Kanji compound words appear to a high degree of frequency in authentic reading materials. Students of intermediate/advanced-level Japanese find that understanding kanji compounds is critical to comprehending the texts they read. However, it is an exasperating task to learn kanji compounds, especially for students from non-kanji cultures. Although there are various methods of kanji instruction dealing with the components of each kanji character, thus far there have been few that focus on kanji compounds or on techniques for inferring the meaning of such compounds.
Based on previous research, learners either infer the meaning of an unknown kanji compound from the context or from the constituent kanji themselves (Mori, 1999). Learners who utilize information both from context and from the kanji themselves are more likely to obtain the correct meaning (Mori & Nagy, 1999). Nevertheless, learners are reluctant to attempt such inference even when they know each kanji character in isolation (Kawamura, 2002).
Learner should be encouraged to employ their prior knowledge of kanji and guess the meanings of new kanji compounds that they encounter in their reading based on the context. Moreover, since kanji compounds are not randomly created, learners should also be able to apply knowledge of how these compounds are constructed, as well as other aspects of kanji compounds. To this end, our study introduces a systematic approach to learning to infer the meaning by taking into account three aspects of kanji compounds: 1) systematic restrictions which govern the construction of kanji compounds, 2) polysemy in the constituent kanji and 3) metaphoric use of kanji. In addition, learners will learn to use context in inferring the meaning of kanji compounds.
In order to optimize the use of class time, this kanji compound inference curriculum will be available for use on the World Wide Web.
References
Kawamura, Y (2002). Jiree Hookoku: CALL o Riyooshita Gengokyooiku no Jissai to
Kadai. In The Proceedings of the Pedagogy Workshop. Kokuritsu Kokugo
Kenkyuujyo.
Mori, Y (1999) Beliefs about Language Learning and Their Relationship to the Ablility to Integrate Information from Words Parts and Context in Interpreting Novel Kanji Words. The Modern Language Journal, 83, 4, winter 534-547
Mori, Y & Nagy, W (1999). Integration of Information form Context and Word Elements in Interpreting Novel Kanji Compounds. Reading Research Quarterly, 34, 1.