George Takahashis Japanese Learning and Teaching, A New Psycho-logical Approach offers the most sensible approach to learning and/or teaching Japanese. He presents a unique approach to heretofore considered difficult to comprehend or explain mysteries of the Japanese particles. Sources and the foundations of the so called native intuition are fully exposed so that both the native and the non-native Japanese can grasp the functions and the meanings of the particles. Author clarifies the functions, meanings and implications embodied in such particles as ga and wa, ga and o. New terms controllable and noncontrollable verbs are introduced. All commonly used particles are related to the sentence structure of Japanese. Example sentences are presented with Japanese writing, Romanization, and English translations. I was especially impressed with how subtle but critical meanings became clear to me. This book is unlike any book I have seen on the subject of Japanese language.
About the Author: George Takahashi was born in Idaho, USA. He attended schools both in the U.S. and Japan, earning his B.A. and M.A. degree from UCLA, and honorary PH.D. from Ken Studies Institute in California. While teaching Japanese at UCLA for over twenty years in the Department of Oriental Languages. Dr. Takahashi spent most of his summer vacations in Japan, attending seminars and taking part in classes sponsored by Monbusho- on How to Teach Japanese to Foreign Students as well as attending Waseda University seminars on similar topic. Along with studying and teaching Shotokan karate, attaining 8th degree black belt, he utilized his training in radio announcing and narrative reading to record all the language tapes used in Beginning to Advanced Japanese classes at UCLA. He has also presented a yearlong introduction to a Japanese radio program sponsored by Asahi Broadcasting Companys Homecast system which covered Los Angeles and Southern California region. In 1997 he published his 367-page book on English language entitled An Adventure in English Language Space: A Key to the Mysteries of Prepositions. His interest in foreign language extends from Chinese and Korean to most of the European languages, including the Scandinavian languages of which he is especially fluent in Danish. Dr. Takahashi has dedicated his life over the years to not only mastering the language of his birth (English) and his heritage (Japanese), he has studied Noh singing and dancing (Hyooshoo-ryu). studied Sumie painting under Ensho Ashikaga (descendent of Ashikaga Shogunate) receiving the name Jyoojun. While working on this book, he has been studying the classical singing art of Shigin (Kokufuu-ryu) attaining the rank of Shihan (master teacher).