Hiragana Y Katakana

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

The main aim of this book is to help students achieve competence in reading and writing

kana, the phonetic symbols that are fundamental to written Japanese. The book starts with

a section entitled An Explanation of Kana, which contains everything the student will need

to know about the two kana systems of hiragana and katakana. Part I of the workbook section

then systematically introduces each hiragana symbol, voiced form, and combination,

and provides ample practice and review. Part II does the same for katakana, while Part III

provides an overall review.

The Explanation of Kana outlines the function and origin of kana, the difference between

the two kana systems, the various sounds, the combinations, and the conventions of usage.

It attempts to be detailed and thorough so that it can be used for reference at any stage.

Though all the information about kana is grouped together in this one section for ease of

reference, it is not expected that the student will read it all before starting on the practice

pages. In fact, to do so might give the impression that kana are perhaps rather formidable,

which is not really the case at all. (Just ask any Japanese child!) We recommend that the

student start work on the hiragana practice pages after reading the first three subsections -

on the function, origin, and basic sounds of kana. After fmishing practice of the forty-six

basic hiragana symbols the student should go back to the Explanation and read the subsection

on additional sounds, then work through the rest of the hiragana practice pages before

moving on to the katakana practice. The final subsection, on other points to note, is mostly

concerned with special katakana combinations and can be left until the appropriate point in

the katakana practice pages, just prior to the final review. Students may modify this order,

but we recommend fmishing practice of one kana system before moving on to the next.

In the practice pages of Parts I and II each kana symbol is allotted half a page, permitting

plenty of writing practice in the boxes

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