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A ChatGPT/DALL·E illustration for AI in language learning. In our ongoing journey with SakeSaySo, we’ve been exploring ways to automate and enrich the learning experience by experimenting and integrating various AI tools. This project started as a modest side endeavor where we could toy with ideas and tools, particularly in automating content creation and embracing self-hosting, privacy and open-source principles. Most of these ideas can be traced back to Tokyo Izakaya sessions, where the only things flowing more freely than the drinks are ideas about changing language learning. ...

Kanji characters are fundamental to Japanese writing and are also used across various regions in East Asia, each with its own unique practices. SakeSaySo utilizes Kanji Vector Graphics (KanjiVG) to animate the stroke orders of kanji, enrich learning with visually. Kanji on Vocabulary Pages SakeSaySo v1.3.0 with Kanji Animation on Vocabulary Pages Kanji on Flash-Cards SakeSaySo v1.3.0 with Kanji Animation on Flash-Cards KanjiVG offers detailed vector graphics for kanji, including stroke shape, direction, and sequence. Japanese kanji are derived from Traditional Chinese characters and share many similarities with them in terms of structure and complexity. While Simplified Chinese characters, used predominantly in mainland China, reduce stroke counts and alter forms for easier handwriting and learning, Japanese kanji retain much of the original complexity found in Traditional Chinese. That closeness to Traditional Chinese makes kanji a useful gateway into Japanese while also highlighting cultural and historical ties with places such as Taiwan and Hong Kong, where Traditional Chinese is still used. ...

Language is the bridge between cultures, and SakeSaySo is built to guide learners across that bridge one sentence at a time. Unlike traditional methods that focus on isolated words or grammar rules, SakeSaySo emphasizes learning Japanese through sentences. These sentences, drawn from stories and real-life dialogues, are backed by the JMDict dictionary, making it easy to explore fragments, words, phrases, and conjugations in context. While the app comes preloaded with thousands of example sentences alongside vocabulary, it also encourages users to extend their learning by adding their own. ...

Flash cards have long been a staple in language learning, offering a compact and effective method for memorizing vocabulary, phrases, and sentences. Our vocabulary decks focus on collaboration; a simple plaintext format facilitates ease of creation and modification of decks and hopefully encourages sharing. Community decks are supported from version 1.2.0 onwards of the SakeSaySo app. Decks at a glance: Plaintext Format for Easy Editing and Sharing Import and Export Capabilities Dictionary Matching: optional, automatic dictionary matching enriches a deck entry with definitions, usage examples, other dictionary cross-references. Flash Cards with adaptive SM-2 spaced repetition The driving force behind Vocabulary Decks is the belief that language learning is a collective endeavor. By making deck sharing effortless, we aim to cultivate a learning environment where individuals can contribute to and benefit from others. ...

Spaced repetition is a learning technique that increases intervals of time between subsequent reviews of previously learned material, based on the psychological spacing effect. It’s a strategy that optimizes memorization and recall efficiency. In language learning, this translates to remembering more with less effort. Anki, FSRS, and SuperMemo SM-17 strut with the confidence of complex algorithms and intricate customization options. Then there’s SakeSaySo, more like the unassuming local izakaya than a flashy nightclub. We have opted for a more laid-back approach, keeping it simple – because who really wants to make recall quality decisions while slurping drinks? ...