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Old 07-21-2009, 11:30 PM   #2
LDBoblo
Wizard
LDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcoverLDBoblo exercises by bench pressing the entire Harry Potter series in hardcover
 
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Asia
Device: Kindle 3 WiFi, Sony PRS-505
Yeah it's an alright site...I used it frequently as a simple dictionary when I started studying Chinese. The genealogies and explanations aren't particularly accurate, but they're a nice easy way to learn various radicals for many of the more basic characters.

However, for language learning, I think ebook readers are a bit too limited to be highly valuable tools, unless you're gonna use them for random flashcard-style learning (something I never really took to, though I know many students do). I bought the printed version of the 中文字譜 (zhongwen.com's content) which I felt was more useful overall than the site. A netbook or tablet with stardict or wenlin would be decent, though there are portable electronic dictionaries which are more ideal for language study and practice (if one wants to rely on technology, which I think is pretty silly).

Passive word memorization tactics like flash cards and vocabulary books requently lead students down a path of frustration when it comes to developing language function.

Without any kind of active sorting or navigation or user interaction, I [as a language teacher and linguist] question the usefulness of just downloading the images and slideshowing them. A good dictionary is superior in practically every way, and ebook readers are pretty awful at comprehensive dictionary functions thus far. Like using MS Paint and a mouse to learn calligraphy.
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