Star Wars is everywhere. It’s woven into our culture on multiple levels, so much so that a Japanese publisher has released a book that uses phrases from Star Wars to teach junior high-level English vocabulary to Japanese language speakers. Gakken Education Publishing’s English Japanese Dictionary for Padawan Learners is 256 pages long and covers the basics. Bonus: you’ll get to gaze upon approximately 200 original illustrations of Star Wars characters while you’re studying.
Bizarre as the concept seems on the surface, it makes sense. I don’t know if Star Wars movies are the most quoted of all time, but they’re likely near the top of such a list. If you know the movie in and out, it’s a perfect template for learning. Gakken Education Publishing’s Yasuhiko Haga came up with the idea for the dictionary, and he told Japan Real Time that he used to watch the Star Wars movies to the point that he’d remember the lines in English. You use one known quantity to figure out an unknown one. The pop culture angle makes it more fun.
You want to see examples? For the word body, the dictionary pulls C-3PO’s line, “Curse my metal body!” The accompanying illustration shows off different parts of the body and labels them so that you really learn over 10 words in one entry. Isn’t it fabulous?
More amazing sample pages:
You can purchase the English Japanese Dictionary for Padawan Learners from JBOX for $28.00. Use it to study English, Japanese, or Star Wars. Or for entertainment. Do or do not. There is no try.
[HT: Topless Robot]
