# Language problems in Japan?



## wojtekm

Hello, I have a question concerning problems with understanding Japanese signs/documents/other texts. Is not knowing the alphabet an issue when it comes to living in Japan? In what situations it is especially troublesome not to know what is written? How is this different among cities? I would be grateful for sharing your thoughts! Thanks


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## larabell

It can be a pain sometimes. For example, I recall the first time I ran out of shampoo after moving here and the time it took me to actually find the right bottle. If you're at least somewhat comfortable with the spoken language, you can always ask someone and, as far as getting around in any of the major cities, there are enough signs with Romaji (Japanese written using Roman characters) to get by. But being reduced to functional illiteracy is certainly a challenge.

One thing I discovered is that not being able to read also hinders how quickly you can pick up the language. When I studied French in school as a kid the family took a trip to Quebec and I found that I was picking words up from signs, billboards, and other advertisements -- and I missed that when I first moved here. I spent a lot of time on the trains with a whole plethora of learning opportunities hanging from, or pasted to, every available surface but I couldn't read any of them so, to me, it seemed like time wasted.

I also find that knowing the kanji for a new word (once you get a handle on the basics of kanji) often helps me remember the word. It turns rote memorization into more a process of understanding. So yeah... there's a whole world you'd be missing out on by not being able to read. But for some people that might be a good incentive to try even harder.


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