Comments on: Learning Kanji – The Poodle’s Core and Regarding Methodology http://henrikfalck.com/blog/2008/08/learning-kanji-poodles-core-and.html reinventing web 3.0 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:06:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Rujiel http://henrikfalck.com/blog/2008/08/learning-kanji-poodles-core-and.html#comment-679 Rujiel Thu, 24 Dec 2009 08:03:19 +0000 http://henrikfalck.com/blog2/2008/08/learning-kanji-the-poodles-core-and-regarding-methodology.html#comment-679 Hey, nice post, but I just want to say that learning kanji via etymology is absolutely a fool's errand. I recommend looking up any modern-use kanji with more than four primitives on here to see what I mean:<br />http://www.kanjinetworks.com/index.cfm<br /><br />Kanji etymology is a mysterious labyrinth the japanese learner is best not stepping into for the purpose of learning, save for a few characters with very interesting etymologies that are relevant to their modern meanings (the etymology for 県 gave me a solid mnemonic I never needed to tool with). Hey, nice post, but I just want to say that learning kanji via etymology is absolutely a fool's errand. I recommend looking up any modern-use kanji with more than four primitives on here to see what I mean:
http://www.kanjinetworks.com/index.cfm

Kanji etymology is a mysterious labyrinth the japanese learner is best not stepping into for the purpose of learning, save for a few characters with very interesting etymologies that are relevant to their modern meanings (the etymology for 県 gave me a solid mnemonic I never needed to tool with).

]]> By: Karl Henrik Falck http://henrikfalck.com/blog/2008/08/learning-kanji-poodles-core-and.html#comment-587 Karl Henrik Falck Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:08:00 +0000 http://henrikfalck.com/blog2/2008/08/learning-kanji-the-poodles-core-and-regarding-methodology.html#comment-587 Hi Louise, thank you for the comment. I guess in the end the important thing is that one actually studies, more than what method one chooses. But if you're checking out readings and vocabulary then you're not really doing it the Heisig way anyway - a good thing.<br /><br />I read an interesting book recently (in Japanese, of course) written by a psychology professor that had some interesting remarks that immediately made me think it kind of explained partly why Heisig's method is suboptimal (to me, at least). I think I'll write a post about it soon...<br /><br />I also have those flash cards. :) Although I haven't used them for 2-3 years. I think they did have some value for my studies. Hi Louise, thank you for the comment. I guess in the end the important thing is that one actually studies, more than what method one chooses. But if you're checking out readings and vocabulary then you're not really doing it the Heisig way anyway – a good thing.

I read an interesting book recently (in Japanese, of course) written by a psychology professor that had some interesting remarks that immediately made me think it kind of explained partly why Heisig's method is suboptimal (to me, at least). I think I'll write a post about it soon…

I also have those flash cards. :) Although I haven't used them for 2-3 years. I think they did have some value for my studies.

]]> By: Louise Rouse http://henrikfalck.com/blog/2008/08/learning-kanji-poodles-core-and.html#comment-584 Louise Rouse Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:15:00 +0000 http://henrikfalck.com/blog2/2008/08/learning-kanji-the-poodles-core-and-regarding-methodology.html#comment-584 Hello Henrik,<br />enjoying your take on japanese language learning.<br /><br />I know I'm not going to bring you round to Heisig, but, having found a nice man somewhere on a language forum who gave me a cross referenced database of the Heisig numbers with the white rabbit flash card numbers, I managed to order the white rabbit JLPT-2 flash cards in order of appearance in Heisig with little hassle. In a typical study session I check out Heisig's way of remembering the elements in the kanji (more or less in his beloved order, except skipping the higher level JLPT-1 kanji) and at the same time research the readings, and the necessary vocabulary associated with the kanji from white rabbit flash cards. <br /><br />Additionally, if I check rikai-chan for Firefox for that particular kanji, it comes up with the nelson number and I can then reference than in my nelson dictionary which probably has all the major word combinations you are likely to need.<br /><br />On occasion I find some of Heisig's memory games need more imagination or literary references than I happen to know but on the whole his method is helping as part of an integrated approach. As for the key words, 幅 recently came up, his key word is 'hanging scroll' but you are more likely to see it in <br />Photoshop where width would be in English, seemingly illustrating your point. However, check Nelson and it actually does mean hanging scroll, or counter for scrolls. The key words seem to be, as far as I can tell, based on etymology but often from a bygone era and meaning.<br /><br />Having said all this, you are far advanced than I, and maybe I too will come to throw his book out with the moeru gomi.<br /><br />Take care, Hello Henrik,
enjoying your take on japanese language learning.

I know I'm not going to bring you round to Heisig, but, having found a nice man somewhere on a language forum who gave me a cross referenced database of the Heisig numbers with the white rabbit flash card numbers, I managed to order the white rabbit JLPT-2 flash cards in order of appearance in Heisig with little hassle. In a typical study session I check out Heisig's way of remembering the elements in the kanji (more or less in his beloved order, except skipping the higher level JLPT-1 kanji) and at the same time research the readings, and the necessary vocabulary associated with the kanji from white rabbit flash cards.

Additionally, if I check rikai-chan for Firefox for that particular kanji, it comes up with the nelson number and I can then reference than in my nelson dictionary which probably has all the major word combinations you are likely to need.

On occasion I find some of Heisig's memory games need more imagination or literary references than I happen to know but on the whole his method is helping as part of an integrated approach. As for the key words, 幅 recently came up, his key word is 'hanging scroll' but you are more likely to see it in
Photoshop where width would be in English, seemingly illustrating your point. However, check Nelson and it actually does mean hanging scroll, or counter for scrolls. The key words seem to be, as far as I can tell, based on etymology but often from a bygone era and meaning.

Having said all this, you are far advanced than I, and maybe I too will come to throw his book out with the moeru gomi.

Take care,

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