Comments on: An Intro to Learning Japanese With Mnemonics http://www.tofugu.com/2013/05/31/an-intro-to-learning-japanese-with-mnemonics/ A Japanese Language & Culture Blog Sun, 13 Apr 2014 10:14:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.2 By: snorre http://www.tofugu.com/2013/05/31/an-intro-to-learning-japanese-with-mnemonics/comment-page-1/#comment-152155 Sun, 04 Aug 2013 08:33:00 +0000 http://www.tofugu.com/?p=31205#comment-152155 “There’s a lot of Jews and Shoes.”

.. Busted

]]> By: Paulo http://www.tofugu.com/2013/05/31/an-intro-to-learning-japanese-with-mnemonics/comment-page-1/#comment-113436 Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:45:00 +0000 http://www.tofugu.com/?p=31205#comment-113436 Thanks a lot for this! I guess I would incorporate this type of studying next time.. xD

]]> By: Hector Franco http://www.tofugu.com/2013/05/31/an-intro-to-learning-japanese-with-mnemonics/comment-page-1/#comment-112835 Thu, 06 Jun 2013 19:17:00 +0000 http://www.tofugu.com/?p=31205#comment-112835 This is great stuff. Personally I would remember “ひ” as a smiley face. Now anytime I see it I still can’t help but go “hehehe” in my head. So childish at times but it really does work and you never forget the terms later on!

]]> By: Jon http://www.tofugu.com/2013/05/31/an-intro-to-learning-japanese-with-mnemonics/comment-page-1/#comment-112665 Thu, 06 Jun 2013 15:00:00 +0000 http://www.tofugu.com/?p=31205#comment-112665 Actually, ROY G BIV is slightly inaccurate now. In modern usage, they apparently got rid of indigo (to be honest, I always thought of indigo as simple blue-violet anyway, which is probably the same logic they used), so now it’s ROY G BV.

]]> By: Hinoema http://www.tofugu.com/2013/05/31/an-intro-to-learning-japanese-with-mnemonics/comment-page-1/#comment-109708 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 04:57:00 +0000 http://www.tofugu.com/?p=31205#comment-109708 I’m wary of mnemonics because they seem to encourage reliance on translating things to English, even if it’s as an indirect memory aide. That’s one reason I can’t stand Heisig- you’re relying on extraneous material that will only be so much head clutter later. I know, different strokes, but these methods just rub me the wrong way.

]]> By: Steven Morris http://www.tofugu.com/2013/05/31/an-intro-to-learning-japanese-with-mnemonics/comment-page-1/#comment-109664 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 03:43:00 +0000 http://www.tofugu.com/?p=31205#comment-109664 I think it’s important to note that kanji resources that are sold in Japan introduce mnemonics to help learn characters.

Also, for me, I find that learning kanji which I’ve had the most experience with is the easiest. It’s always easier to learn how to write a kanji that I’ve seen hundreds of times. It’s also easier to remember kanji that I’ve heard spoken aloud many times, regardless of whether I’ve seen them in writing. I think that’s how it works for Japanese people. Perhaps it’s the ultimate form of mnemonics.

On the other hand, when studying kanji, using mnemonic stories that include (or are entirely composed of) Japanese words and/or use of radicals have been the most effective for me– of course that’s in addition to or besides the aforementioned “I’ve heard it/seen it before approach”.

One more thing- for me, I think that going out of one’s way to create mnemonic story or whatever for each and every kanji is excessive. Instead, I study kanji and take practice tests. When I repeatedly miss a kanji, then I’ll create a mneumonic. I think it’s also helpful to create mnemonics for kanji that look similar. Of course, sometimes mnemonic stories just pop up.

I guess one could develop a knack for coming up with mnemonics. I think that’s what it’s all about. Just like vocabulary learned during important/memorable experiences, kanji/vocab learned through mnemonics that have a personal twist are the quickest to be remembered.

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