I always found it weird how they always have kanji on the screen in Japanese tv programs - but it's good for us I download Japanese dramas for practiving from d-addicts.com

I did, thanks synewave, sorry I couldnt keep it running but I can run it tonight for a few hours. I didn't want to leave the computer running all day with the high temperature we're having now.

I don't know about the show, haven't had much time to look at it yet, but it looks fun. Looks like they have a kanji writing contest at some point (based on reading or something).

Serge wrote:

They do because it's easier to follow that way in spite of many homonyms... Thank you for the link, by the way!

I asked some Japanese friends why they do it and they weren't sure about it. I don't think there is any problem with homonyms. The words that flash in front of the screen often do so in comedy shows and programmes where the language is very casual. I can assure you that even if they weren't there, Japanese people would have no trouble following it all. It is after all just natural conversation.

The one thing my Japanese friends mentioned was that it's a good form of subtitles for those who are hard of hearing. To me, it looks like manga and the crazy fonts probably help to reinforce the gags.

Last edited by wrightak (2006 July 05, 8:39 pm)

wrightak wrote:

Serge wrote:

They do because it's easier to follow that way in spite of many homonyms... Thank you for the link, by the way!

I asked some Japanese friends why they do it and they weren't sure about it. I don't think there is any problem with homonyms. The words that flash in front of the screen often do so in comedy shows and programmes where the language is very casual. I can assure you that even if they weren't there, Japanese people would have no trouble following it all. It is after all just natural conversation.

The one thing my Japanese friends mentioned was that it's a good form of subtitles for those who are hard of hearing. To me, it looks like manga and the crazy fonts probably help to reinforce the gags.

I actually read about it in a serious study some time ago. They say it's developed because of kango homonyms on news broadcasts, etc. I can only guess it's spread over to other genres... possibly, because of manga?

synewave or anyone else, do you know where one can download news shows and variety shows. i'm interested in the news, both to keep up with what's happening in japan, but also to improve my vocabulary.

plus, i suggest that we compile a list of our favourite current downloads, so that others can get in on the action
I'll start with a couple. both are available btjunkie:

Variety:
London Hearts

Drama:
ホタルノヒカリ (Hotaru no hikari )

synewave wrote:

I don't know. Are the dramas that you download subbed? Put another way, where can I get un-subbed dramas?

If you can't find any vareity torrents, let me know and I'll start uploading some shows I like, e.g. 平成教育予備校 and ネプリーグ

Some of the dramas on a site called btjunkie are subbed, some not. For ホタルノヒカリ for example, both subbed and non-subbed versions are available. for other shows i've only found subbed versions. Hit and miss, i'm afraid.

Also, if you could upload any variety shows, i'd be eternally grateful!!

synewave, sorry I missed your upload! will be sure to check this space more often for anything people put up. cheers!

didn't realise you were still around! yeah, i've just tried downloading it, but my torrent client says "Error: unregistered torrent pass"

cheers. will try downloading again later on.

Thanks synewave

BTW, how did you get that?  I've been going to the NHK site recently and trying to watch the news videos.  It's great because they are accompanied by a little text blurb giving a synopsis of the video (short/long versions).  I want to be able to download these videos but I don't seem to be having any luck.  Has anyone been able to do so and if so, how?

Here's a link to an example:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/2007/09/08/k … 00194.html

The problem is that this link won't work in a few days.  This article is actually an interesting story about how Japanese people are having more difficulty recognizing/writing kanji and end up using their cell phones a lot to look up kanji.  Since the link might not work in a few days here it is:
この中で、漢字を書こうとして書けないとき、どのような手段で調べるかを複数回答で尋ねたところ、最も多かったのが「辞書」で６１％、次いで「携帯電話の漢字変換」が３５％、「ワープロ、パソコンの漢字変換」が２１％などとなっています。年代別で見ますと「辞書」は１０代が３０％、２０代が３５％と年代を追って増え、５０代、６０代以上は７０％となっています。逆に「携帯電話の漢字変換」は６０代以上が９％、５０代が３３％なのに対し、２０代は７９％、１０代は６３％と年代が低くなるほど高くなっています。日本語学が専門の、早稲田大学の笹原宏之教授は「携帯電話での変換は、辞書とは違って変換まちがいや表示された簡略字を正しいと思って記憶しているケースも多く、漢字の習得にまでは活用できていないのが実態だ。まず、正しい漢字をしっかりと記憶したうえで、字を確かめるための１つの機能と割り切る認識が大切だ」と話しています。

Sorry this post is a little off the torrent topic but thought it is interesting since we are all kanji learners!  And if anyone can download the video and give us access that'd be great too

synewave wrote:

takoman wrote:

BTW, how did you get that?

I use EyeTV so I can record normal TV to my hard disk.

I just googled EyeTV and it looks really interesting. 
http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=pr … hatiseyetv
"Like TiVo for the Mac."  I'm also a mac user living in Japan.  There were numerous types/products on the site. What type do you have?  Are you happy with it?  What kind of TV do you use with it (antenna/satellite/Yahoo TV/wowwow/etc)?  Is there a different site you recommend to learn more?

Thanks for the info, synewave.  I'll look for it next time I'm at the Apple store.  Actually one opened up here in Sapporo within the past year and I still haven't been to it.  Guess now I have a reason to.