Language learning essay Difficulties in memorizing kanji U4582615 Zy kumano The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate the difficulties

s I have in memorize Japanese kanji. Japanese is the third language I have studied, including my mother tongue Bahasa Indonesia, and English my second language. In addition, Japanese is the first language I have learned that uses different writing system such as Kanji. Therefore, this had brought upon challenges especially for individuals of non-Chinese characters culture background like myself. I have great difficulties in memorizing kanji characters because their similarities of stroke puzzled me. In order for me to overcome this problem I have chosen a method called imaginative memory, which uses illustration and mnemonic hint. Kanji simply means Chinese character in Japanese. The Japanese kanji script was originated and created in China. The Japanese had taken the form and the structure of Chinese character and modifying in order to suit the Japanese pronunciation and conceptualization. Kanji is a different writing system from the alphabet and other phonographic writing system therefore its challenging for a non-kanji background learner to learn this type of writing system. Kanji is conceptualized as logograms, which indicate that each kanji character carries meanings and sounds (Banno et al 2009: 7). Kanji is used for conceptual words mainly substantives, verbs and adjectives (Hadamitzky et al 1981: 9). In addition, in most cases Kanji is also used to represent family name such as Sato () and Suzuki (). The Japanese government had announced that there are 1,945 commonly used kanji (Banno et al 2009: 17). This is the number an individual have to remember in order to be able to read and understand 1

newspaper and magazines in Japanese. Every kanji in Japanese contains some radicals. Those radicals can stand alone as a kanji such as and , while others such as --) cannot stand alone (Banno et al 2009: 19). There are more than one pronunciations of a kanji. As a result, there is an on-yomi pronunciation that is taken from the Chinese pronunciation and Kun-yomi, which is taken from the Japanese pronunciation. In order for an individual to get the right reading for kanji they have to be able to memorize more than one meaning for one kanji. In my experienced in learning Japanese, I have great difficulties in memorizing Kanji. I realize that I couldn't manage to memorize and keep all the kanji characters in my head without forget some kanji that I have learnt in the pass. Every time I tried to memorize a kanji character, the similarity of the kanji always puzzled me. For this reason it has been vitally challenging for me to memorize the kanji form, because when similar kanji shows up I wouldn't know which one is which, in addition I wouldn't be able to recall the pronunciation and meaning for it. The reason is because I don't view these kanji as symbols, rather I view them as strokes of lines. This problem occurs more often in complicated kanji that contains many components of stroke. Unable to memorize kanji easily also leads me to some other problem for instance, checking up the kanji character in my electronic dictionary. This is because in order for me to check the kanji character in my electronic dictionary I need to know the meaning or the pronunciation of that particular kanji. In my situation I have no clue of both the pronunciation and the meaning. This of course doesn't give me other potion other than searching the kanji in the thick kanji dictionary. Furthermore, it is hard for me to memorize Kanji because I personally don't use kanji everyday. Probably I only used kanji five hours a week, which is not enough for me to be able to memorize the kanji without forgetting them easily. In addition, every week I wouldn't

necessarily use the same kanji over and over again, which makes it even harder for me to memorize the kanji characters. The solution to my problem in memorizing kanji could be tackled by using imaginative memory. Rather than just trying to force oneself in repetition in writing the same kanji over and over again in order to memorize it. The kanji look and learn book had presented a fun and easy way to learn kanji characters by using illustration and mnemonic hint. The illustration and mnemonic hints link both the kanji characters shape and its meaning, this is done in order for individuals to create an unforgettable image in their head of a particular kanji. For example, the kanji character for black is (). By using our imagination, the kanji character for black is split into two kanji, which are the kanji character for rice filed () and the kanji for soil (). In making memorizing easier the book gives out a sentence such The rice field () was burned and the soil () turned black (Banno et al 2009: 60). The four little stroke on the bottom of the kanji character black () represent the fire that burned the rice field (Banno et al 2009: 60). By using this method in memorizing my kanji I believe it will help solve my problem, by memorizing kanji easier and not forgetting it. In conclusion, kanji is one of Japanese writing system that was taken from china, which uses logograms. From my own experience Im having great difficulties memorizing kanji characters, without forgetting the one I have memorize earlier. It is crucial to memorize the kanji character in order to be able to search the kanji character in my electronic dictionary rather than checking it in the thick kanji paper dictionary. In order to tackle this problem I have found a technique called imaginative memory that enable me to memorize kanji and not forgetting it easily. The kanji learn

and look had created an illustration and mnemonic hints, which connects the meaning and the form of the kanji together.

Bibliography: Banno, Eri, Ikeda, Yoko, Shinagawa, Chikako, Tajima, Kaori, and Tokashiki, Kyoto. 2009. Kanji look and learn: 512 kanji with illustration and mnemonic hints. Tokyo : The Japan Times. Hadamitzky, Wolfgang, and Spahn. Mark. 1981. Kanji and kana: A handbook of Japanese writing system. Tokyo: Tuttle publishing.