HIRAGANA

Ver.3.0

Copyright (c) Kazumi Hatasa, 1987

Original Idea by Kazumi Hatasa
Illustration by Mariko Kaga
Revised for Macintosh computers by Ken Yamazaki, YAMAZAKI INTERCOM Inc.
PASSWORD Co., ltd. 1998
For more information, call us.

Tel. 0562-44-7414

e-Mail: password@diamond.broba.cc

Fax. 0562-44-7427

Home page address

http:// homepage.broba.ws/intercom

This software package was designed to assist beginners of Japanese who understands English in their learning of hiragana. So far, this software has been
available only for IBM-PC and NEC computers. But we now bring you a version for the Macintosh computers to be used all around the world. Without
any option, this software can provide an integrated learning environment with sound, graphics, and characters. It has thus overcome the lack of sound.
This program has been conventionally used in schools, however thanks to these functions, this can be used at offices or homes as well as schools.
Hardware Requirements
1. Macintosh/Windows computers.
2. Mouse
3. CD-ROM drive
Starting HIRAGANA
Turn on your computer first.
HIRAGANA is configured to start by itself. All you need to do is to put the HIRAGANA CD-R on the CD-ROM drive of your computer. Soon the icon
of HIRAGANA appears.(Macintosh). Double click the My Computer icon and then your CD drive. You can see the Hiragana folder. Open the folder by
double clicking on it (Windows).
Double click the HIRAGANA icon and the program starts.
You can forward the program either with the keyboard or with the mouse.
Configuration of HIRAGANA
HIRAGANA is consisted of five separate sub-programs. You can choose a sub-program from
a "menu" like the following, and when you are done a sub-program, you are brought back to this menu again for another selection.
<<MENU>>
1. HIRAGANA RECOGNITION (Presentation)
2. HIRAGANA RECOGNITION EXERCISE I (flashcard drill)
3. HIRAGANA RECOGNITION EXERCISE II (hidden character drill)
4. HIRAGANA STROKE ORDER (Presentation)
5. HIRAGANA STROKE ORDER EXERCISE
When you start sub-programs 1, 2, 3 or 5, you will be asked to specify which row(s) of hiragana you wish to practice. If you wish to quit a sub-program,
press q when the screen says "q to quit" or anytime in sub-program 5.
Descriptions of the five sub-programs are as follows:
1. presents and drills row(s) of hiragana. Presentation is done with graphics and mnemonic phrases together with pronunciation.
2. gives you a flashcard drill with an element of speed added to it. You can have fun racing with the computer and improve your recognition at the same
time.
3. challenges you with a hiragana recognition game.
4. shows you how each hiragana is written.
5. drills you on the stroke order of each hiragana (excluding one-stroke ones).
For teachers
In order to give effective advice to your students, please go through the program yourself. Use the flashcards in the package in the classroom.
For students or individual users
1. Since the way to start the program varies from one situation to another, ask your instructor how to get started or read the former section of this manual.
2. After the title page, you will be presented with the "menu" shown above.

MULTIPLE COPY LICENSE AGREEMENT (OPTION)

With Multiple Copy License Agreement, you may make copies of the original programs to be
used on more than one computer in your site (e.g. Language Laboratory and Computer Laboratory). However, all of the copies must be used only in your
site, and may not be checked out for outside use of any individuals or institutions. Consequently, you may not make copies for individual students even if
students may have access to computers elsewhere. We appreciate your understanding on the protection of computer programs. The original programs are
protected by U.S. Copyright Protection Law.
HIRAGANA MNEMONICS
ROMAJI

KEY WORDS

PHRASES

Ah!

Ah! Ann is good at ice-skating.

ears

I have big ears.

Ooh!

Ooh! This is heavy.

exercises

on

ka

cup & spoon

I need exercises.
The ball will land on the green.
These are my cup & spoon.

ki

key

ku

cuckoo

a key

ke

cane

a man with his cane

ko

coin

A ten yen coin is worth a nickel.

This is a cuckoo.

sa

sake

si/shi

she

Don't drink too much sake.

su

swimming

This is how she wears her hair.

Swimming is fun in the summer.

se

senor

so

so

ta

ta

Letters t & a make ta.

ti/chi

cheerleader

being a cheerleader isn't easy.

tu/tsu

cat's tail

a cat's tail

te

table

some fruit on a table

to

toe

na

nap

ni

knee

nu

noodles

ne

net

no

This character zigzags so much.

I've got a thorn in my toe.

This person is taking a nap.
Look at my knees.
noodles & chopsticks
I caught a fish in my fish net.

no-sign

ha
hi

Hello, senor Garcia.

a no-sign

house
he

I bought a house.
This is Mr. Hill. He's strong.

hu

Mt. Fuji

he

headache

ho

home

A house isn't a home

ma

mom

Mom! I can't sit any longer.

mi
mu

me
moo

me

Mt. Fuji is beautiful.

I have a bad headache.

Who's twenty-one? Me!

Cows moo.

medal

mo

more fish

an Olympic gold medal

Catch more fish with a hook.

ya

yacht

a yacht in the ocean

yu

ukulele

Can you play the ukulele?

yo

yo-yo

Yo-yos were once very popular.

ra/la

lion

ri/li

listen

a lion
Listen!

ru/lu

loop

re/le

let's dance

a loop at the end

Let's dance.

ro/lo

rope

a cowboy with his rope

wa

worm

a worm around a stick

*wo(o)

oh!

Oh! I can ride a unicycle.

*nn (n)

end

The end

*"wo" is used for particle o although the sound is /o/.

*"nn" is used to distinguish "n" form the n-row (na, ni.....)