Lots of people think one sure way to improve your Nihongo skills is to marry a Japanese. They hold this view even knowing a good textbook is cheaper and takes up less space. In my case, however, not only did I marry a Japanese, I married one licensed to teach her native tongue.

So, has this live-in sensei actually jacked my Japanese ability?

Uh . . . no. As she notes, some language learners lie beyond any reasonable help. She has successfully taught foreigners from all over the world, but my wife acknowledges her limits. For one, she cannot teach a block of wood.