[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Harumaki

But lets take some examples. If you see the kanji of cat, you will not see a symbol and you will KNOW it will read/mean cat.

A native kanji user or for my part someone who spend muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch time in learning to understand (note: not read, UNDERSTAND) the true structure of kanji, that person will see the word cat without having to know the reading.

But... How is "seeing the word cat" different than "knowing it means cat". Japanese natives are not born with an innate knowledge of kanji. There is nothing mystical about the process. They go to school and study for years on end - yes, in an environment where they are in daily use - but study is still required. In school Japanese children learn both meaning and reading. Contrary to what you seem to be saying, if an unknown kanji is encountered there is a greater chance a native speaker will be able to guess it`s reading rather than it`s meaning.
Either way - if they are native Japanese, the meaning "cat" will BE the reading for the kanji of cat.

Tho a native kanji user will see the whole word as one single identity and identify it as the economic boom. Even if he doesnt know the correct reading/meaning of every kanji. And that is, because he has learned kanji at native level. He trully understands the kanji system and structure.

I am sorry but I just do not see this as any different than learning a long word in a phonetic language. It is sight reading. Just as a child may recognize a word without knowing how to sound out each letter on it`s own... Or a native English speaker may associate a word with something despite not actually knowing it`s meaning. This is not a pattern particular to kanji.
Recognizing a longer word has to do with encountering that word - not with "truly understanding the kanji system and structure".

A Western person on the other hand will mostly have to learn the readings and meaning of every single kanji he encounters. Except, like you 2 stated, if he spends maybe many years and much mcuh much effort into it.

Just like Japanese kids learn the readings and meaning of all the Joyo Kanji in school?
You`re treating kanji as if it a naturally acquired skill, as if natives are born with this ability to read them. You`re putting mysticism into this.

I can also start a research discussion with you guys about the critical time period in which a person can become native in a language. (native and being fluent are different!!) But that is a linguistic problem I will not further discuss on the internet :P

As can I. I am also a linguist, and specialized in language acquisition.

So in summary, I wrote a thesis about second language acquiring on a native/fluent level. I researched language skills of deaf people and researched the difference in language skill between kanji users and non-kanji users. All my words are speaking of 'normal' situation. I am not speaking of super intelligent, super motivated or super talented people whoes only desire is to master kanji. No, I am talking about normal person who are learning the Japanese language. And Japanese is not only kanji.

And I did my thesis on the difference in Japanese language acquisition patterns between those following a frequency based path and those following a prepared curriculum path. (In all age groups frequency "won" hands down, by the way - in speed of acquisition, communication confidence, and long term retainment...)

Therefore, it is unbelievable difficult (but not impossible) for a Native western to learn Kanji on the same level as a native japanese kanji user has. (speaking of same IQ level ofcourse)

This isn`t because kanji is particularly difficult or special, however. This is because it is a second language for the learner. Any language less than native is going to suffer, and it is pretty much impossible for a non-native to acquire it on the same level as a native... But that isn`t what I am puzzled by in your writing. It is the level of mystery you seem to be seeing kanji in.
Just as in English, if you have to sound a word out you haven`t had enough exposure to it... With kanji compounds, if you cannot read it as a word (meaning or reading) then it is because you have not had enough exposure to it.