素読

English translation: (simply) reading aloud

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

Japanese term or phrase:	素読
English translation:	(simply) reading aloud
Entered by:	Bree Salmon

09:29 May 2, 2010

Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

Japanese term or phrase: 素読

One that may seem at first to have a handy translation in English, but in fact may not...? I have found "to read aloud with understanding", which I am not sure is even 100% accurate (i.e.: does it always mean reading aloud?). Anyway, something a little more concise would be nice.

Here's the original context:

（北京の学校で）王応麟の「三字経」の素読などをやらせているという。

Bree Salmon KudoZ activity Questions: 36 (5 open) Answers: 1 Japan
Local time: 02:34

(simply) reading aloud

Explanation:
(I hear that) in 北京, school children are learning 王応麟の「三字経」by simply reading them aloud.

学習法としての素読には「今は分からなくてもいいから、とにかく声に出して読んでみるがいい。いずれわかるようになるから」という考え方があると思います。英語でwithout understandingなどと明記すると、さも不思議な教え方のように聞こえるので、読者に意味を取り違えられやしないかとヒヤヒヤします。

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Note added at 1 day14 hrs (2010-05-03 23:56:52 GMT)
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...in 北京, schools are teaching children 王応麟の「三字経」 by letting them read aloud.

Selected response from:

Mika Jarmusz
Local time: 10:34

Grading comment

I think we have a winner. This is pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +1

recite

Harvey Beasley

3 +1

recite without understanding

Miho Ohashi

reading without getting the meaning / (just) read without comprehending [without taking anything in]

Joyce A

read to learn by rote

takanori

(simply) reading aloud

Mika Jarmusz

Summary of reference entries provided

see http://svjets.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/2009-11-19/

peter arnout

FYI

cinefil

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

recite

Explanation:
From what I see it's more like to read aloud *without* understanding.

"「素読」は意味はあまり考えないで、声に出して読むという意味で"

Perhaps something like, "recite" would be fine?

Reference: http://www.ngn.janis.or.jp/~kiriko/essei/dokuj0707.html

Harvey Beasley
Local time: 02:34
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

3 hrs confidence:

read to learn by rote

Explanation:
I don't know if this expression would be recognized as a proper English or not, though.

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Note added at 3時間 (2010-05-02 12:49:33 GMT)
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I mean, "read aloud" to learn by rote.

takanori
Local time: 02:34
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Japanese
PRO pts in category: 8

9 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

recite without understanding

Explanation:
素読（そどく／すよみ）　means "read aloud"+ "without comprehension", so the translation must contain both elements ("read aloud" and "withouth comprehension/understanding"). If I were to translate this phrase, I would probably just use "recite" for the sake of being concise because "reading aloud" is the more important element in doing 素読.

そどく［素読］
意味を考えずに文字だけを声を出して読むこと．
http://www.sanseido.net/User/Dic/Index.aspx?TWords=%u7d20%u8...

Miho Ohashi
Japan
Native speaker of:

Japanese
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Nobuo Kameyama: Reciteとは、大人が内容を理解している詩などを、音読によって暗記する意味であり、一方で素読とは、小さな子どもが古典を音読によって暗記させられることです。そのようにして子どもがせっかく暗記した古典ですが、内容が多少分かってくるのは成人した頃だろうし、更に深く理解できるようになるのは中高年になってから、最終的に真に理解できた人は一握りということになるのでしょう。その意味で、（素読の習慣のない）西洋人にとって、"recite without understanding"は、「ハッ」とさせられる表現ですね。

2 hrs

-> Kameyamaさん、ありがとうございます。素読における音読は、やっぱりread aloudではなくreciteだと思うのです。今でこそ素読という学習法は日本でもあまり行わなくなりましたが、そもそも西洋には素読の習慣がないとは知りませんでした。

neutral

Mika Jarmusz: kameyamaさんが「"recite without understanding"は、「ハッ」とさせられる表現」とお書きのようにwithout understandingとしてしまうと、ずいぶんに極端な芸当のように聞こえてしまいます。

1 day 3 hrs

-> 仰る意味よく分かります。「素読」を厳密に訳すならば「理解」の側面を説明する必要があろうと思いますが、私も実際に翻訳する場合はrecite（もしくはread aloud）とだけすると思います。

1 day 13 hrs confidence:

(simply) reading aloud

Mika Jarmusz
Local time: 10:34
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Japanese
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

I think we have a winner. This is pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

41 mins confidence:

reading without getting the meaning / (just) read without comprehending [without taking anything in]

Explanation:
It does not mean "read out loud" but it means to read without understanding."

Also, I don't believe this word has an equivalent in English that can be expressed in one word.

1) 素読 (sodoku) is defined as "reading without getting the meaning" (Nelson's Japanese Character Dictionary)

2) 素読み(suyomi) is defined as (just) read without comprehending [without taking anything in] ...(Shogakukan Japanese to English Dictionary)

3) Here is a definition from the "tangorin.com" website:

http://tangorin.com/words/reading of a kanji by meaning?show...

sodoku 【素読】
–common noun; noun or participle with the aux. verb 「する」
reading without comprehending

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Note added at 55 mins (2010-05-02 10:24:31 GMT)
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How about the possibilities of "mindless reading", "empty reading", "unconscious reading?" It's really hard to find that "one word!"

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Note added at 1 day17 hrs (2010-05-04 02:43:33 GMT)
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Hi Bree,
Your question seems to be gathering a lot of debate and attention! :-)
I've just found another website that may be of help that has another choice of words to define "sodoku" whereby it is defined as: read out aloud without paying attention to content

http://svjets.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/2009-11-19/

Speaker #1: Sumiko-san
• Definition of 音読（ondoku― reading out aloud）
• Five different type of ondoku　音読の五種類
o Mokudoku　黙読　（Silent reading）
o Saidoku　再読 (reading agin and again)
o Sudoku　素読 (read out aloud without paying attention to content)
o Roudoku　朗読 (reading with rhythm like poem)
o Gundoku　群読 (reading in a group)
o Benefits of reading out aloud 音読の　利点
 Realize reading mistakes　間違いに気がつく
 Helps pronunciation　発音にいい
 Learn natural flow of Japanese　日本語のリズムを習える
 Helps student get excited about learning　勉強に対して活気が出る

Joyce A
Thailand
Local time: 00:34
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 37

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

disagree

cinefil: please see my reference

1 hr

-> Actually, I gathered the definitions straight from 3 separate references without altering a word. I regularly do a form of "素読み" to learn new languages (practice the language rhythms, etc.) It is very effective.

agree

humbird: Yes, 素読 does not require comprehension. It was a method to have student achieve eventual understanding, but not at this point.

8 hrs

-> Thank you, humbird. I agree with you on that.

neutral

Nobuo Kameyama: 私は実際に子ども達に論語を素読させた体験があります。Joyce Aさんが仰せの、"reading without getting the meaning"は半分正解で、さらに声を出して読むの意味を加えた"reading ALOUD without getting the meaning"にするとパーフェクトですね。それにしても、素読という学習法は東洋にしかないのでしょうか…？ http://pro.cocolog-tcom.com/edu/2005/06/post_765c.html

10 hrs

-> I appreciate your comments, Nobuo-san.

neutral

Mika Jarmusz: without getting the meaning / without comprehending [without taking anything in]などと明記しない方がいいように思います。「今は分からなくてもいいから、とにかく声に出して読んでみる、いずれわかるようになるから」ということだと思います。

1 day 13 hrs

-> Thank you for your comments, Mika. I think humbird puts it nicely.

Reference comments

5 mins

Reference: see http://svjets.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/2009-11-19/

Reference information:
see http://svjets.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/2009-11-19/

peter arnout
Belgium
Works in field
Native speaker of: Dutch

1 hr peer agreement (net): +1

Reference: FYI

Reference information:
そ‐どく【素読】
文章の意義の理解はさておいて、まず文字だけを声を立てて読むこと。漢文学習の初歩とされた。「論語を—する」
広辞苑

文章の意味を気にせずに，暗誦できるようになるまで，繰り返し音読することがもともとの素読．
明治期以前は「論語」などをテキストに漢文の習得方法としてひろく行われていたという．有名な話では，湯川秀樹もこの方法で漢文脈に親しんでいた．
http://d.hatena.ne.jp/keyword/��

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Note added at 1 hr (2010-05-02 11:26:42 GMT)
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授業では､素読(reading aloud without comprehension､
http://naaai.blog63.fc2.com/?mode=m&no=19&m2=res&page=1

cinefil
Japan
Native speaker of:

Japanese
PRO pts in category: 23

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素読

English translation: (simply) reading aloud

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English translation: (simply) reading aloud

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