Kanji Clues: A Mnemonic Approach to Mastering Japanese Characters introduces a novel approach to character acquisition that combines the ancient practice of memory enhancement with a modern appreciation for active learning.
By placing phonology at the center of the reading-writing process, the learner establishes an essential link between sound and meaning before addressing each character’s orthography, much in the way native speakers do. Another prominent feature of these volumes is that the lessons are organized thematically according to components in order to enhance their retention and to distinguish between similar looking kanji. As a result, character order is determined by the frequency of their primary elements or components. Once a character is learned, it retains the same meaning when it appears as an element in other characters. There is thus an internal recycling of components and characters throughout the course that serves as an additional aid to their retrieval. Proceeding from components and characters, each lesson then introduces ten new compounds, half of which appear in sentences. Here again, the learner actively forges meaningful links by responding to the clues provided. Indeed, the entire learning sequence is based upon mnemonic principles, such as attention, association, and elaboration, which, when employed together, comprise a memory-enhancing network that facilitates accurate recall and retention.
Designed for students who wish to master the Japanese reading/writing system, each volume is comprised of a year’s worth of lessons, which can be used alongside a primary textbook, as well as for self-study, reference, or review. Upon completion of the course, the learner will have not only mastered all the 2,136 everyday use characters, but also be familiar with more than 1,200 kanji compounds and the most common sentence patterns in the Japanese language, thereby providing a deep understanding of the inner workings of the language and the tools to decipher new words.
Volume 2 is an ideal supplementary resource for students throughout their second year of Japanese-language study.
By:
John Esposito
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 246mm,
Width: 174mm,
Weight: 630g
ISBN: 9780367441555
ISBN 10: 0367441551
Pages: 370
Publication Date: 24 November 2020
Audience:
College/higher education
,
Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction: Elements of a Mnemonic Network, From Mnemonic Principles to Practice, Weekly Course Outline, Clue Principles as Simple as ABC, How to Make Best Use of This Book, For Love of Kanji Lessons: 52. Person-To-Person 53. Under Water 54. With All One’s Heart 55 Fire And Ice. Review: Lessons 51-55. 56. Mouthpiece 57. In Other Words 58. Hanging By A Thread 59. Come To One’s Senses 60. For Good Measure. Review: Lessons 56-60. 61. Color Coded 62. Devil’s Claw 63. Stop Horsing Around 64. Jewelry Box 65. Sick Days. Review: Lessons 61-65. 66. Weather Report 67. Make An Entrance 68. Plant Oneself 69. Weapons Strike 70. The High Ground. Review: Lessons 66-70. 71. Get Moving 72. Woman Of The World 73. Bend Over Backward 74. Easy Money 75. Keep One’s Head Above Water. Review: Lessons 71-75. 76. On The Farm 77. Wine And Dine 78. Raise The Roof 79. Body Language 80. Take Wing. Review: Lessons 76-80. 81. Forest Denizens 82. Wait On Hand And Foot 83. People Power 84. Watering Hole 85. In The Wild. Review: Lessons 81-85. 86. It Takes A Village 87. Rice Dish 88. Nice Threads 89. A Bird In The Hand 90. Fishing Boat. Review: Lessons 86-90. 91. Put Words in Someone’s Mouth 92. Metal Detector 93. Wetlands 94. Dance Steps 95. Moon Diviner. Review: Lessons 91-95. 96. A Well Of Compassion 97. Thirst For 98. Out Of Hand. 99.Wooden Words. 100. Garden Variety. Review: Lessons 96-100. 101. Strange Bedfellows 102. Odds And Ends Appendixes: 1. Kanji Components 2. Secondary Pronunciations and Acronyms 3. Secondary Meanings and Acronyms
John Esposito is Professor in the School of Global Studies at Chukyo University, Nagoya, Japan.
