Thanks for great blog Ryan! I'm a newbie discovering the online world of Japanophiles and a beginner+ in my language studies. You're right on the mark about the impulse to resist actually sound out the word. Having looked at the word assuming I'm just going to know it and then failing, I sound it out. Then I have to do the "smushing" together: ie, reduce the u and i's, etc. Then at least half the time I still don't have a clue. Of course, when I take it to a dictionary and realize how it seems so obvious, I feel just a bit stupid. :) It's sorta like one of those silhouette pictures: you think you are looking at a wine goblet... when what you really needed to be seeing are the 2 faces staring in at one another! :) Anyway, thanks for a great blog... I look forward to more!