto who did his own guerilla academic research, for lack for a better word - and proving it by getting fluent in 18 months. The theories were based in comprehensible input (from Stephen Krashen) and nonstop immersion, which do carry weight and are great ways - if not the only way to learn ANY language. He created AJATT, All Japanese All The Time, and basically created a mini cult that legitimately got people to fluency. It might sound extreme but on the other end I heard of someone who did duolingo (100% slop product btw) for 6 months and didn't know how to say "Thank You" in Japanese. Khatzumoto's ideas were manic, strange, but sometimes truly brilliant. I've never found a blog quite like it ever since - writings that an LLM really can't emulate. The original blog 404'd but it's been revived by a community member here - https://alljapanesealltheti.me/index.html I go back to them every now and then when I want some crazy motivation.

Nobody knows what has happened to Khatzumoto, he basically just dropped off the face of the internet - I wonder if he's doing alright.

[anigbrowl]

I don't know if the same people are involved, but this is a more comprehensive and up-to-date website built around the same concepts that I came across recently, and where I would suggest anyone starting out go first.

https://tatsumoto.neocities.org

[majorchord]

> fluent in 18 months

That's a very interesting definition of fluent.

[chipsrafferty]

If you only surround yourself with a single language for 18 months (literally fully immersive), you can learn any language fluently without even trying. Unless you never leave your apartment.

[majorchord]

Can != Will though. I knew someone who lived in Tokyo for 10 years and never learned any Japanese. They worked for Yahoo.

[wahnfrieden]

It’s not a definition