It's no different from english or probably most other languages if you think every character is a primitive.
Example: word.new("T", "E", "A") would be equivalent to word.new("牛").
Then word.new(word.new("T", "E", "A"), word.new("S", "P", "O", "O", "N")) would be equivalent to word.new(word.new("牛"), word.new("肉")).
Next concept the author mixed is working with the verbs, verb.new(word.new("E", "A", "T")).PastTense() would give you "ate"
Just like verb.new(word.new("食", "べ", "る")).Polite().Past() would output "食べました"
Then working with sentences, ex: Topic.new("me").toString() would be just "meは"...
Put it all together and output everything subject > object > verb, instead of the more familiar subject > verb > object.
The author mixed a lot of those grammar concepts, with the words etymology... and it got confusing.
"2 kanjis becoming 1" is just the radical.
涙 (tear) 汗 (sweat) 泳ぐ (swim) 沈む (sink) 溺れる (drown), they all share the same radical (氵/sanzui/mizu/water). While it's not a rule, they are likely to have some relation to it.
Just like in english waterfall, waterproof, waterspout, watermelon, etc.
I like the fact that the author is fascinated by the Japanese language and wants to share his discoveries. I guess everybody learning a seemingly completely new (unrelated to anything you know), experiences a similar phase.
In his case he found similarities with a programming language. And I guess we all do that, we connect the things we're learning to the things we already know.
Someone learning english would probably be equally amazed by the watermelon. I mean... It's not so surprising if watermelon in your native language is, let's say: Melancia (portuguese). It takes half of the discovery surprise from you, as you already could suppose it's melon related.
I can't deny, "Fire + Mountain = Vulcan" was awesome to me as well.
Learning that "Vulcan = god of fire in ancient roman mythology" does not hit me the same way, I already expect it to be greek/roman/latin.
Next concept the author mixed is working with the verbs, verb.new(word.new("E", "A", "T")).PastTense() would give you "ate" Just like verb.new(word.new("食", "べ", "る")).Polite().Past() would output "食べました"
Then working with sentences, ex: Topic.new("me").toString() would be just "meは"... Put it all together and output everything subject > object > verb, instead of the more familiar subject > verb > object.
The author mixed a lot of those grammar concepts, with the words etymology... and it got confusing.
"2 kanjis becoming 1" is just the radical. 涙 (tear) 汗 (sweat) 泳ぐ (swim) 沈む (sink) 溺れる (drown), they all share the same radical (氵/sanzui/mizu/water). While it's not a rule, they are likely to have some relation to it. Just like in english waterfall, waterproof, waterspout, watermelon, etc.
I like the fact that the author is fascinated by the Japanese language and wants to share his discoveries. I guess everybody learning a seemingly completely new (unrelated to anything you know), experiences a similar phase. In his case he found similarities with a programming language. And I guess we all do that, we connect the things we're learning to the things we already know.
Someone learning english would probably be equally amazed by the watermelon. I mean... It's not so surprising if watermelon in your native language is, let's say: Melancia (portuguese). It takes half of the discovery surprise from you, as you already could suppose it's melon related.
I can't deny, "Fire + Mountain = Vulcan" was awesome to me as well. Learning that "Vulcan = god of fire in ancient roman mythology" does not hit me the same way, I already expect it to be greek/roman/latin.