Smartphone Language Tools

Most of us would endorse the value of becoming a lifelong language learner after finishing formal language study. One important habit is always having a way to look up new words one hears or sees, preferably right on the spot. There is an incredible tool for doing just that—the smart phone.

Many of you have taken that plunge; but for those who haven’t, cost is a significant factor. As you consider whether the expense is justified, let’s look at some of the things a smart phone can do to enhance your ability to be a lifelong language learner:

Japanese-English Dictionaries

The dictionary on a smartphone allows the user to look up words in either language in the same place. Once you find the entry you are looking for, another tap or two will allow you to see breakdowns of the kanji (including stroke order) and example sentences.

Kanji Lookup

Smartphones take looking up kanji to a whole new level. On some, you can look up a kanji by drawing it on the screen or by taking a photo of it in addition to the more traditional methods like radical selection, reading, or SKIP. This makes interpreting signs and flyers a breeze and means you are less likely to gloss over or just guess at something you don’t know.

Example Sentences

With internet connection, you have access to a number of online databases where examples are given to better understand a new word or help find the right word or expression in a given conversation.

Access to these tools allows you to integrate continued language learning into your life, rather than needing to make a separate time for study.

We want to hear from you

Japan Harvest has set up a blog to share our knowledge on this topic. Go to http://japanharvest.org/languagestudy/ to check out/contribute to the discussion. If you’ve got an app that works well for you, please share it with the rest of us. If you’ve got questions, there’s room for that too.