Japanese letters

[RobBright 35]

Je pense donc je suis.

 

I think therefore I am.

 

Hiragana isn't that difficult to write - the ones I kept getting confused with were れ　ã­ã€€ã‚ just because of that little wee squiggly thing at the end.

[Jynxx 4]

Rob, that's the whole point.

I don't want to bring up the Romaji thread (Hebon system, and I don't wanna argue about how many modified Hebon systems there are)

So, there is no point in having Romaji from starters because to learn hiragana only takes 2 weeks, 15 min a day. My point was that people will write it in alphabet regardless, spelling depending where they come from, as an aid to memorize how it is pronounced (often being wrong). Why learn Romaji when you can learn Hiragana? I thought it was stupid when the Japanese kids themselves have to learn Romaji.

I'm impressed that she can write it within 2 weeks, and I'm not giving her an intensive course, so I reckon most will learn to read hiragana in that period of time.

Now, she can just use a Japanese textbook for japanese kids.

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Jynxx

Rob, that's the whole point.
I don't want to bring up the Romaji thread (Hebon system, and I don't wanna argue about how many modified Hebon systems there are)
So, there is no point in having Romaji from starters because to learn hiragana only takes 2 weeks, 15 min a day. My point was that people will write it in alphabet regardless, spelling depending where they come from, as an aid to memorize how it is pronounced (often being wrong). Why learn Romaji when you can learn Hiragana? I thought it was stupid when the Japanese kids themselves have to learn Romaji.
I'm impressed that she can write it within 2 weeks, and I'm not giving her an intensive course, so I reckon most will learn to read hiragana in that period of time.
Now, she can just use a Japanese textbook for japanese kids.

Um what is your point then? Sorry, bit confused by that post.

[Jynxx 4]

OK

Isn't it wiser to learn hiragana in the first place, and forget Romaji, because for some people it is learning another new system of writing producing sounds. (that the spelling style you are not familiar with, or different to how you would pronounce it)

So instead of learning Romaji, Hiragana ..so forth,

Just learn Hiragana. You never need to look things up written in Romaji.

What I am saying is, "Isn't it an assumption on the Japanese party that because Westerners use alphabets, it is easier for them to learn Japanese with Romaji"

[RobBright 35]

True, Hiragana is more useful than Romaji. But then you could argue the same point that learning Kanji is more useful than Hiragana, so why not start on Kanji?

 

I guess nowadays if you know how the kanji is "written" in hiragana, than that is more useful if you are using a mobile phone or PC.

 

Perhaps it is an assumption on the Japanese party, but then Japanese learners also katakana-rise (if there is such a phrase!) from English too. I guess whatever is easiest for the learner will work but eventually they will have to start using the L2 if they are to fully progress.

[Chriselle 158]

I'm FLUUUUENT!!

 

 

 

 

at gestures!!

[Jynxx 4]

Rob, I'm not going to argue that Kanji is more useful than hiragana.

Actually, I didn't have "useful" in mind. What I do have in mind is when you come across "Kanji combination words" (Jyu-ku-go) you never heard, or don't quite know how to read, you need "furi-gana" the Hiragana in small font size next to that Kanji to read it.

Japanese novels are written up and down, right to left (for those who don't know) and Romaji will not fit to that format.

Katakana is so convenient to identify that indeed the word is of foreign origin but Japa-nised.

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Jynxx

Rob, I'm not going to argue that Kanji is more useful than hiragana.

I wasn't arguing either.

"you could argue..." is a figure of speech.

[Jynxx 4]

Yeah, I know. Just letting you know I'm not getting baited.

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Jynxx

Yeah, I know. Just letting you know I'm not getting baited.

Oh I know how to bait you.

[thursday 1]

a massive one.