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INTRODUCTION

When trying to come to grips with the many facets of learning a foreign language, many students of the language have to contend in particular with the area of memorization of vocabulary. The Japanese language, too, presents its own unique problems. Not only does Japanese have a complex writing system with a rich heritage, but it has its own native writing systems, as well. Each of these aspects of the written language contributes to the richness of Japanese vocabulary. In particular, in recent times, Japanese is adopting increasing numbers of gairaigo or loanwords, adding to the complexity and color of the language. It was with these things in mind that the idea of ‘Japanese in a Flash’ was conceived, in an attempt to create a useful memory aid for students trying to learn vocabulary items.

Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 continues the work covered in Volume 1. The 448 items included in Volume 2 have been compiled from a selection of Japanese textbooks aimed at the elementary to intermediate levels. Of course, it is no easy task to determine what can be classified as useful and what not, but it is hoped that the list of vocabulary items will prove to be of a practical nature. The Japanese in a Flash vocabulary card series is meant to complement the Kanji Card series, so efforts have been made to avoid duplication of similar items.

The front of each card presents a single vocabulary item in large, bold typeface. The kanji used to write the item are from the Jōyō Kanji list, as prescribed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Where necessary, the kanji are accompanied by furigana to help recognition and memory recall. Four related words or phrases then appear. In Volume 2, more idioms are introduced, wherever possible, as the acquisition of these kinds of expressions represents a somewhat more complex and yet unavoidable aspect of the language.

The back of each card is devoted to introducing the Romanized readings for the items and the related terms, together with English equivalents. A sample sentence is also included, incorporating a related usage, to help clarify the meaning. The number on the front and back of each card refers to the number of the vocabulary item in the Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 set, which also appears in the index of this booklet.

For facility of use, the items have been presented in alphabetical order, with the List of Cards and Index being arranged in the same way, in a Romanized format.

Finally, it is hoped that you, the students of the Japanese language, will be able to make good use of the Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 card set to facilitate memorization. By incorporating the use of the cards into your everyday study regimen, the task of making a vocabulary item as part of your own active vocabulary may not seem quite as overwhelming as first thought.

WHAT’S ON THE CARDS?

The front of each card presents a single vocabulary item in large, clear typeface for easy recognition. If the item is written using kanji included in the Jōyō Kanji list, then it will appear in this form, with accompanying furigana, otherwise it will be printed in hiragana. Appearing on the front of the card, beneath the headword are four related words or phrases. I use this expression somewhat loosely, as such items cannot be described as compounds, as they were referred to in the previous card sets. In some cases, the related terms may be items that share a Chinese character included in the headword. The items presented may be synonyms or even antonyms of the headword. They may be set expressions or ‘greetings’ which are an important part of the Japanese language. In some instances, the item may be an idiom, a frequently used expression or even a saying. It was determined that a variety of ‘related words or phrases’ would expose the student of Japanese to a more varied range of vocabulary.

The back of each card is devoted to presenting the readings for the headwords and the related terms, together with English equivalents. A sample sentence has been provided on each card, incorporating one of the terms presented on the front of the card to introduce the item in a context which will help to clarify the meaning. The number on the front and back of each card refers to the number of the vocabulary item in the Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 card set, which is also used in the index (page 16 of this booklet).

USING THE CARDS

As has been previously mentioned, the cards in Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 will most effectively be used when incorporated with a systematic approach to learning Chinese characters. The cards themselves use the characters from Jōyō Kanji with the occasional so-called ‘advanced kanji’, so it would be beneficial for the student of Japanese to try and learn to write the particular vocabulary item as soon as possible.

Of course, this presents the student with one of the difficult aspects of the acquisition of the language. Trying to learn how to use a particular vocabulary item is quite a different matter from learning how to write it. For this reason, the romanized forms of the vocabulary items have been provided. However, it should be said that students would be encouraged to learn to recognize a word in at least its hiragana form, without becoming too reliant upon the use of romanization.

Setting a target of a number of items per week is often an effective way of approaching the problem of learning vocabulary. The cards are compact and can be carried easily and thus can be used in any number of situations, where time allows. Recognizing a particular word or phrase is really only one part of the process of learning. Vocabulary items need to be written as well—constant repetition and practice will ensure that the particular term is stored away in the memory for future use, or at least, recognition. As new items are memorized, older ones become less familiar and may be forgotten, so review should play an important part in the use of the cards.

The Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 card set is designed to be readily used by the individual, but of course, the applications for use with a friend or a number of people are also clear. Who knows? It may even come to the point of having to strategically mount certain cards so that constant exposure to the cards facilitates memorization.

Finally, allow me to wish you luck in your study of the Japanese language. May the Japanese in a Flash Vol. 2 set of cards prove to be an effective memorization tool in your studies.

John Millen

*Also published by Tuttle Publishing: Kana Cards (ISBN 0-8048-3550-0), and Kanji Cards Volumes 1 to 4 (ISBNs 0-8048-3397-4 (Vol. 1), 0-8048-3398-2 (Vol. 2), 0-8048-3685-X (Vol. 3), 0-8048-3686-8 (Vol. 4)) are titles in the TUTTLE FLASHCARDS series.