Job Discussion Forums

[NorthofAmerica]

So I have been thinking about getting a translator but there are a few things I am wondering about...

1) is it worth it to buy a more expensive one that has the pen and touch pad.
2) Right now I can hardly read kanji, will I be able to use a translator very well
3) What kinda features are really key? I see some with pens and touchpads for writing kanji. Is a basic translator good enough or will I just want to spend more to get more later?
4) Can you get any that aren't totally geared towards Japanese people or can be switched into English?

I think a dictionary or translator would be really helpful but I am not sure if I wanna plunk down the money or not. I might only stay another year and a half. Any ideas from people who have crossed this bridge before would be helpful.

[canuck]

[Glenski]

"Translator"? I suspect you mean electronic Japanese-English dictionary.

Aside from the links Canuck has offered, here's my experience just this week.

For us foreigners, and for the many who don't know how to read the pronunciation of kanji, I recommend getting an ED that allows you to handwrite in the character. Been avoiding the EDs for years because essentially they are not made for us foreigners to learn Japanese, but are made for Japanese to learn English (and other languages).

Looked at Sharp Papyrus, Casio, and Canon Wordtank models last Sunday. They seem to have the same general features, but Canon seemed to be the only one that could provide English mode menus. Casio's stylus creates a very thin line, so writing complex kanji may be easier. Canon writes with a thick line.

So, if you don't mind the Japanese menus, I would have to say that making a choice depends on the line thickness and how easy it is to navigate through the menus.

[JimDunlop2]

Let me just say, however, that for those of us whose kanji skills aren't so hot, I have tested/tried out a number of models of electronic dictionary that use a pen (stylus) -- and each time I was bitterly disappointed. The ability of the units to recognize (at least MY) kanji was poor at best, and it would have been a royal waste of money (for me) to have one.

It would probably be of much MORE use to get a dictionary that allows you to look up kanji by stroke order and/or radical. They tend to be rather expensive too however.

FWIW, I've never seen/heard of an electronic dictionary that was aimed not at Japanaese people, but at foreigners learning Japanese. That's not to say that they don't/can't exist -- it's just that I don't know of any.

[JimDunlop2]

FWIW, I did a quick web search and found 1 model of dictionary aimed at Japanese learners. It includes the Kenkyusha ROMANIZED English-Japanese dictionary.

http://www.amazon.com/Seiko-Japanese-English-Dictionary-Thesaurus/dp/B00005QEYV

The same info below (for anyone who can't click on the above link due to the site being blocked at work).

Seiko RM2000 Japanese/English Dictionary with Roget's II New Thesaurus




Technical Details

* English to Japanese/Japanese to English dictionary (Romanized)
* Integrated thesaurus and spell checker
* Large 5 line by 30 character display
* Search for phrases; idiom/example sentence search
* Displays keyword, part of speech, English or Japanese equivalent, stress and accent marks, example sentences and idioms

� See more technical details
Product Details

* Product Dimensions: 4.6 x 3 x 0.8 inches ; 5.4 ounces
* Shipping Weight: 1.00 pounds
* Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
* ASIN: B00005QEYV
* Item model number: RM-2000
* Batteries: 4 AAA batteries required. (included)
* Average Customer Review: based on 13 reviews. (Write a review.)
* Amazon.com Sales Rank: #49,368 in Electronics (See Top Sellers in Electronics)
* Date first available at Amazon.com: September 25, 2001

Product Manuals

* Submit a product manual.

Product Description
From the Manufacturer
The Kenkyusha Romanized English-Japanese Dictionary is one of the most comprehensive and popular dictionaries among those who are studying Japanese as a second language. The unit provides over 20,000 examples and idioms. It will also prove useful to those who want to speak, read and write everyday Japanese. The Roman alphabet-based dictionary is derived from the standard Hepburn system. All entries have been selected to meet daily needs, based on native Japanese frequent usage.

Features

* English-Japanese/Japanese-English Dictionary (Romanized)
* Thesaurus (Roget's II: The New Thesaurus)
* Spelling checker (Wild card search)
* Recognizes phonetically spelled Japanese words
* Phrase search; Idiom/Example sentence search
* Unit shows keyword, part of speech, English or Japanese equivalent, stress and accent marks, example sentences and idioms
* Japanese translations are provided in romanized form with accent marks and in Japanese orthography
* In Japanese to English mode, headwords are written in roman letters, followed by the standard writing in "hiragana" or "katakana" (the two Japanese syllabaries) and, where appropriate, "kanji" (Chinese characters)
* History function recalls previously entered words
* Large 5 line x 30 Character Display
* Magnifying "ZOOM" Function for Easy Reading
* Help function; Path function; Jump function
* Inflection search (for English-Japanese Dictionary)
* Context Sensitive Help
* Resume function
* Large high-contrast display with wide angle view
* Auto shutoff : 3 min. (approx.)

[Glenski]

Jim wrote:

[cornishmuppet]

I'd like one of those electronic dictionaries, they look well neat. That one above looks fairly neat besides the