Being a novice language user, especially in the classroom environment, one easily forgets how playful language can be--and how useful basic structures are for learning.
The first sentence structure learned was:
わたしはだがくいんせいです。
1st.sing-Topic graduate student [copula].
I am a grad student.
So what does that really teach me? Well, Chomskyites will tell you that this is an opening to infinite sentences. By knowing a basic structure, we can fill in that noun phrase with whatever noun we want. I have made a quick list for myself...I hope there aren't many mistakes.
What am I? (わたしはなんですか。)
I am...
- a Japanese student. にほんごのがくせいです。
- a teacher. せんせいです。
- a man. おとこです。＊
- a father. ちちおやです。＊
- a writer. さっかです。＊
- a scientist. かがくしゃです。＊
- a daydreamer. くうそうかです。＊＊
- a king. おうです。＊
- a superstar. スーパースターです。＊
- a genius. てんさいです。＊
- a loser. ずくなしです。＊
- a friend. ともだちです。
＊ used Jisho.org and Google translate to choose the best term
＊＊ lit. "visionary", selected by Google translate and reviewed in Jisho.org
So, what nouns would you use to describe yourself? Leave sentences and translations in the comments!
さよなら！
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