"Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson" <ken_nicolson@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1hoe40duj3mdas4ita2lfqj46sn2jha4on@4ax.com...
> On Thu, 4 Mar 2004 14:36:43 +0900, "Ryan Ginstrom"
> >How is that? I recently tried out Kanji Gold, but their quiz system
leaves a
> >lot to be desired. You can get the kanji right as long as you know at
least
> >1 reading -- but I almost always know at least one reading for the joyo
> >kanji. It's the other ones that trip me up.
>
> Well, you can't beat the price, but you must download a separate file
> with just the joyo kanji in it. I also had to manually add a couple of
> dozen extra sample words for some of the readings that weren't in the
> dictionary file.
>
> The way I used it was to first cut the input kanji DB to the 1006
> basic kanji, then once all these were mastered, I pasted in the
> remaining ones.

This seems like a lot of work.
But do you have a system whereby you can test on individual readings, not
"get at least one reading right?"

> One thing to note is that you learn to read the kanji in context
> and/or from the English gloss, although the guys in s.l.j say that
> reading in isolation or producing from memory is as important.

Reading what in isolation from what? I'm afraid I'm not very current on the
slj consensus.

> However, if your prime goal is to just to be able to read more (or
> look up the dictionary faster!) then it's a great program. The way is
> brings learnt words back into circulation is reaaly great for
> reinforcement.

Well, the nature of my job is such that I actually do quite a bit of
reading. And in areas I am familiar with, I am pretty fast.
The problems I need to address kanji-wise are (1) "holes" in my knowledge
(for instance not knowing the kun readings of a lot of kanji I only ever
spot in compounds); and (2) fading ability to write a lot of kanji.

I tried playing around with kanji kentei 3/2-kyuu master, but it focuses too
much on those damn yoji jukugo, and a big feature of the programs is
printing out and taking paper tests. If I wanted paper tests I'd buy a
workbook, damn it. I want to do it all on the PC.

Lately I've been thinking about taking some sort of penji class to help with
my writing.

> I failed as I should have learnt 170 or so conjunctions and verb
> endings from an awfully dull book, but I have little motivation for
> that sort of thing. Resitting level 2 should allow me to pass, and if
> I put in the effort I could maybe get level 1, but I don't really want
> to study just for a test, I want to get real skills!

True. The test could be a motivator, but it didn't motivate me last time.

What I really want to do is find a way to keep improving my Japanese. I
don't want to get comfortable with my level of Japanese, and wind up
speaking some sub-dialect.

> I understand the subtitles better than the spoken J on most
> entertainment shows...

I think those things are great for a Japanese learner, I wish they had
started doing them 10 years ago. That and the shiwa news, where they read
all the text for the news and put furigana on top. And those dramas for the
sight impaired, where they describe everything happening on the screen.
That's a great way to pick up vocabulary that's otherwise hard to learn.

> It's MEI - and yes, unless I somehow get something promising in the
> translation line, but I don't know the first thing about that
> industry!

Oh-ho, so you've been thinking about getting into translation. There is a
real niche for people with technical knowledge. It seems like 95% of the
foreigners who learn Japanese are bunkakei-types. There is a premium on the
ability to read and understand a technical Japanese document, and write
something convincing in English. That and your insider knowledge of MEI
lingo and technology, and there should be a decent amount of work.

I'm not sure if level 2- is good enough to translate, but more important
than that you need to be able to read and understand technical documents in
your field of specialty very well, and write equivalent English the way a
specialist in the field would expect to see it.

If you have any specific questions about the translation industry, feel free
to mail me at ryang at gol dot com.

> Next year I should be applying for me life sentence - I mean
> my Permanent Residency thingie...

I'm probably going to apply this year or the next as well.

-- 
Regards,
Ryan Ginstrom