Learn Languages with Steve Kaufmann · Steve Kaufmann

I learned Japanese in 1971. Here’s how I would do it now

·13 min·1 clip

Steve Kaufmann explains Zipf's law to show that learning just 100 kanji gives you 50% coverage of any Japanese text.

Language learning expert Steve Kaufmann reflects on how he learned Japanese in 1971 while working at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo, comparing his experience with modern methods. He outlines five key principles for learning Japanese today, emphasizing simplification, strategic kanji acquisition, using phonetic scripts, understanding homophones, and finding supportive online tutors.

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