View topic - Beginner´s Japanese script

by **Zvono11** » Sun 09.27.2009 1:59 pm

I have bought this book few months ago. It is for learning writing and reading in Japanese. It is published by ˝Teach Yourself˝ and it is written by Helen Gilhooly. She works as a professor at university in London.... Does anyone here have this book, or does anyone use this book to learn Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana??? What do you think about it???

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yourself-Beginners-Japanese-Script-Scripts/dp/0340860243

by **Kakads** » Mon 09.28.2009 5:37 am

I have this!
I really enjoyed this book when I went through it, it helped me memorise a lot of the basic kanji you see as well as the kana. It also gives you a lot of chances to practice your reading. Well worth it.

by **Infidel** » Mon 09.28.2009 6:35 pm

I like it as a sort of kanji primer. If you find kanji intimidating and mysterious, then by the end of the book you be a lot more comfortable with them. But I don't consider it to be a book for learning kanji, it's more a book for learning about learning kanji.

A good read and cheap. It's not really a "kanji book" so I can recommend it even to complete newbies.

As we tell everyone, don't buy kanji books though. If you want to learn kanji get a textbook that teaches kanji, don't try to learn them seperately in a kanji book, unless you already know a few thousand Japanese words, then go ahead.

by **Zvono11** » Thu 10.01.2009 11:20 am

Infidel wrote:I like it as a sort of kanji primer. If you find kanji intimidating and mysterious, then by the end of the book you be a lot more comfortable with them. But I don't consider it to be a book for learning kanji, it's more a book for learning about learning kanji.

A good read and cheap. It's not really a "kanji book" so I can recommend it even to complete newbies.

As we tell everyone, don't buy kanji books though. If you want to learn kanji get a textbook that teaches kanji, don't try to learn them seperately in a kanji book, unless you already know a few thousand Japanese words, then go ahead.

Really??? Well, thanks for advice... I will probably start learning Japanese in a evening school next year... I also have a book called Essential Japanese published by Berlitz....

by **vodesny** » Thu 10.01.2009 11:37 am

I also have this book. I though it was a fun read, with lots of pictures and exersises to go through. As a note, a lot of the "teach yourself" series are very good. I have also tried "Teach Yourself Beginner's Japanese" and "Teach Yourself Japanese". I loved the second one, it had loads of explanations and forms in it.

The only diadvantage with that book is that it doens't have the readings in it, or at least only at the end. But otherwise, it's a very good book!

by **Zvono11** » Sun 10.04.2009 2:10 pm

vodesny wrote:I also have this book. I though it was a fun read, with lots of pictures and exersises to go through. As a note, a lot of the "teach yourself" series are very good. I have also tried "Teach Yourself Beginner's Japanese" and "Teach Yourself Japanese". I loved the second one, it had loads of explanations and forms in it.
The only diadvantage with that book is that it doens't have the readings in it, or at least only at the end. But otherwise, it's a very good book!

I agree with you about this book...it is great book...the only disadvatage is that it doesn´t contain readings....but writing is explained very good...