Cangjie/Wubi as a learning tool

[DrWatson]

I recently asked about input methods for Cantonese and Skylee mentioned that in Hong Kong Cangjie is commonly used. I read more about Cangjie, and then came across Wubi as well. The more I read about Cangjie, the more I feel like it might be a good tool for people like myself. After years of living in Japan and then taking on Chinese, I feel like I can write most characters by hand if I can remember their shape. The thing is I just cannot ever recall them when I sit down in front of paper, I need a computer with a pinyin IME or my PDA with Pleco. I remember the basics required to fill out forms at city hall, the doctor, or whatever, but beyond that everything at work and what not has to be written with a word processor. I've even tried the mystical Heisig stuff and it just doesn't work for me--I can never remember the stories! I must be mentally stunted in some way...

I find I just don't have time to sit down and practice writing characters either. Between work, going back to school at night, my two year old son, living in a place with no access to Chinese in my daily life (Southeast North America), and everything else, I just don't have the time I once had as a bachelor to sit down and write characters over and over again. While learning to input with Cangjie/Wubi will take time, I wonder if my character retention might improve while I still write my journal in Chinese or do Chinese-related tasks online and what not.

When I think about it more, my mother-in-law works in type-setting in Japan and I've always been amazed at her ability to recall how to write characters. Her type-setting terminal uses a Cangjie-like input system made for Japanese. In fact, she finds using MS Word and regular Japanese input methods on a PC or mobile phone very frustrating after having used a character-based input system for over twenty years. She is an avid read and I'm sure that helps, but she can write most characters by hand with little or no effort compared with many of the salarymen and salarywomen I worked with who only use roman-based character input systems on their PCs. They always have to open up their mobile phones to check that they are using the right character...of course they recognize it, they just cannot remember the shape.

Does anyone have any experience using Cangjie, Wubi or other character based inputs systems as a learning tool? Did it help you? Did you make progress? Did you give up and fall back on pinyin-based input systems? Was it a waste of time? I'd love to hear about your experiences!

[skylee]

I tried to learn Cangjie about two decades ago but soon gave up as it did not make sense to me. I must have tried a few more times but still Cangjie has remained illogical to me. So I simply use pinyin, which requires zero training/practice (as far as I am concerned) but is not at all a popular input method here in Hong Kong.

I think a more logical input method that is based on the shape of characters is the stroke order input method available in most mobile phones sold in HK. The input is based on the stroke order (Taiwan standard AFAIK) of traditional characters and basically if you know how to write the word you can input it.

However it seems that this input method is not available for PCs. A similar stroke order input method (requiring little learning/practice) is Q9, which is available for PC and Mac. But I have no actual experience of using this method.

[skylee]

Also take a look at this thread -> 手寫法

I write most of my blog on my phone using a stylus, which allows me to keep practising writing Chinese in longhand (sort of).

[Glenn]

I think a more logical input method that is based on the shape of characters is the stroke order input method available in most mobile phones sold in HK.

I don't know, to me that looks more difficult than just writing the character out. Then again, it's not an easy thing to do. I have a handwriting input set up on my iPod Touch, and for one thing my fingers are kind of fat, and aren't used to those precise movements, and for another thing it can be difficult holding it still while I'm trying to write something. It's fairly good at recognition, though. I have an electronic dictionary for Japanese with handwriting panels and a stylus. That's much easier to use than my finger. I doubt there's going to be a big move to smart phones that use styluses, though.

[skylee]

ah the problems with apples, and all the i-pod, -phones etc ...

BTW, stoke input is very easy, if you already know how to write the characters stroke by storke. It does not require any (almost) additional training. Same as pinyin input for those whose mother tongue is mandarin.

[DrWatson]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Skylee.

While pinyin does require zero training or practice, my stumbling block is that I don't often know how to pronounce a character. Of course it is not a problem for a native speaker, but as a learner it is very frustrating. I don't care for trying to draw the character with my mouse using a PC's handwriting input (Pleco with a stylus is much more natural and faster). Perhaps I should try a tablet input system, it would most accurately mimic long hand writing and perhaps the physical motor activity would help in remembering characters.

I was and still am a fan of Palm Pilots and I love the hand-writing recognition with Pleco on the Palm. I cannot imagine using my pinky or index finger rather than a stylus, but at least here in North America it feels like there is a "surge" in trying to rid the market of stylus-based phones and devices. That is understandable though, because inputting regular alphabet on my Palm pilot is an exercise in patience.

More thinking to do...