Proper spelling - is it that important?

You forgot that Japan doesn't use Kanji alone. Kana is used on a more common basis than Kanji, and they do shorten their "spelling" on them. Particularly, English derived words written with Katakana. Words that have more than 4 syllables are commonly shortened to 4 syllables or so.

Even on Kanji, words that have more than 4 letters are often shortened. For example, South Korea and China's full name has about 4 Kanji chara. altogether, but are known as 韓国 and 中国 instead, only with 2 Kanji chara.

And besides, this:

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Now in Japanese, a single character can sometimes function in much the same way. So for example, the word kanji is formed with kan- 漢 (which means China) and -ji 字 (character, letter, etc.)--thus giving kanji the literal translation Chinese character.

Isn't the same as:

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So in English, for instance, the prefix "-ing" is used to nominalize verbs (e.g. the verb "read" becomes the noun "reading").

Putting a Kan with a Ji is like putting Home and Work and create Homework. Verbs in Japanese work entirely different from English. If you want to compare putting an "-ing" on "running" in Japanese, Kanji has nothing to do with this since the verbs in Japanese utilizes Kana for form changes.

Also,

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Individual kanji, in turn, can be further broken down into components, sometimes with amusing results (e.g. kusuri 薬 meaning drug, is formed from 楽 which means "comfort" and an abbreviated 艸 meaning "grass"--thus, "comfort grass").

Why are you explaining how Kanji characters are made? It has nothing to do with spelling at all.

Friendly reminder; you might want to actually try speaking Japanese first before jumping ahead on this.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Ridan Krad

Although, honestly, aside from particles, verb stems, and those occasional foreign words, do you really think kana get used more than kanji? I haven't found that to be the case at all.

Then maybe you haven't study the language deep enough.

Kana is EVERYWHERE. If you want to ignore that fact that Japanese people study Kana before Kanji, then I'd like to point out that the current Japanese society uses a crapload of 外来語, which are all in Katakana. Not to mention that a sentence cannot make sense with only Kanji, 送り仮名 are a must. Mind elaborating on how Kanji is used more than Kana?

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Right and you can even come up with constructions like 和英 for 和英辞書. But this just goes to my point that kanji can roughly be analogized to root words in English in the way they can be used as abbreviations and such.

Right, somehow I interpret your sentence as saying "Kanji cannot be abbreviated". My bad.

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Yeah, I guess if you want to get technical, a true equivalent to -ing in the nominalizing sense would be 事 as in 読む事 which nominalizes 読む. Again, though, I was just trying to illustrate a general point of how one could compare English and Japanese.

Again, I somehow thought you were saying that those two sentences that I pointed out were the same.

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Oh and since you bring it up, I wasn't referring to reading as in "I'm reading." Yes, that would be 読んでいる. But I was talking about the nominalized verb form, not the present participle form that you would use that for. Afterall, when you say "I'm reading," you don't actually mean "I am the noun reading." We're talking about two very different usages for the English usage of "-ing."

I'm fully aware on the usage of -している. I was also pointing out the difference between Kanji and verbs.

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I disagree. The way you remember spelling is by taking note of patterns where they exist while being mindful of exceptions. Similarly, the way to develop proficiency in kanji is to learn radicals that form kanji and the patterns that develop in their usage. 金 illustrates this point well, I think, as it's used in a lot of various metals, over and over again.

Actually, no. Like my "homework" example, these aren't spelling, these are nouns. A word that uses 金 all over are still nouns. For example, remembering which Kanji makes up 金属 or 金銭 is the same as remembering home goes with work for homework. Spelling are such as 殺された; knowing the 送り仮名 that follows or how to spell　コンビニエンスストア properly.

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I'll admit that having been at it for a few years now, there's a lot that I don't know, and it could very well be the case that you're more knowledgeable on the subject than I am as well, but I actually have studied the language.

I'll give you the slack since Japanese is a hard language, and you can very well forget plenty without practicing constantly. As for my qualification on the language, I have studied in an actual Japanese school, gotten enough exposure on the Japanese culture, and interacted with plenty of Japanese. In fact, my Japanese Proficiency Level is at 2. I hardly include actual Kanji/Kana in this because I'm too lazy to change the languages with the toolbar.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Ridan Krad

However, I was talking about turning a verb into a noun. Let's put it this way:

1) それを食べる事が嫌いだ --> I hate eating that.
2) それを食べている --> I am eating that.

The English equivalent uses -ing in both cases, but it has different functions. When I referred to nominalizing a verb in Japanese, I meant it in the sense of 1) not 2).

Point taken. Though, it is a little unfair to compare English and Japanese in this case, since, in the case of 1), それを食べるのが嫌いだ is more commonly used instead. I rarely come across nominalized verbs (like in your example) in Japanese sentences.

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Sorry, I guess I wasn't very clear. I meant 金 in the sense of a radical, as in 銀, or 鉄. Remembering the radicals can help break down the kanji itself into components, just as remembering certain letter combinations in English (e.g. -ation), even though they are never used by themselves, can help in remember many words that use them.

Yeah, but that doesn't make it categorized under "spelling". That's more on calligraphy me thinks; remembering the strokes and how to write certain characters.

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Congrats on passing the JLPT2, though. Any plans to ever try for JLPT1 anytime soon? I hear that thing's a monster.

I don't plan to go for JLPT1. I actually studied a majority of level 1 syllabus already, grammar and vocab alike, but I cannot catch up on the Kanji. I'm already half-dead memorizing 1.5k Kanji within 1.5 years time

Let's resume this via PM. Getting quite off topic here.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Dhsu

Also, weeaboos.

Says the guy that listens to animu music. How does knowing the language make someone a weaboo. Don't be jealous now.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Bigblah

"Weeaboo" doesn't really bother me (I'm Asian, I live in Asia, I can damn well enjoy Asian entertainment without having to feel guilty about it)

Same for my case here.

But of course, since this is an English forum, it's normal for Dhsu to assume we're all westerners. As for the weaboo thing, I just didn't appreciate the fact that Dhsu insults someone for studying hard to learn a language.

Originally Posted by Dhsweeaboo

And unfortunately, you and Scarletdeath's little discussion didn't do much in the way of disproving that impression, you have to admit.

And what. We didn't mention anything about animu or obsession on Japan, just a discussion on the language that we learnt mutually. You already admit on being a weaboo yourself, just don't drag us down to your level.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Dhsu

That's assuming you're not already there OSNAP.

What, because you saw my "ANIMU" journal entry? I don't even watch animu. Seeing how I'm doing a design and animation (nothing to do with J-anime for that matter) course, good art is VERY relevant to me. So again, don't drag others down to your level. x10

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Haha I just noticed this.

That is too great for words.

You know it's true

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by ramoth

Dyin' at the cognitive dissonance between this and your Disgea 2 avatar and signature.

Too much.

Dude, this is a game. If it had Mario style drawing and I liked the game, I'd still put on the theme. You don't seem to understand the usage of weeaboo.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by ramoth

...while you have in your avatar and signature Disgea 2, published by a studio whose name translates as "Japan #1" and is wildly popular amongst those same Japanophiles.

Again, it's a bloody game. I don't like/dislike a game because of whatever the game publisher is called. I already mention that certain art styles are relevant to me due to the course I'm doing.

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You're getting all hot and bothered over a term used by Japanophiles to insult other Japanophiles...

Did you not see what I said; I don't like the fact that Dhsu insulted someone for working hard to learn a language.

[edit]

Originally Posted by ramoth

Anyway, I am with Bigblah on this. This thread is so incredibly far derailed at this point that I'm just going to stop posting in it.

You were the one who started this (again) outta nowhere

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?