EDIT: It’s within my expectation that someone will come along someday to point out what i learnt was wrong (or i’m using it wrongly). I think that is normal. Heck, I learnt Chinese all my life as a 2nd-language and was only told i was wrong about so much of it in my 30s when I met my partner (proper mainland Chinese).
First, I need to acknowledge everything wrong with ChatGPT. We mostly know this. Wrong translations. Churning out garbage. There is no denying this happens.
On the other hand, I’ve found ChatGPT has given me answers and customised explanations that no other online resource can with the same ease and speed.
Take for example this prompt I used. “Why is わけ used in わけではありません? The translations seems to be the same but I’m guessing there are some differences in nuance.”
ChatGPT gives a really good explanation of the nuances of adding わけ. You might argue that Google would give the same answers, but it’s the explanation of the nuances in a way that I understand that is key. I can continue asking and clarifying, which is what Google can’t do.
I then counter check the answers with my friend with whom I practice WhatsApp messages in Japanese daily. She confirms that the answer is correct. (She usually just unloads Japanese casual messages on me as if talking to a native and leave me to figure it out, which I appreciate a lot.)
Another example.
“In the sentence below, why is たら used when there is no further context given to indicate a condition? 試験監督の時間の経つことの遅さったら”
For such a specific sentence, it’s difficult to know what to Google for. It’s the kind of sentence you would ask a human 先生 to explain the usage context. ChatGPT did a good job of explaining it. (“If you only knew…”)
One last example. I’m terrible at using particles. When typing longer sentences, I write my messages with no translation tools first. I then take what I wrote and put it into ChatGPT and ask it to check my sentence for grammar and clarity by providing my original intended sentence in English. The replies help me a lot in understanding where I commonly make mistakes. (I tend to arrange my adjective-object-action wrongly, though probably still understandable)
Personally, ChatGPT is like having an imperfect private tutor. I love using it to explain nuances and casual slangs, and checking my sentences, and even having conversations with (though the voice chat needs a lot more improvements to be fruitful for conversational Japanese).
I just hope this sub doesn’t completely throw out ChatGPT for learning Japanese. It has its place, and it’s value to cost ratio is ridiculously good. It is helping me a lot.
by prioriority