A Quick Review of the Simple Kanji Index - QuickKanji

What is QuickKanji?

QuickKanji is a simple, usable kanji index for learners of Japanese. I was immediately impressed by its speed and ease of use, especially when it comes to looking up kanji. On the downside there doesn't seem to be much community, yet it has the potential for expansion through community tools like chat, and user generated content.

I would never have know about QuickKanji were it not for this tweet by Andrew (@l_andrew_l on Twitter), the site's creator.



There are detailed instructions about using QuickKanji on the site itself, so I won't attempt to replicate them here. Instead, let's have a look at some pros and cons.

Pros

1. Minimalistic interface. On the home page you have all the interface elements you need to start drilling down to the kanji you want and nothing more. There is a Kanji of the Day in the info panel to get you started. There is also no need to login, no partial results, no blinding ads.
   
   
2. Very fast for look-ups. On the top of the screen are six ways to list kanji; All, Radical, Strokes, Level, On, Kun plus Search and a cookie based Vocab List. Use any of these methods to narrow your search and select the kanji you want to bring up in the info panel.
   
   
3. Native indexing. You won't find any old JLPT lists here to distract you from the task of discovering more kanji. Search for kanji based on radical, stroke number, educational level as defined by the Japanese Ministry of Education, on and kun readings - simple.
   
   
4. Simple discovery of new kanji and compounds. Wherever you are, scanning the lists or drilling down into to the info area, you find opportunties to step off and investigate new kanji and related compounds.
   
   
5. Collaborative tools. Anyone can contribute new kanji and compounds directly from the info panel. Examples sentences can be added to compounds in the list area. Any time you see a kanji compound or example sentence you can vote on that entry's usefullness. Voting affects the order of the lists in which they appear. Useless entries are eventually deleted. There is also a chat feature which allows you to chat with anyone using the site.

Cons

1. Not very well known. I'm not sure how comfortable Andrew is with shameless self promotion but it seems his creation is lacking a little link love. I asked him how long QuickKanji had been live and was surprised to hear over a year.
   
   
2. Very light on compounds and translations. It seems that the handful of translations that have been added have been added by Andrew himself for the purpose of demonstration. Some kanji have plenty of compounds and others none. I wonder if there is some incentive for users to create compounds and translations?
   
   
3. Crowd sourced translation may lead to a reliability problems. Especially when the number of crowd contributions is so small, there aren't enough people to guarantee the quality of entries.
   
   
4. QuickKanji uses only one reference coding system. And it's not even a dictionary reference! Shift_JIS is a ASCII character encoding for Japanese, handy for programmers working with Japanese but not learners. I would have liked to have seen at least one or two dictionary indices so you could at least grab a dictionary when there were no compounds or translations available. It might even encourage people to add entries and compounds.

I'll be looking more closely at how you might be able to use when learning to read Japanese through manga. How would you use it?

Get Your LangFreq On Twitter

New Tool LangFreq Helps to Uncover the Most Common Words on Twitter

Everybody loves Twitter for the people, but not many people know how useful the bots can be. When Evan Williams talked about the impact of persistant communication on being social at LeWeb03 in December 2007, it was in the context of Twitter as a command line interface.

The idea had been around for quite some time and came about as Twitter began to open up the API, heralding the rise of Twitter as a mobile applications platform. A whole ecosystem of apps and bots sprung up around the api, now inhabiting the Twitter fan wiki in various states of (dis)repair.

One of the points Ev liked to make was that too often we ask "What can we add to a product to make it better?" He thought rather we should be asking "What can we take away to create something new?"

The new austerity.

Many of the bots that have sprung relate to productivity or novelty, but there is also a small handful devoted to languages. One of the most recent additions to this burgeoning hive of activity is LangFreq by Zyaga. LangFreq is set of language tools including word frequency, phrase rank and comparison, language translation and identification.

Zyaga and I first talked about his ideas in my Japanese classes on eduFire as he was developing these web tools to compare word frequency across a few languages. During an exchange of emails I suggested that Twitter would not only be a good source of data, but a good platform for a command line interface to his web work.

A Twitter bot is born.

The LangFreq suite of language learning tools is in beta so there is still plenty of work to be done, already it's showing lots of promise. LangFreq is built on the simple premise that someone studying the 100 most frequent words in any language would be much further ahead than someone studying 100 words at random.

Linguists have long been aware that there might be some advantage to learners in identifying a core vocabulary^[1]. There are a certain number of high frequency words in each language that cover a large proportion of words in common use^[2]. The notion of a core vocabulary has also become a central principle of some language learning systems, notably Pimsleur.

LangFreq addresses the need to know these most frequent words simply and cleanly on the website for English and Spanish. For Japanese however, the situation is a little more difficult. The trouble with Japanese is that it is difficult to define where one word ends and another begins^[3]. Although it is possible that breaking words down into smaller units makes it easier to work with, doing so limts the applicability of the tool.

Japanese is a language largely built on compunds of two or more kanji and the okurigana that helps identify the nature of the verb conjugation or adjectival inflection. It will be interesting to see how Zyaga solves this computational problem. It might be worthwhile taking another look at Jim Breen's classic Japanese dictionary WWWJDIC, or looking at the work of Rick Noelle and his Japanese Sentence Parser which uses the MeCab morphological analyzer.

Taking a closer look at the bot.

Please go and take a closer look at the bot @langfreq, I'll be doing an indepth comparison with some other similar bots in the next week or so.



It's pretty easy to get started. There are only four commands including help, rank, translate and identify. The bot is an elegant way to get this kind of information about core words when you are out and about.

Have a play around with it and tell me what you think. Do you use bots like these?



1. Carter, Ronald. “Is there a Core Vocabulary? Some Implications for Language Teaching*.” Applied Linguistics 8, no. 2 (February 1, 1987): 178-193.



2. Nation, I. S. P. Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge Univ Pr, 2001. [pdf]

3. Douglas, M. O. “Japanese Cloze Tests: Toward Their: Construction.” [pdf]

Smart.fm introduces open lists

On Thursday smart.fm introduced open lists, a small feature with huge potential. This almost unnoticeable feature brings the power of crowd-sourcing to smart.fm. In the past list creators have had to rely on notes from list users in the comments to highlight alternative translations, points to improve upon or words to add. Now creators can open lists to everyone, so they can be modified, improved and expanded.


The feature appears alongside the visibility options on the the list edit page. Both options have been moved to the top of the page and now show who can see and edit the list.

The feature is easy enough to use but it does come with a downside that contributors have the same administration rights as you do in maintaining the list. For that reason you'll need to make sure that you only make content public that you are willing to have changed. Also, a warning that once you open your list, there is no turning back.

When you open a list, your avatar will appear in a contributors box, ranked by the number of contributions. Anybody seeing the list for the first time will see the same edit listbuilder and sort list icons.

A lot of the discussion that centres around lists, has to do with changes or alternative translations so it makes sense to open them up so changes can be made by everyone.

There are a few small interface issues that need to be worked out, including how you can see which of your own lists are open. Something else I'd like to see is a way of finding lists that are open so I can contribute to them.

It sounds as though there are lots of good things to come from the smart.fm team in their effort to make things more social. To get into the spirit of things I am opening up three of my most popular lists so you can contribute to them, go crazy!

Expressive Japanese Adverbs
Adverbs you can use to express yourself colourfully in Japanese. Originally for my students in Fast Track to Fluency in Japanese on eduFire, now it's yours to add your own flair!


Essential Japanese Groceries
Food and other things you might need to buy to survive a few weeks in Japan. Made originally for students of Japanese for Beginners on eduFire. If you want to expand on this list, feel free!


Useful Everyday Japanese Expressions
Habit forming phrases for everyday use. Originally intended for my class, Japanese for Absolute Beginners on eduFire. Now an open list so you can make it more useful than ever!


If you're using these lists already, I want to see your avatar in the contributors box, especially if you've commented about changes that need to be made. If you're not using smart.fm, get on it right away!

A Review of the Japanese Learning Tool Nihongoup

I am usually apprehensive about downloading applications off the internet that I don't know much about. It's important for me that the recommendation comes from a trusted source. So I'm glad today to introduce you to something that comes from a friend, in the hope that you'll find it useful in your study.

Phillip Seyfi, a student in one of my eduFire classes, has been working on a tool to help with his Japanese study. I always wondered why he was often the first with the translations of words I was writing in the session notes. Then just over a week ago, he shared his secret weapon with the class.

Philip Seyfi:http://nihongoup.com/ launched! Feel free to try it out and please leave feedback if you have any ideas or find a bug :)
Philip Seyfi:thnx ^^

Learn Japanese the fun way | Nihongoup


Nihongoup is a Japanese review tool that aims to improve your Input Method Editor (IME) typing speed, kanji recognition and particle usage.

Download and Installation

Nihongoup works on Windows Mac OSX and Linux via Adobe AIR. The AIR platform makes it a breeze to install (pun intended) and keeps you up-to-date with the latest versions as they become available. Because it's a desktop application you can play off-line, and I'm told that future versions may take advantage of access to the file system or system tray notifications in ways that web applications can't.


When I installed it I ignored the warning message that told me the AIR application needed unrestricted system access, felt the fear, and did it anyway. Apparently this issue is common across all AIR applications and the flash developer community has asked Adobe many times to remove it.

The trial version runs for 15 days, which is more than enough time to get a good feel for the program.

The full version, which gives you free access to all future updates and other goodies is a bargain at only $4.99 US, payments processed via PayPal.

Game Play

On launch I was a little unprepared for music to come blaring out of the speakers, but happy to listen to it once I got in to the rhythym of Manolo Camp's electronic music, knocking kana balloons from the sky. I would have liked the option to start with music 'off', and a selection of tracks to choose from.


The program is broken up in four panels katakana, hiragana, kanji and particles. Kanji is broken up again into the first three levels of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), although at the moment only JLPT 4 sentence lists are available.


The sentences at the bottom of the screen in the kanji and particle tests are a little too light too read, and I found myself scanning quickly from the top to the bottom of the screen. I was challenged by the speed at which the characters came down the screen, particularly towards the end of each session.

The placement of keys to select each of the four characters in the kanji and particle test screens could have been more game-like. On my laptop keyboard my fingers were bunched in the top left hand corner of the key board to get at the numbers 1 through 4. I'm told that support for the number pad on the keyboard is included in the latest version, but I doubt it would make much difference on a laptop keyboard.


For the beginner to intermediate learner of Japanese, the repetition that comes with the practice of typing IME hiragana and katakana on the keyboard is really important, especially if you never intend to write the kana by hand. Spaced Repetition Software (SRS) like ANKI and Read The Kanji don't really address this aspect of getting to know hiragana and katakana through typing at speed. Perhaps IME input could be extended to the kanji screens as well? This would reinforce knowledge of the kanji readings (On-yomi and Kun-yomi), and give the learner practice at keying kanji.

Nihongoup isn't Spaced Repetition Software per se, but Philip tells me there are plans to implement a new SRS algorithm soon.

The Verdict

Nihongoup matches the demands of parts of the JLPT well, in that you are forced to choose the correct kana, kanji or particles quickly. It makes learning Japanese a game of speed and skill. If you were dedicated to using it every day you could quite easily master the hiragana and katakana within the trial period.


Part of my philosophy of learning is that if you keep it fun and always maintain the mind of a beginner then learning is never a chore. Nihongoup suits my playful and inquisitive nature. I always want to see if I can improve upon my top score.


There are a few good options for software to help you remember and use kana and kanji, but it is by no means a crowded market. There is certainly room for improvement in this application, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops.

The Future

I asked Philip what plans he had for the future of this Japanese language game and this is what he had to say;

"In my opinion it's the synchronization between different computers, community interaction and similar features that can make Japanese learning a much more streamlined and enjoyable experience... It's a fairly ambitious project..."

Ambitious indeed, sometimes I feel privileged to be surrounded by so many talented people.


I know some of my friends are already using Nihongoup, are you? If you've tried it, what do you think? If you haven't, what are you waiting for?


Nihongoup was designed and developed by Philip Seyfi. You can find more about Philip and his work at divita, follow him on Twitter, or contact him by mail.

In a grove - what's your version of Japanese?

Let a Ghost Dog Teach You Some Language Learning Tricks

A recent post on Rashomon by Jon got me thinking about the relationship between culture and language learning, and how inseparable the two are. Language does not occur in a vacuum, and often we forget to lift our heads up from the kanji cards and textbooks long enough to soak up the culture that is all around us.

One of my favourite movies of all time is Jim Jarmusch's "Ghost Dog - The way of the Samurai", where Forrest Whitaker plays a hit man retained by the Mafia. Ghost Dog, despite being 500 years too late and on the other side of the world, sees himself as samurai and lives by the warrior code of Bushido. It is clear the reclusive Ghost Dog doesn't see the world in quite the same way that others do.


Rashômon (Cast) by bluelephant, on Flickr

Do you face your daily study with a warrior's conviction?

Ghost Dog has given himself over to the way of the warrior, each day he faces death with the same sense of fearless conviction. The books he reads are therefore not just an aid to his study, they are his reason for it. His adopted culture forms a framework for understanding and responding to interactions he has with other characters in the movie.

When we are learning a second language, culture becomes even more crucial to making sense of things. Can you imagine learning Japanese without having any notion of kimono, samurai or sushi? Some people cringe when they hear about my love of natto, but can really say you've tasted Japan without trying it, or many of the other unsavoury foods you can find there?

Akira Kurosawa chose the old gate at the southern end of Kyoto, to frame his film Rashomon in the dim light of moral decay. Ghost Dog gives Rashomon and Other Stories as a gift to a young girl he befriends in the park. It is not well known that the plot for the film Rashomon was based on a short story, "In a grove" by Akutagawa Ryūnosuke, in which seven unreliable narrators tell of the murder of a samurai and the rape of his wife.

Giles Murray has written an excellent translation of the story, accompanied by the original Japanese text and readings in Japanese in his book "Breaking into Japanese Literature".

"In a grove" may have been one of the books read by Whitaker in Ghost Dog. It's a classic of modern Japanese literature, that demonstrates how each person constructs their own version of reality. When I read it's multiple points of view, I get a chaotic and contradictory picture of what should be a simple crime of passion.

How do you immerse yourself in Japanese, especially authentic Japanese? Do you believe we construct our own version of reality when we learn another language? How so?