Looked around a lot and couldn’t see anything. If it doesn’t exist, then I guess I’ll write the greasemonkey script myself. The use case is to save wasted review time by skipping:
A) words I already know like the back of my hand
B) vocab words that I don’t think are useful
People will say that if you already know the word, what’s the harm in just quickly typing the answer. Well, if there’s even just 200 words that I choose to skip, that’s 1400 reviews – which is significant. I think many people studying Japanese intensively or living in Japan will have much more words to skip.
As for the words that I don’t think are useful, some say they do no harm in learning, but I disagree after having made the mistake of using esoteric words with Japanese natives. I understand wanikani wanted to simplify vocab definitions, but a lot of times this misleads and does harm because you make a connection to the more complicated (wrong) word when a simpler more correct word exists.
You’re going to go to the trouble of researching words beyond what WK gives you (as you should, btw) but then not learn them if they aren’t casual or spoken language words? It goes without saying that some words in any language are formal, literary, or technical. These words aren’t “wrong.” There’s a place for using “fecal matter” and a place for using “shit.” WK isn’t a vocab site. If you just want vocab, there’s iknow, Memrise, or just Anki decks.
When you say “words I already know like the back of my hand”, do you mean you are able to read them as well as use them in conversation?
As for the words you don’t think are useful, that may (or may not) be the case in real life situations, but the point of all the words on this site is to reinforce the kanji readings, rather than speaking. And it goes without saying there may well be words you don’t think are useful that actually turn out to be common words. Regardless, it’s my opinion that you shouldn’t treat any of the words learnt here as vocab for the wild until you’re sure - it’s just for reading.
Yeah, a common refrain you hear here is “I told some native Japanese person about a word I learned on WK and they thought it was weird.” I don’t think people explain WK well to these Japanese people, because the same Japanese people seem to forget that they have to learn stuff like the kanji for silkworm in 6th grade. You can easily go your whole life without talking about silkworms with your friends.
BTW, WK does not teach you that kanji.
It’s 蚕
Funnily, you learn the required parts for it by WK level 4.
We can’t have that. It is against main principle of wanikani philosophy. which is that we learn things and remember them if we get reminder just before forgetting them. So if you already know some stuff, you should actually wait longer before you get to learn anything new. Just stare at wall, that’s how you learn here.
After you wait long enough you will get more lessons than you can handle at once. Im not sure what Wanikani philosophy that is based on but there must be some reason that we can not learn new things bit by bit. Just accept these rules since they are not gonna change. Opinion of users does not matter when main principles of wanikani are in question.
I seem to have started a discussion here about whether we should have it, I’m not looking to beat that dead horse any longer. Asking if it exists, hence I’m posting in the API and third-party apps category. Seem like it doesn’t exist, so I’ll write it myself and post it here when done.
I’m not debating it. Go on and use the Never Wrong script if you feel like it. Well, I guess I’ll debate you on calling words “wrong”. I just feel like you can’t do the research necessary to decide if something is “worth skipping” (i.e. seeing it in context and maybe reading a few monolingual definitions) without ending up learning it anyway.
Yeah, I get that. I’m just saying, if the goal is to not end up with the words in your head, he’ll fall short of that by having to research them. It’s no skin off my neck if he doesn’t want to learn the words. But the reviewing time is small compared to the researching time.
Yes. I noob so im usually just happy if i know words or kanji. Sorry i shouldnt interfere in peoples discussions. I understand both points of views in this matter. Was just venting because of wait time and now lesson storm messed my brains real good O_O
I agree with you on the usefulness and I checked all the greasemonkey scripts a few months back and didn’t find any for excluding vocab so you’ll have to create it. I wouldn’t worry about everyone giving you shit. Anything that questions the philosphy of WK or the divine wisdom of koichi in choosing the vocab words seems to get the masses worked up.
