Al <al@privacy.ne.jp> wrote:
> Well, I might want to thank you for the implicit compliment, but about
> the second part: nice try, but no Cuban pleasure stick this time. :-)

Sorry, this sounded probably dismissive. But it was just a silly quip
about whiskey and cigars. I didn't want to give an unfriendly
impression: my point is, in the sober light of the day, that I need more
_vocabulary_ (words, "expressions, phrases), i.e., I am looking for
resources for study like suitable books, etc. The other (subtle but
important) stuff, the "non-verbals", is not something I am concerend
about - there are enough competent teachers around here to kick me in
the right direction..

In other countries where I have studied language at some time or another
(Germany, Russia, Canada) I've been lucky to find enough people who
could recommend books to read, from literature to speciality books, and
by following such advice I was able to fill many of the gaps I had in
those languages in reasonably short time.

However, it seems that in Okinawa reading books isn't popular - I
haven't found many people yet who are in any way at all into literature,
so that's why I am looking for outside advice - after all, I know there
_are_ people here on fjlj who have used boosk to help them get their
Japanese up to speed. And you work at a language school: you have no
courses on "subtle communication" there? :-)

Anyway, that's that... with Australia in the race still, I hope you'll
have reasons to enjoy your whiskey and cigars...

Al