NO SPAM ALLOWED! Discuss stuff not related to Japan or Japanese. The rules are the same in this forum as in the other forums.
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arumanokokoro
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Mon 05.19.2008 10:22 pm
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by arumanokokoro » Tue 05.27.2008 10:50 pm
How do you know where one word ends and the next word starts? I know I am new and will ask a lot of silly questions, let's just consider this the first installment of those questions!^-^
I also want to know if mathematics is easier to learn in Japanese than it is in English?
Thank you for your patience!
Aruma~

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Yudan Taiteki
- Posts: 5609
- Joined: Wed 11.01.2006 11:32 pm
- Native language: English
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by Yudan Taiteki » Tue 05.27.2008 10:54 pm
arumanokokoro wrote:How do you know where one word ends and the next word starts?
By learning the language. The writing system was designed by (and is primarily used by) people who can speak the language, so they know where words start and end. The kanji help some, but they're not a perfect indicator.
I also want to know if mathematics is easier to learn in Japanese than it is in English?
No.
-Chris Kern
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fielle
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Thu 02.28.2008 3:24 pm
- Native language: English
- Gender: Female
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by fielle » Wed 05.28.2008 8:25 am
Most things written for beginners use spaces to distinguish between words. As you get more advanced you get a better sense for word boundaries and can figure out where words start and end using your knowledge of specific words and by knowing what the ends and beginnings of words and phrases "look like". Verbs tend to have specific endings (although there are many endings to choose from). Adjectives also may have particular endings, and there are the various particles that fit the pieces together. Of course, the things that comprise particles can also be used in words, so knowledge of the language is used to determine which is which.