始 VS 初 and other Kanji problems

[Jembru]

On my way home and a teeny bit drunk so forgive my englsh here...

I don't know. It's possible that the nova technique was unique. I mean, I never, not once, used a white board for example, and I rarely really wrote everything. It was about 80% verbal. I did my tefl AFTER teaching at NOVA, and while a lot of the principles were familiar, there was much that I just couldn't relate to a NOVA style lesson. So maybe there are schools like the berlitz style too (berlitz were there when I was, but I know a lot of the main companies have closed so I don't know about now. The demand isn't what it used to be). Berlitz lessons are pre-planned, so you basically just read from a script then model the language. I never taught at Berlitz, I just had friends who worked for them while in Germany. Planning lessons is the hardest part of TEFL, by far, but also very rewarding. I'd hate to be deprived that.

[魔]

While checking the word for shoot I saw that there were 2 kanji
撃つ & 討つ. There's also 射つ, although it says irregular usage... looking at the English meanings, it seems the most appropriate.

And there's the two that mean to strike, also pronounced うつ
打つ & 伐つ

[chocopie]

魔
撃つ is for literally shooting (e.g. firing a gun/bow) or attack, and 討つ is either to attack an enemy or use a weapon to attack with. So 討つ could also cover shooting with a gun/bow but can also be used with weapons that don't have ammunition which 撃つ cannot.

[Jembru]

魔: I actually replied to this yesterday while waiting for my friends, but I couldn't be bothered with the battle I have to go through to switch on Japanese input on my phone, so was reduced to describing the kanji by their strokes and components, then on the way home, I realised I'd misread your post anyway. So I just deleted my reply.

What I'd tried to say, was.. I've actually so far only learnt two of the kanji mentioned. 打つ for 'to strike or to shi... erm never mind, it just means 'to strike' ^^'), and actually, I learnt 射る for 'shoot'. I was so confused when you said it was irregular, because I hadn't read properly and didn't know you were talking about 'うつ', not 'いる'. I don't remember where I specifically picked it up, but I think the reason I only know 射る for this word, is because the only time I've ever come across 'to shoot', has been in Minecraft. Nothing I ever watch or come in contact with, has anything to do with shooting with guns. So I think 射る might only be for shooting with an arrow. Could be an old-fashioned word.