1887
Volume 23, Issue 1
  • ISSN 0155-0640
  • E-ISSN: 1833-7139
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Reading in the Japanese language cannot be accomplished without adequate recognition of kanji words. Abundant research suggests that, when recognizing kanji words, it is crucial to use semantic and phonological information of constituent components of kanji. This paper reports on the results of a study investigating if English-speaking learners of Japanese have the ability to use kanji component information. A test measuring learners’ ability to utilise component information was devised and administered after training sessions. The analysis of the test results suggests that learners of Japanese have an ability to use component information. Judging from the findings of the study, learners are better at using semantic information than using phonological information for processing kanji words

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/aral.23.1.01toy
2000-01-01
2025-02-17
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Adams, R.J. and S.T. Khoo
    (1993) Quest: the interactive test analysis system [computer program]. Hawthorn, Australian Council for Educational Research.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Brown, T.L. and M. Haynes
    (1985) Literacy background and reading development in a second language. In T.H. Carr (ed.) The development of reading skills, 19–34. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Chikamatsu, N.
    (1996) The effects of L1 orthography on L2 word recognition: a study of American and Chinese learners of Japanese. Studies in Second Language Acquisition18: 403–432. doi: 10.1017/S0272263100015369
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263100015369 [Google Scholar]
  4. Dobson, A.
    (1977) Reading strategies of Japanese L2. Paper presented at1997 JSAA, The University of Melbourne.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Flores d’Arcais, G.B. and H. Saito
    (1993) Lexical decomposition of complex kanji characters in Japanese readers. Psychological Research55: 52–63. doi: 10.1007/BF00419893
    https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00419893 [Google Scholar]
  6. Flores d’Arcais, G.B. , H. Saito , and M. Kawakami
    (1995) Phonological and semantic activation in reading kanji characters. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition21, 1: 34–42.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Hatano, G.
    (1986) How do Japanese children learn to read?: orthographic and eco-cultural variables. In B.R. Foorman and A. W. Siegel (eds) Acquisition of reading skills: cultural constraints and cognitive universals. 81–114. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Huang, H.S. and J.R. Hanley
    (1994) Phonological awareness and visual skills in learning to read Chinese and English. Cognition54: 73–98. doi: 10.1016/0010‑0277(94)00641‑W
    https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0277(94)00641-W [Google Scholar]
  9. Kaiser, S.
    (1996) Rhyme in kanji learning: an examination of its use for kanji learners from non-kanji backgrounds. Journal of Japanese Language Teaching11: 99–112.
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Koda, K.
    (1987) Cognitive strategy transfer in second language reading. In J. Devine , P.L. Carrell and D.E. Eskey (eds) Research in reading in English as a Second Language, 127–144. Washington D.C., TESOL.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. (1989) Effects of L1 orthographic representation on L2 phonological coding strategies. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research18, 2: 201–222.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. (1992) The effects of lower-level processing skills on FL reading performance implications for instruction. The Modern Language Journal76, 4: 502–512. doi: 10.1111/j.1540‑4781.1992.tb05400.x
    https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1992.tb05400.x [Google Scholar]
  13. McNamara, T.
    (1996) Measuring second language performance. New York, Addison Wesley Longman Limited.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Okita, Y.
    (1995) Kanji learning strategies and student beliefs on kanji learning. Japanese-Language Education around the Globe5: 105–124.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/aral.23.1.01toy
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error