Comments on: Writing Characters by Hand http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/ Chinese, Linguistics, Science, Cultural Observations and whatever else I feel like writing about Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:32:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-21103 Mark Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:44:22 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/#comment-21103 I've written my ideas on this subject in, <a href="/2007/the-pen-matters/" rel="nofollow">The Pen Matters</a>. I’ve written my ideas on this subject in, The Pen Matters.

]]> By: Laoban http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-9271 Laoban Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:56:47 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/#comment-9271 Firefox did not display the vote tally before voting. Firefox did not display the vote tally before voting.

]]> By: David on Formosa http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-9183 David on Formosa Sun, 29 Oct 2006 08:51:02 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/#comment-9183 I more or less agree with Prince Roy. I think it is important to have some idea how to write, but whether it is worthwhile investing massive amounts of time in learning how to write several thousand characters is questionable. I think it also depends on your learning goals. Currently my main goal is learning to <i>read</i> Chinese but I am not spending any time practicing writing. I am glad for the fact that I know how to write Chinese characters and can easily copy down new characters and words into my notebook, but that's enough for me at the moment. I could probably only write a few hundred characters from memory. I also think learning some calligraphy is useful to better appreciate Chinese characters. I more or less agree with Prince Roy. I think it is important to have some idea how to write, but whether it is worthwhile investing massive amounts of time in learning how to write several thousand characters is questionable.

I think it also depends on your learning goals. Currently my main goal is learning to read Chinese but I am not spending any time practicing writing. I am glad for the fact that I know how to write Chinese characters and can easily copy down new characters and words into my notebook, but that’s enough for me at the moment. I could probably only write a few hundred characters from memory.

I also think learning some calligraphy is useful to better appreciate Chinese characters.

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-9182 Mark Sun, 29 Oct 2006 08:32:01 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/#comment-9182 Laoban, did the vote tally display before you had a chance to vote yourself? If so, could you tell me which browser you're using? Part of why I didn't post any of my own opinions on the matter is because I didn't want to bias the vote towards my opinion. Laoban, did the vote tally display before you had a chance to vote yourself? If so, could you tell me which browser you’re using? Part of why I didn’t post any of my own opinions on the matter is because I didn’t want to bias the vote towards my opinion.

]]> By: Laoban http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-9180 Laoban Sun, 29 Oct 2006 08:24:00 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/#comment-9180 I also reflexively voted for the majority, but Prince Roy is right, the absolute need to write them is diminishing fast. I only handwrite post-it notes these days, in Chinese or English. No doubt we will be thinking characters direct to disposable electronic paper one day not so far in the future. Intensively learning the characters by hand was a big help with the radicals and learning to read, and I still find that my hand can remember a character better than my brain sometimes, but having learnt them, do we need to keep doing it? I also reflexively voted for the majority, but Prince Roy is right, the absolute need to write them is diminishing fast. I only handwrite post-it notes these days, in Chinese or English. No doubt we will be thinking characters direct to disposable electronic paper one day not so far in the future. Intensively learning the characters by hand was a big help with the radicals and learning to read, and I still find that my hand can remember a character better than my brain sometimes, but having learnt them, do we need to keep doing it?

]]> By: Prince Roy http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-9162 Prince Roy Sun, 29 Oct 2006 03:08:24 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/#comment-9162 I agree it's important to know how to write characters, but I've given up. 95% of the time anymore when I write Chinese it's by computer, and though I could carve out some time for writing practice, I've just got other things I'd rather be doing. If I'm w/o a computer and I get in a jam, I suppose I could whip out my cell phone and look up the character by SMS. I agree it’s important to know how to write characters, but I’ve given up. 95% of the time anymore when I write Chinese it’s by computer, and though I could carve out some time for writing practice, I’ve just got other things I’d rather be doing. If I’m w/o a computer and I get in a jam, I suppose I could whip out my cell phone and look up the character by SMS.

]]> By: chriswaugh_bj http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-9122 chriswaugh_bj Sat, 28 Oct 2006 10:15:29 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/#comment-9122 I voted with the overwhelming majority, and I agree, but that's not the only, or even main reason for me to learn to write characters. See, my reading is alright, really, and I don't have any major hassles with SMS or email, but sometimes the only technology available is a pen and paper, or even just your hands (do they 'sketch' characters on their hands in Taiwan?) Also, being able to write, instead of just type Pinyin and recognise, characters goes a long, long way towards helping you learn to use the radical index in a dictionary when you come across a new/forgotten character for which you don't have the Pinyin. So I've devised my own little programme to get me to remember how to write more characters. And for the moment it's bloody frustrating: I'm trying to write a short article, and I'm constantly checking the dictionary for characters I know! I can recognise the bloody things, I just can't remember how to write them. Making some progress, though. I voted with the overwhelming majority, and I agree, but that’s not the only, or even main reason for me to learn to write characters. See, my reading is alright, really, and I don’t have any major hassles with SMS or email, but sometimes the only technology available is a pen and paper, or even just your hands (do they ’sketch’ characters on their hands in Taiwan?) Also, being able to write, instead of just type Pinyin and recognise, characters goes a long, long way towards helping you learn to use the radical index in a dictionary when you come across a new/forgotten character for which you don’t have the Pinyin. So I’ve devised my own little programme to get me to remember how to write more characters. And for the moment it’s bloody frustrating: I’m trying to write a short article, and I’m constantly checking the dictionary for characters I know! I can recognise the bloody things, I just can’t remember how to write them. Making some progress, though.

]]> By: Mark http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-9121 Mark Sat, 28 Oct 2006 09:38:34 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/#comment-9121 <blockquote>Plus it’s a great pickup tool, being able to write the characters just as good or better then the locals.</blockquote> Living in Japan, that's actually a fairly realistic possibility. In Taiwan, on the other hand, the locals can write <em>zillions</em> the #$@%ing things.

Plus it’s a great pickup tool, being able to write the characters just as good or better then the locals.

Living in Japan, that’s actually a fairly realistic possibility. In Taiwan, on the other hand, the locals can write zillions the #$@%ing things.

]]> By: Darin http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/comment-page-1/#comment-9070 Darin Fri, 27 Oct 2006 12:03:41 +0000 http://toshuo.com/2006/writing-characters-by-hand/#comment-9070 Oh, I like this topic. This one comes up a lot for me, especially because I can't write characters all that well :/ I think the anti-change feelings are a phase just like the 'everything should be written in roman characters' phase. The next phase in learning after wanted to get rid of characters all together, is the belief that reading is 'good-enough' as long as you can type on a computer. I think actually being able to write the characters is important because it's a window to the culture as culture is controlled by language, and language is controlled by culture. Sure you could argue that you can get the same effect by writing it on a computer, but I don't think you do. I think you can only get the full effect by consciously writing the characters part by part. Plus it's a great pickup tool, being able to write the characters just as good or better then the locals. Oh, I like this topic. This one comes up a lot for me, especially because I can’t write characters all that well :/

I think the anti-change feelings are a phase just like the ‘everything should be written in roman characters’ phase. The next phase in learning after wanted to get rid of characters all together, is the belief that reading is ‘good-enough’ as long as you can type on a computer.

I think actually being able to write the characters is important because it’s a window to the culture as culture is controlled by language, and language is controlled by culture. Sure you could argue that you can get the same effect by writing it on a computer, but I don’t think you do. I think you can only get the full effect by consciously writing the characters part by part.

Plus it’s a great pickup tool, being able to write the characters just as good or better then the locals.

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