Why I'm Learning Japanese
Hello everyone!
It's Sarah, again, your friendly neighborhood Japanese art history graduate student. In graduate school, you're frequently asked, "why do you do what you do?" (in fact, that's a huge part of the whole graduate application process, if not the entirety of the application). So, why do I study Japanese? Well, in short, because I love Japanese art history! It's my focus in my graduate studies, after all. Why? Well, mostly for reasons I can't necessarily explain -- I can write down the reasons but the reason I'm drawn to the art is mostly for indeterminate, aesthetic reasons. Though, I can say that my grandmother collected Japanese antiques, so in many ways, I grew up surrounded by Japanese art, which no one in my family fully understood. As an undergraduate, I decided that I had too many questions about the meanings of the art that had become so familiar (and beloved) to me and ended up majoring in Asian art history and sociology. Now, I am seeking a greater, universal truth through this art, and a more complete understanding of how artists in Japan approach representing their perspectives of the world. How do these works of art reveal the human condition(s)?
Obviously, learning a culture's language is a huge part of understanding the nuances of that culture, which is integral to distilling this greater, universal truth I just mentioned. Since 2017, I have been studying Japanese independently to fill in the blanks with my formal education in the language. But, since I was studying independently, I really only honed my reading skills. As my first visit to Japan approaches, it has become extremely important to me to take formal classes in Japanese and finally practice my speaking and listening skills with a sensei who loves the Japanese language and with people who are similarly interested in Japanese culture! With these skills, I hope that I can hear and read about Japanese art history directly from Japanese people so I can learn what it means to them.
Obviously, learning a culture's language is a huge part of understanding the nuances of that culture, which is integral to distilling this greater, universal truth I just mentioned. Since 2017, I have been studying Japanese independently to fill in the blanks with my formal education in the language. But, since I was studying independently, I really only honed my reading skills. As my first visit to Japan approaches, it has become extremely important to me to take formal classes in Japanese and finally practice my speaking and listening skills with a sensei who loves the Japanese language and with people who are similarly interested in Japanese culture! With these skills, I hope that I can hear and read about Japanese art history directly from Japanese people so I can learn what it means to them.
I'm looking forward to vastly improving my Japanese abilities throughout the course of this blog, which I will update when I'm traveling in Japan, and with my friends in class!
Well, looks like that's it! Bye for now, y'all!
Sarah
Hi Sarah! I bet studying Japanese art history at Columbia is definitely a wonderful experience. I just want to say that your perception on art is very interesting. I totally agree with how a language can reflect so many aspects of its culture. With heavy focus in science and technology nowadays, many of us neglect what arts and history have to offer and what it has presented to us about humanity and the 'truth'. Anyways, I look forward to more language labs with you! :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree! I love the museums here, and the interdisciplinary approach to fields/topics at Columbia is wonderful -- I even have integrated some chemistry and geology into my studies. I think every field has something important and valid to offer, and at the end of the day, we're all in it together in this crazy world of ours so we need to do what we can to help each other out with our own skill sets in understanding it. :-) That's another reason why it's so important, I think, that we all learn to speak other languages so we can share what we know with larger audiences and learn from others as well!
DeleteI also look forward to language labs in the future with you -- speaking of being in things together, hahah :-) We will arrive with plenty of time to spare this Thursday ;-)
Hi Sarah. I absolutely understand your love for Japanese culture. I always feel the same way too. Hope to see you more in class. 一緒に頑張りましょう。
ReplyDeleteThanks Via! Coming from my undergraduate institution to Columbia, I was surprised at how many people were taking Japanese and how much people love Japanese culture. I was really shocked at how much I had to fight to sign up for this class, haha, but I'm so glad I did :-)
DeleteHey Sarah!
ReplyDeleteWhile I knew you were well involved with Japanese Art History but I had no idea it was this extensive. That is very cool that you grew up with Japanese art within your household from your grandmother. I am very jealous of your ability to read and write beyond what we have learning in class! Also on the topic of how languages define culture, I was thinking the other day after I left language lab how language is perhaps the greatest aspect of our identity. Let me know what you think! Excited to see where this class takes you and how you enjoy your trip to Japan!
Best-
-アイザック・ルーミス
アイザックさん, I'm super glad we have become friends through this class and that we can learn together -- you are really a quick study and I always feel like you pick up on things that I haven't yet. It's great to run stuff past you and I always feel more secure in what I know after we review things together.
DeleteI definitely agree with your point about language being the greatest part of our identity -- there's a lot that can be said about that, and I'd like to know what you think. The language lab does a good job of not only showing the different sounds we can make that we may not have thought of, but also how differently other cultures do things and how this affects the way they communicate with the world. However, I think in as many ways that language is emblematic of our identities (not just nationally, culturally, etc. but also individually, because everyone has their own unique manner of conveying thought through words), it is always the framework that shapes our identities. I think it's really important to learn other languages to broaden our understanding of the world through new terms, with new meanings, that we otherwise would not have with our limited lexicon -- new languages open new perspectives, not only about the cultures from which the languages originate, but also of our own reality.
Hello, Sarah! It's pretty great how you have such a clear purpose for your studies in the language. I think it is interesting how your grandmother's art collection influenced you to such an extent, and I agree that learning the language to communicate more closely with the culture that produced the works is a good way to further your studies. At any rate, I look forward to studying the language with you as a part of the same class!
ReplyDeleteYou know, I feel a little silly talking about her collection sometimes because I know it came from the whole orientalist Japonisme trend (we could drop some Marxism down in here for sure because of how the artists' identities/production context/meaning was sooo displaced once it passed into her ownership) BUT I'm thankful it has pushed me in the right direction and led me to where I am now. Learning Japanese has been super fulfilling for me, even if it is ちょっとむずかしい and has actually been very therapeutic in a way?? More on that later. Glad we're able to learn together, and I appreciate that you learn/have learned material ahead of time so we can discuss grammar and vocabulary together that we haven't covered in class!
DeleteHi Sarah! You have some great questions to answer during your time at Columbia. I hope that you can share your findings with us on the blog. We might not meet until next semester since I'm just working in the Japanese department's office this semester, but I hope to see you at a language lab someday. Ganbatte!
ReplyDeleteOops, I hid my identity. Sorry about that.
DeleteThank you!! I'm planning on taking as many language classes as I can -- the resources and instruction at Columbia are the best of the best, so I may extend my degree program just to take advantage of them. I'm sure I'll see you around in due time -- I'll be looking forward to it! :-)
DeleteHi Sarah! I had no idea you were so into Japanese culture. Studying Japanese art history must be so interesting and learning Japanese definitely compliments it. It's great that you decided to formally start learning Japanese! I couldn't imagine how hard it must have been trying to learn it independently. Look forward to learning the language with you!
ReplyDeleteThanks buddy -- you're definitely right about art history and the language complimenting each other, and the more I study both, the more I realize how integral they are to one another (especially with Buddhist art, because the doctrine was passed along textually rather than orally like in India).
DeleteI did enjoy learning on my own in some ways, but I love our class and learning as a group -- it's a whole lot of fun and great practice! It's really easy to get set in ~incorrect~ ways of doing things (I'm still trying to correct the way I write kana, haha) when you're learning on your own so constantly being corrected is actually amazing because I feel like I'm making progress even in areas that I "know"!
Sarah, it's so cool that you're studying Japanese art history! I relate so much to your inexplicable passion for Japanese art and culture because I also have an inexplicable passion for Chinese art and culture. I feel so lucky to share this class with you because your energy and excitement is contagious and you have really helped me with my learning.
ReplyDeleteI love Chinese art and culture as well! I've done a bit of studying just because I've been taking so many Buddhist classes -- I particularly like the Dunhuang caves, bronze casting (really, truly masterpieces) and the blue-green landscapes. :-) Because of how connected China and Japan were specifically in pre-Heian times, it's been really interesting to trace the origins of some Japanese iconographies to China and see how differently they played out!
DeleteI'm also happy to read that you enjoy my energy! Sometimes I feel over the top. But I just really love our class and learning. Aaaahh, and if that helps you learn, I'm over the moon!
Hi Sarah! Much admiration for your independently learned Japanese, I mean I definitely believed that you should have learned it from your class! I can relate to your interest in Japanese art because I used to study and visit Japanese arts when I wanted to become an architecture before college. Not much of an expert, but if you have any questions about Japanese art, let me know (though I believe you already know what I know lol)!
ReplyDeleteHey buddy!! You are too sweet! It's super cool that you were considering going into architecture -- you know, my dad originally went into the sciences and became an architect after graduate school ;-) That being said, I'm woefully underprepared for the East Asian side of architecture because my dad is a bit of a neoclassicist. I'm actually going to be taking a class on Japanese architecture next semester (it's open to both undergrads and grad students!! maybe you'd like to take it too??) and your input on architecture and Japanese art would be INVALUABLE!
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