Got Anki?

Ooh, joy of joys, another Anki update! As it creeps its way inexorably toward a v1 release, here is what Anki looks like 0.0.1.7 of its development to go:I'm a big fan. After years of trying to learn vocab and failing, Anki REALLY, finally, seems to be making a bit of a difference. As I spend more time trying - hopelessly for the most part - to chat in Japanese at home, I snatch bits of language and stuff them in to Anki. Slowly I'm getting to the point where I remember those bits the next time I need to use them. Knee. 膝。ひざ。See? Working already.

Why is Anki so good? Because it is based on spaced repetition - probably one of the most significant points of research supported understanding in learning theory, and yet one of the most under used.

As my son gets older I'm going to be encouraging him to use one to support his learning (perhaps I should work out about the sounds now). Who knows, he may even get to work with version one!

N700系 「のぞみ」

Well, for some time I've been meaning to do a series on the shinkansen, or 'bullet' trains, in my son's スーパーのりものシリーズ (super vehicles)　book, しんかんせん. So today we start with the first and foremost, the mightly N700.

東京えき～博多駅（福岡）の間を走っています。最高速度は時速３００ｋｍ。お客さんを乗せて、日本で一番速いスピードで走れるのが自慢の新幹線です。カーブを曲がる時でも スピードを落とさず、少ない揺れで上手に曲がることができます。

Right then, what does this mean? Here's what I think...

The train runs between Tokyo and Hakata in Fukuoka Prefecture. Its top speed is 300km/h. [Gets a bit trickier now, but something like...]Customers can take pride in riding the fastest bullet train in Japan. The train leans in to corners so it doesn't have to slow down, [and I'm paraphrasing the next bit] it corners without wobbling.

Of course, I may well (ie am) some way off with this translation, so feel free to correct me or add anything you think may be useful.

Key words :

• 走っている (はしっている）= running - literally "running", just like with a pair of Nikes. Odd that it is the same turn of phrase in Japanese as it is in English - speakers of many European would screw up their faces if you used that, after all, trains don't have legs.
• 最高速度　（さいこうそくど）= top speed - that phrase again "さいこう"(in romaji, "saikou"), meaning top, best, excellent.
  
• 落とさず　（おとさず） = is, I think, something like "without reducing", but I can't be sure since I can't find it in my books. However, the root verb 落ちる is also useful in the sense of dropping (a ball for example) or failing (a language exam for example).

About the train
This bizarre looking duck faced train is the quickest in Japan, and for some time was the fasted in the world. It is a 'nozomi' which is the fastest, least stoppingest type of shinkansen around. Inside the seats are in groups of three, either side of the wide aisle, which makes this train very much wider than a UK train.

Coming soon:スーパーのりものシリーズしんかんせん

I've found a great book about one of Japan's best features - its trains. I'm going to share it with you, but first, here's a taster of what to expect...

N700形　のぞみ
東京駅～博多駅（福岡）の間を走っています。最高速度は時速３００ｋｍ。お客さんを乗せて、日本で一番速いスピードで走れるのが自慢の新幹線です。

Thrilling stuff, I'm sure you'll agree.