Comments on: 3 Ways to Learn Chinese Better and Faster http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/ Wed, 05 Oct 2011 04:45:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: fengbide http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-137397 fengbide Sat, 13 Aug 2011 05:58:30 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-137397 Re: Chinese movies Great article. I prefer to watch movies I like in English, with Chinese subtitles. I get to joy the movie and read the characters. Re: Chinese movies

Great article.

I prefer to watch movies I like in English, with Chinese subtitles.

I get to joy the movie and read the characters.

]]> By: DD http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-118657 DD Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:33:08 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-118657 You're so right about the tones. It's infuriating when you are trying to say something in Chinese and the Chinese person stares at you blankly, so you explain it in English and they say oh you mean "xyz" and what they said sounds exactly the same as what you just said. However in saying that - some Chinese people are much much better at understanding off toned sentences than others. I usually speak (attempt) Chinese with these people and leave the broken English to the others. It's way too frustrating otherwise! You’re so right about the tones. It’s infuriating when you are trying to say something in Chinese and the Chinese person stares at you blankly, so you explain it in English and they say oh you mean “xyz” and what they said sounds exactly the same as what you just said. However in saying that – some Chinese people are much much better at understanding off toned sentences than others. I usually speak (attempt) Chinese with these people and leave the broken English to the others. It’s way too frustrating otherwise!

]]> By: MattC http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-108414 MattC Sat, 28 May 2011 00:58:24 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-108414 I studied Chinese for two years in college and spent a summer speaking only Chinese in Beijing...and I agree--Chinese isn't as hard as it's rumored to be. Of the three areas you mention, the hardest one would probably be reading the characters, yet you can get away with being pretty darn capable with a fairly small batch of characters under your belt. I studied Chinese for two years in college and spent a summer speaking only Chinese in Beijing…and I agree–Chinese isn’t as hard as it’s rumored to be.

Of the three areas you mention, the hardest one would probably be reading the characters, yet you can get away with being pretty darn capable with a fairly small batch of characters under your belt.
MattC recently posted..Music Notation SoftwareMy ComLuv Profile

]]> By: stuffedtuna http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-103333 stuffedtuna Thu, 12 May 2011 18:29:53 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-103333 Thanks for the thread and also many useful comments. I've just taken up Chinese for about half a year, and I'm really interested in the language. I feel like that passion is the utmost reason that keeps me going, because of many difficulties I've met. Some of them are as you guys mentioned above. I'm not sure about how hard the tone is to people from Western countries, but for me, the tone is relatively easy to learn, because I am from Vietnam, and my native language has up to 6 tones. 4 of them resemble 4 tones of Chinese with only some little differences. More than that, if you know, our country had a long time in the past being China's colony, therefore, Chinese do have a great affect on our language, as it did on Japan or Korean, for example. Many words are borrowed from Chinese but translated in our pronunciation, so many times, the meaning of the words can be guessed as I listen to the pinyin. About using songs, I agree with comment no 19, because in a song, words goes with the melody, and the tones are distorted by the notes. Sometimes, this can lead to great mistake in languages which have tones. My really big problems are about characters. I'm using some specific books, and I realize that I can remember and read relatively good when I look at them, in the lessons. However, when it comes to reality, seeing those characters on TV, magazines, goods, etc, I often cannot recall their meanings, although they looks really familiar. Besides, because a character is made of radicals, in many cases, similar radicals in different characters can easily make us confused which is which. The last things I want to say is about Traditional Characters and Simplified Characters. In my opinion, I prefer the traditional ones because it make sense more, for the reason that in many cases, they represent their meanings like a picture, which does help remembering, and somehow, more artistic. I cannot figure out whether there is any specific rules to simplify the characters. Moreover, I've learned that both types are used in Chinese, but I don't know how popular, how official they are, and should I learn both of them. Thanks for the thread and also many useful comments. I’ve just taken up Chinese for about half a year, and I’m really interested in the language. I feel like that passion is the utmost reason that keeps me going, because of many difficulties I’ve met. Some of them are as you guys mentioned above.
I’m not sure about how hard the tone is to people from Western countries, but for me, the tone is relatively easy to learn, because I am from Vietnam, and my native language has up to 6 tones. 4 of them resemble 4 tones of Chinese with only some little differences. More than that, if you know, our country had a long time in the past being China’s colony, therefore, Chinese do have a great affect on our language, as it did on Japan or Korean, for example. Many words are borrowed from Chinese but translated in our pronunciation, so many times, the meaning of the words can be guessed as I listen to the pinyin.
About using songs, I agree with comment no 19, because in a song, words goes with the melody, and the tones are distorted by the notes. Sometimes, this can lead to great mistake in languages which have tones.
My really big problems are about characters. I’m using some specific books, and I realize that I can remember and read relatively good when I look at them, in the lessons. However, when it comes to reality, seeing those characters on TV, magazines, goods, etc, I often cannot recall their meanings, although they looks really familiar. Besides, because a character is made of radicals, in many cases, similar radicals in different characters can easily make us confused which is which.
The last things I want to say is about Traditional Characters and Simplified Characters. In my opinion, I prefer the traditional ones because it make sense more, for the reason that in many cases, they represent their meanings like a picture, which does help remembering, and somehow, more artistic. I cannot figure out whether there is any specific rules to simplify the characters. Moreover, I’ve learned that both types are used in Chinese, but I don’t know how popular, how official they are, and should I learn both of them.

]]> By: Christian http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-83598 Christian Wed, 23 Mar 2011 06:04:22 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-83598 Very interesting thread. I moved to Beijing earlier this year. Everyone at work is Chinese. I started lessons with a private teacher soon after. The lessons were key to learn how pinyin works and the tones but after 5 weeks I realized my teacher was not helping me improve. I figured, that with some discipline, I could continue learning by myself. I got ANKI (flashcard software) and study every day after lunch, I also study at home basic conversations using a book, and I hear all day my Chinese workmates speaking and ask them questions. I can recognize words in their conversation and can handle some very basic talking. It's going little by little, but I'm sure all this is building up. Not really interested in learning the characters, it is just too much trouble for now. -I will try to include a bit of Chinese TV after the comments here... Very interesting thread. I moved to Beijing earlier this year. Everyone at work is Chinese. I started lessons with a private teacher soon after. The lessons were key to learn how pinyin works and the tones but after 5 weeks I realized my teacher was not helping me improve. I figured, that with some discipline, I could continue learning by myself. I got ANKI (flashcard software) and study every day after lunch, I also study at home basic conversations using a book, and I hear all day my Chinese workmates speaking and ask them questions. I can recognize words in their conversation and can handle some very basic talking. It’s going little by little, but I’m sure all this is building up. Not really interested in learning the characters, it is just too much trouble for now. -I will try to include a bit of Chinese TV after the comments here…

]]> By: Patrick http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-67071 Patrick Fri, 14 Jan 2011 03:58:03 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-67071 @ Brook Wiers if you wanted to learn characters, pinyin and tones alone, I would suggest the freeware program ZDT (first result if googled). It's essentially a flashcard program for chinese learners. It has it's problems (being freeware and all) but has been TOTALLY indispensible for my degree in Chinese. Also thanks to OP; a lot of food for thought. @ Brook Wiers if you wanted to learn characters, pinyin and tones alone, I would suggest the freeware program ZDT (first result if googled). It’s essentially a flashcard program for chinese learners. It has it’s problems (being freeware and all) but has been TOTALLY indispensible for my degree in Chinese.

Also thanks to OP; a lot of food for thought.

]]> By: Jaspar http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-66178 Jaspar Mon, 10 Jan 2011 08:35:04 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-66178 Go watch Chinese TV with English Subs or Vice Versa. It really helps on the speed and the tone :P Go watch Chinese TV with English Subs or Vice Versa. It really helps on the speed and the tone :P

]]> By: Alimu http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-45800 Alimu Thu, 24 Jun 2010 18:01:15 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-45800 Really ..., I believe that communicating is the best way to learn any language. Really …, I believe that communicating is the best way to learn any language.

]]> By: Brook Wiers http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-22420 Brook Wiers Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:34:51 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-22420 Does anyone have recommendations for a specific learning program, for instance like the Rosetta Stone? Also, any recommendations on a dictionary to use? And/or an electronic dictionary that says the word out loud? Thanks. Does anyone have recommendations for a specific learning program, for instance like the Rosetta Stone? Also, any recommendations on a dictionary to use? And/or an electronic dictionary that says the word out loud? Thanks.

]]> By: Nicole http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/comment-page-1/#comment-18555 Nicole Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:19:12 +0000 http://www.thechinaexpat.com/3-ways-to-learn-chinese-better-and-faster/#comment-18555 You are absolutely right, Chinese people can understand pretty much anything if the tones are correct. I have friends that speak Cantonese as their native language, so their mandarin is riddled with mispronunciation, especiall confusing the "n" and "l" sounds, but yet because their tones are right, they are always understood. As a mandarin learner, however, I mispronounce one tone, and the whole sentenced is missed by them! I would like to say that it's not true that tones are not that important at the beginning...Tones and Pinyin are THE MOST IMPORTANT when you first start learning chinese! without those down pat, you will never be a fast learner, you will never be able to read pinyin and pronounce characters correctly without hearing them said outloud! Also, while listening to Chinese music is my favorite way to improve my vocabulary, it is NOT a good way to learn tones! Do you ever notice that Chinese music videos ALWAYS have subtitles? That's because it's impossible to understand songs without them, because you can't sing with a melody, and use appropriate tones. So use songs wisely as a learning device. When you hear a new word, look it up and figure out its correct pronunciation. Also, while many Chinese dramas, especially Taiwanese, seem childish and the same story plot, there are many MANY good ones, that will help tremendously with Chinese language acquisition! You are absolutely right, Chinese people can understand pretty much anything if the tones are correct. I have friends that speak Cantonese as their native language, so their mandarin is riddled with mispronunciation, especiall confusing the “n” and “l” sounds, but yet because their tones are right, they are always understood. As a mandarin learner, however, I mispronounce one tone, and the whole sentenced is missed by them! I would like to say that it’s not true that tones are not that important at the beginning…Tones and Pinyin are THE MOST IMPORTANT when you first start learning chinese! without those down pat, you will never be a fast learner, you will never be able to read pinyin and pronounce characters correctly without hearing them said outloud! Also, while listening to Chinese music is my favorite way to improve my vocabulary, it is NOT a good way to learn tones! Do you ever notice that Chinese music videos ALWAYS have subtitles? That’s because it’s impossible to understand songs without them, because you can’t sing with a melody, and use appropriate tones. So use songs wisely as a learning device. When you hear a new word, look it up and figure out its correct pronunciation. Also, while many Chinese dramas, especially Taiwanese, seem childish and the same story plot, there are many MANY good ones, that will help tremendously with Chinese language acquisition!

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