Kanken DS 2 released!

Kanken DS 2 hit shelves today. This is the latest kanji training game from Rocket Company. Check out a demo version on their website by clicking where it says 漢検DS2/英検DS 体験版.

In the meantime, check out the commercial featuring sexy doctor Ayako Nishikawa.




Check back soon for an in-depth review!

Nintendo DS to hit primary school classrooms

In the past, I have reported on Nintendo DS software being used in junior high school and university classrooms. Starting soon, two titles from Rocket Company will be showing up in the primary school classroom as well.

Students at the Notre Dame Elementary School (Kyoto) will be using Kanken DS 2 and Eiken DS as supplementary learning materials. Kanken DS 2 is, of course, the sequel to Rocket Company's bestselling Kanken DS, featuring quizzes and games based on the Kanken exam.

The Eiken, or Test in Practical English Proficiency (実用英語技能検定), is a test administered in Japan in which learners of English can gauge their proficiency level.

Notre Dame plans to use this opportunity to test the effectiveness of Nintendo DS software in the classroom. Both Notre Dame and Rocket Company will use the data collected to work towards creating new software and materials. They are also aiming for implementation of Nintendo DS-based learning across the country.

You can find more information in the official press release here.

Kanken DS 2 and Eiken DS go on sale September 27th.

via Fuji Sankei Business

Kanji tips from native speakers

A couple days ago, I posted some statistics from Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs. I found another bit of information in the report that I thought deserved its own post, so I thought I would expand a bit here. The following question was asked to native Japanese speakers.

Which methods were useful for you when learning kanji?

Writing characters out many times 68.7%
Referencing a dictionary 50.9%
Using the convert feature on a computer / word processor 18.0%
Learning about radicals and the structure of kanji 15.4%
Reading Chinese scripts 14.5%
Reading text with lots of furigana 14.2%
Reading text with no furigana 13.9%

If you look close enough, I think you'll notice there's a lot of valuable information here.

First, the dreaded idea of writing out kanji being useful!? Although many learners and academics will tell you that repeatedly writing won't help, then why are 68.7% of Japanese people saying it was a useful method for them? My guess is the issue of "context".

When Japanese write out kanji they are studying, the characters are often those they have encountered in some fashion already, be it through writing or reading. The relative familiarity they have with the characters already makes the act of writ repetition more of a reinforcement rather than a strict zero to something learning method. Additionally, the books they use when studying kanji, be they school textbooks or Kanken books, are often full of loads of information. Kanji are usually accompanied by example sentences, words and compounds using the character, details on on and kun readings, radical information. This high degree of context makes each and every character relevant, which brings it to life and makes it real.

On the other hand, non-Japanese learners will often take a less context-oriented approach to writing out kanji. I remember years ago when I would just take a kanji from my textbook and start writing it out in my notebook. I'd write it ten or twenty times, confident that I would remember it when I woke up the next day. But I usually didn't. Back then it just got me aggravated. Now I can look back and see how it wasn't a very good approach. You can't just tear kanji away from any sort of context and hope to master it.

If you want to learn how to write kanji, you need to practice writing. But you can't do it within a vacuum. You need to supply yourself with context. You need to read as well. You need to practice writing in a variety of situations. Interaction is key. As a non-native speaker of Japanese, you need to take the effort to create a similar environment for yourself that native speakers enjoy.

This links up nicely with the 15.4% of native speakers who reported that learning about radicals and the construction of kanji help them learn. While many beginner and intermediate learners may shrug off learning the names for radicals, or even identifying them, is this a wise path too choose? Simply taking a few minutes to define the structural differences between such characters as 持　侍　時 can open your eyes to a wealth of information. Three characters with "ji" as the on reading. The specific meaning of the character defined by the radical. There's a lot of good stuff here for those willing to take the time and effort to pull back the curtains a bit.

Lastly, the final two statistics are quite enlightening. Native speakers are reporting at similar percentages that furigana both helps and hinders.

Reading text with lots of furigana 14.2%
Reading text with no furigana 13.9%

Many learners will argue that furigana interferes with learning of kanji. They will say that having an "easy answer" available derails you from seeking out the answers yourself. While I agree to a point, I think there is some leeway for allowing furigana in to your learning regiment.

What's important is discriminating between needing to know the reading of a character versus needing to know its meaning. If you know what a particular kanji means and have simply forgotten how to read it when hitting upon it in a text, then having the furigana does no real harm. Sure, you could have taken the time to look it up in a dictionary. And while I will agree that this type of reinforcement is useful at times, it can also be obstructive. Your mileage may vary.

However, if you are reading something and hit a kanji you have never seen before or cannot recall the meaning of, it's important to rely not only on the furigana, but to also check the meaning with a dictionary. Knowing how to read a kanji is not the same as knowing what it means. Looking at troublesome kanji in text one character at a time and learning how to respond accordingly is a skill that must be honed with time. Finely hammering out these skills will make things a lot easier in the long run.

Just a little bit of advice from native speakers--and myself. *ahem*

At last, a kanji dictionary for Japan

On September 27, 新潮社 (SHINCHOSHA Publishing Co., Ltd.) will release the 新潮日本語漢字辞典 (Shincho Japanese Kanji Dictionary). The SJKD takes an innovative approach to the kanji dictionary by focusing on kanji-based words and compounds that are strictly Japanese. This is different from the typical 漢和辞典 (Chinese Kanji-Japanese Dictionary) already on the market, which were designed with Chinese kanji and compounds in mind. While the typical 漢和辞典 is useful if you are reading Chinese texts and need to know the Japanese meaning, the SJKD is made for those who are reading or writing Japanese, and want to better understand the kanji--in Japanese.

Since kanji was first introduced to Japan, it has undergone many changes and has been adapted to Japanese in ways that no one could have predicted. One example of this is kanji compounds that are used only in Japanese, such as 浴衣 (yukata) or 秋刀魚 (sanma). Also, before katakana was used for loanwords, kanji was often used to represent foreign words and ideas such as 硝子 (glass) or 倫敦 (London). And with the integration of kanji into Japanese, there are also compounds that feature both kanji and hiragana such as 寄せ鍋 (yosenabe). All of the above compounds are particular to Japanese so they would not be found in a typical 漢和辞典.

You can find kanji in the SJKD using a variety of methods such as searching by radical, on or kun reading, or number of strokes.

via SANKEI EXPRESS

Remembering the kanji?

Something any learner of Japanese can sympathize with is forgetting how to write a particular kanji right when you need it. Whether you're getting ready to mail something or filling out an important application, it's inconvenient and a hassle. It might even be the source of aggravation for some learners. But something to keep in mind is that this happens all the time to native speakers as well. With computers and cell phones playing a tremendous role in people's lives, the "old-fashioned" method of handwriting kanji is at a peculiar precipice.

In a recent survey conducted by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the government checked to see just how Japanese people were coping with forgetting those pesky kanji. The results are pretty interesting.

"How do you look up kanji when you forget how to write it?"

Using a dictionary 60.6%
Using the convert feature on a cell phone 35.3%
Using the convert feature on a PC or word processor 21.3%
Using an electronic dictionary 19.4%
Using an online dictionary 10.1%

I was a bit surprised to see that only 35.3% of those surveyed said they use their cell phones to check kanji. I would have guessed this to be much higher. But if you look at the information divided by age group, then it's very noticeable that checking on a cell phone is the method of choice for younger people, aged 16-39. The percent of people using cell phones for checking start declining quite sharply from age 40 onwards. Japan's aging population is even skewing kanji look up demographics!

You can view the entire report here, which contains more analysis on the above point and a variety of other questions and data.

So how do you look up kanji?
I usually use my cell phone if I am out on the go, but I will use the PC if I am at home or in the office.

via SANKEI EXPRESS

Mondai na Nihongo Review

Mondai na Nihongo (問題な日本語) from Hudson gives you the chance to tweak your Japanese skills and stop making the mistakes that native speakers often make themselves. The title offers a small variety of different question types, tests, and an intuitive interface. There's even a cute cartoon fox.

The biggest chunk of this game is its こつこつモンニチ (training) mode. In this mode, you'll be able to take short, ten-question quizzes on topics such as tricky kanji, elusive expressions, or the proper meaning of words. The basic pace of the game is one quiz per day and six quizzes per week. Once you have finished a week's worth of questions, you take a short test to review what you learned over the last several days. Scoring well on the test will unlock a new comic in the game's gallery that mixes Japanese learning with humor.

Dedicated students won't be left disappointed either. You are free to take more than one quiz per day, and making it to the review test in one sitting isn't too big of a hurdle. The game's flexibility in this regard is much appreciated.

After each question, you can choose to view a brief explanation of the language point, making the game a fantastic resource. Even if you knew the answer, it's usually worth reading the concise, informative background info and expanding your knowledge base. Much of the info found here is described in more detail in the Mondai na Nihongo books. Once you've seen a question in the training mode, you can go back and view it again in the gallery, along with the supplemental information. So as you progress through the thousands of questions available, the game sort of shifts from a quiz-based game to a language resource.

If you get bored with the standard quizzes, you can also go all out in the とことんモンニチ (challenge) mode. This mode features three challenges: survival mode, 3 minute challenge, and the 100 question super challenge.

The game also offers minimal multiplayer functionality, allowing you to select up to ten questions to send to a friend's DS to test their Japanese prowess.

The difficulty of the questions varies, but it's overall a pretty difficult game. It's targeted at native speakers and meant to teach the fine print in the language bible of Japanese. It's got questions on the now infamous ら抜き issue, making out the difference between kanji such as 概 and 慨, and proper use of proverbs and specific grammar patterns. The game isn't meant to teach so much as it is to point out common problems in modern Japanese. I can only recommend this to advanced users who already have a very strong foundation in Japanese and are looking to polish their skills at the near-native level.

The nice interface, decent music, clean design, and 3600 questions available make this a worthy edition to an advanced learner's Nintendo DS library.

Kanji Software Coming to the Wii

According to a press release on NIKKEI NET, Rocket Company will be releasing a kanji-themed game for the Nintendo Wii. The working title is Wiiで漢検グランプリ (Kanji Grand Prix for Wii). Rocket Company has already made a huge impression on the Nintendo DS market with Kanken DS and the upcoming Kanken DS 2.

While the DS titles are aimed at players who want to study by themselves at their own pace, Wiiで漢検グランプリ is intended for multiplayer use, encouraging players to enjoy the title with their friends or family as a group.

The game will feature a variety of minigames based on past questions from the Kanji Kentei. Players will compete against each other using the Wii Remote's simple controls.

Wiiで漢検グランプリ is scheduled for release this winter.

Hudson releases Mondai na Nihongo

Today Hudson's 問題な日本語 (Mondai na Nihongo) went on sale for the Nintendo DS at retailers across Japan. The software is based on a series of books of the same name published by Taishukan and edited by renowned Japanese expert 北原保雄 (Kitahara Yasuo).

Check out the official website for a promotional video, screenshots, and wallpapers.

And check back here at Naruhodo! soon for an in-depth review.