Path: ccsf.homeunix.org!news.moat.net!newsfeed.mesh.ad.jp!newsfeed.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp!news-xfer.nntp.sonic.net!208.201.224.154.MISMATCH!typhoon.sonic.net!not-for-mail From: "Rachael Sandefer" Subject: Re: Japanese PDAs Newsgroups: fj.life.in-japan References: <1131111314.048074.184490@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> Message-ID: User-Agent: Opera M2/8.02 (Win32, build 7680) Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; delsp=yes; charset=utf-8 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Lines: 44 Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 14:01:31 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 219.109.205.21 X-Complaints-To: abuse@sonic.net X-Trace: typhoon.sonic.net 1131112891 219.109.205.21 (Fri, 04 Nov 2005 06:01:31 PST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 06:01:31 PST Xref: ccsf.homeunix.org fj.life.in-japan:30287 On Fri, 04 Nov 2005 05:35:14 -0800, wrote: >> Specifically, how was it for english speaker learning japanese? > > Invaluable. The handwriting input system is fantastic, and for more > complicated kanji you can input just one *part* of the kanji and search > for that, then refine the search by adding more parts or specifying the > stroke count, etc.. Quite possibly the coolest part. I can't tell you how impressed I was when I scribbled 語 as a verticle sprawl with a circlish thing at the bottom, then sort-of-an-S plus circle. And low-and-behold it figured it out. The machine can actually do something I can't do at all -- read non-block-style kanji. :) > > Monkeyboy says he's "not really impressed with the applications that > come with the unit itself (except for the Japanese/English > dictionary)". I agree, except that the J/J dictionaries (kokugo and > kanji readings) are just as good as the J/E dictionary (sometimes > better). I don't bother with the other features. I don't even hook the > Zaurus up with the computer any more. But as a kanji-deciphering tool > it's great. That and a 五體字鑒 (also written as 五体字鑒, > Gotai Jikan - a listing of variant kanji forms) will crack all but the > most obscure kanji. Yet another book to get. Good thing I like them. ;) It sounds like you are probably past using flashcards and/or studying intently everyday, but I gather then you never loaded such a thing on your Zaurus? > While we're on the subject of useful resources, if you don't already > know it, check out Jim Breen's online dictionary: > http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/%7Ejwb/wwwjdic.html (thanks, Jim; that's > been a great help!). Use it all the time (well, dictionaries that use edict anyway...) The online version is useful more often since it has links to other dictionaries, plus SOD, etc. Rachael