> >I think it will be very helpful for learners of a foreign language > >(e.g. Japanese) if there is a dictionary that lists a lot of good > >examples that illustrate how the word or phrase is used. > >Are you (or any other members) interested in making such a > >dictionary?
>Jim Breen has already done something similar to this: >http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/wwwjdic.html >Click on "Example Search". >stevo Yes, I know the site. But I don't think those examples he gives in there are qualified as "good examples that illustrate how the word or phrase is used". For examples, when I searched for examples of the word "kasa" (umbrella), I got the following ten random examples. a.. åãåãããæãããããã [T] See to that you do not leave your umbrella behind. b.. åãåèãããèãããã [T] If an umbrella is necessary it lends it. c.. çãééããåãåãæããåããã [T] I took his umbrella by mistake. d.. ååãèåãåãèãããããçåãäããã [T] She put a red ribbon on her umbrella as a mark. e.. åãçãããããããã [T] I have lost my umbrella. f.. çãååãããããããããåãæããããã [T] I take an umbrella with me when I go out. g.. éãããããããåãæãããããæãããããã [T] It looks like rain. You had better take an umbrella with you. h.. ããããããããåãæåãäçãããã [T] My umbrella will serve for a weapon, should the occasion arise. i.. ããåãããããããã [T] I'll take this umbrella. j.. éãéãããããããããåãæããçããããã [T] Take an umbrella with you in case it rains. In this list, you don't see any of the commonly used phrases such as åããã(kasa o sasu "put up an umbrella; hold an umbrella"), åãéã(kasa o hiraku "open an umbrella"), åãéãã/ãããã(kasa o tojiru/subomeru "close/shut an umbrella"). In fact, most of the sentences are not "good" examples of the word, and some are even wrong. For instance, the English translation of the second example should be "If you need an ambrella, I'll lend you one." and "ããåããããããã" is not something most Japanese would say; there is also a typo in "éã éãããããããããåãæããçãããã" (the right kanji for "çãããã" is of course "èãããã"). I can point out more faults or weaknesses of the system, but that's not what I'm trying to do here. I just want to ask you if you are satisfied with your dictionaries. If you are, that's all right. But if you are not, you have to make one yourself. Why don't we make one ourselves?--this is what I'm suggesting. Kamui [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/9rHolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Japanese_Language/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
