leonmarino
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- 19 May 2006
- 1,258
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I bought this book a few days ago, and I would like everyone here who is studying not to buy this book.
First, the authors made up their own system of stroke numbers. 子 for example has three strokes. However, for some reason the authors has determined that it is made up of two strokes. The same with the Sinnyuu (the scribble in Kanji's like 道, 辺 etc). Officially it is made up of three strokes. But according to the authors it is made up of two. The same with the Kozato-hen (the Beta in Kanji's like 部).. Three officially, two according to the book.
Second, the radicals. The authors have come up with a system of their own to determine the radicals. Whilst officially the radical is determined by the meaning of the Kanji instead of the position within the Kanji, the system by the authors is based on the position within the Kanji. This is wrong.
Third, but this is a minor point, the Kanji's are printed in a font that I do not find appropriate for a handbook like this one. The problem lies with the ito-hen (the left side of Kanji's such as 紙, 緒). It looks like the three final strokes of the ito-radical are three dots instead of one line and two smaller stokes. It is not a problem to anyone who knows that this is not the proper way to write it, but might be confusing to any beginning student.
Finally, there are some stupid spelling mistakes which I always find irritating.. I found three already. It's not that hard to run a spelling-checker, is it!?
So my conclusion is that this is a bad book for anyone who seriously wishes to study Kanji. If you follow blindly what this book professes, you will most probably fail any Kanji-test. Not a good idea.
..I am interested in knowing others' opinion on this.. Am I overreacting or is this indeed a book not to be recommended to any serious learner of the Japanese writing system?
First, the authors made up their own system of stroke numbers. 子 for example has three strokes. However, for some reason the authors has determined that it is made up of two strokes. The same with the Sinnyuu (the scribble in Kanji's like 道, 辺 etc). Officially it is made up of three strokes. But according to the authors it is made up of two. The same with the Kozato-hen (the Beta in Kanji's like 部).. Three officially, two according to the book.
Second, the radicals. The authors have come up with a system of their own to determine the radicals. Whilst officially the radical is determined by the meaning of the Kanji instead of the position within the Kanji, the system by the authors is based on the position within the Kanji. This is wrong.
Third, but this is a minor point, the Kanji's are printed in a font that I do not find appropriate for a handbook like this one. The problem lies with the ito-hen (the left side of Kanji's such as 紙, 緒). It looks like the three final strokes of the ito-radical are three dots instead of one line and two smaller stokes. It is not a problem to anyone who knows that this is not the proper way to write it, but might be confusing to any beginning student.
Finally, there are some stupid spelling mistakes which I always find irritating.. I found three already. It's not that hard to run a spelling-checker, is it!?
So my conclusion is that this is a bad book for anyone who seriously wishes to study Kanji. If you follow blindly what this book professes, you will most probably fail any Kanji-test. Not a good idea.
..I am interested in knowing others' opinion on this.. Am I overreacting or is this indeed a book not to be recommended to any serious learner of the Japanese writing system?