Thanks to Wendy Lin for a wonderful article. I thought the clear explanations on how Chinese differs from English, especially in sentence structure, was great.
For more info on learning Chinese, please visit www.ChineseLanguageSchool.org.
Make Chinese Learning Fun, Easy, and Sustainable
by Wendy Lin
The Chinese language is like any other foreign language. It has an easy and a complex part. Chinese people have said, “Knowing yourself and your opponents well before the battle is the key to win.”
How Chinese is easier than other languages
1. Verbs do not have different tenses: e.g. Chinese people would say “I go to China last year.”, “I go to China next year.”
2. Nouns are neither singular nor plural: e.g. “one book”, “ten book” are both correct.
3. Genders do not exist orally as they would in English, French, or any other western language.
4. Characters remain unchanged. Because of this, one character could cover several English words. For example, the Chinese Zodiac only has one character to represent each of the twelve animals, but in English, there are several different translations for one animal. Therefore you might have seen several editions for the Chinese Zodiac signs.
5. Numbers, months, dates, and weekdays are easy to learn: You only need to learn the numbers from 1 through 10, and you will be able to count from 1 through 99, since the numbers between 11 and 99 are a combination of numbers 1 through 10. In addition, you only add an additional character “month” plus the numbers 1 to 12, and you will be able to name all 12 months of a year. It is the same for dates and weekdays; add the character “day” or “weekday” followed by a number.
6. The structure of questions and statements is the same but the question word is used:
a. The use of question word “嗎／ 吗 Ma”:
The question word “Ma” is used when the response “yes or no” is expected, and it is placed at the end of a statement. When it does, it will convert a statement into a question.
e.g. 今 天 是 五 月 十 日 今 天 是 五 月 十 日嗎
b. The use of question word “幾／ 几 ji”:
幾／ 几 is a question word for numbers. When it replaces all the numbers in a question, it converts the statement into a question.
e.g. 今 天 是 五 月 十 日 今 天 是 幾 月 幾 日？
c. By applying the formula, “Positive Word + Negative Word = Question Word”, students can flexibly conduct a dialogue. This avoids the learners having to deal with the complicated structure and makes the learning more flexible.
e.g. 是 不 是 ， 好 不 好 ， 有 沒 有 ， 大 不 大 ， 高 不 高 …
Chinese is not phonetic, as are all romance languages. The whole process of learning a new word takes about triple the effort as learning English. In order to make Chinese learning less frustrating and easy to adopt, all the listening, speaking, reading, and writing should be introduced step by step. It makes the learning objectives clearer as well.
The character, the basic unit of the Chinese language, is so much more different from the words of romance languages that make many people think that Chinese is very difficult to learn. In order to build up a good foundation and prevent repeated mistakes in writing characters, the stroke order should be carefully introduced. Moreover many characters share the same components. Once students are familiar with the strokes, it will help them write a new character that contains the same components without help. Counting the number of strokes will also help students to look up a character in a dictionary. Conventionally, the Chinese dictionary arranges the characters by the number of strokes in the character.
To prevent frustration and make the learning easier and more acceptable, the difficult parts especially should not be applied onto the beginners, instead teachers should emphasize on the easy aspects in the language.
The difficult aspects of learning Chinese other than writing characters:
Sentence structure is another challenge to a non-Chinese speaker. There might be several ways to express one situation, for example, “I have learned Chinese for two years” is the same as “I Chinese have learned for two years”, and “Chinese I have learned for two years”. Or, “What is your name?” in English could be “Your name is called what?” or “ You are called what name?”. In some cases, some words can be omitted and the meaning remains the same.
Measure words are another obstacle even to native speakers. For native speakers, measure words were introduced to children at a young age. Since sentence structure is not a major problem to them as it is to the second language learners, they are able to concentrate on distinguishing the different usages of different measure words. However, it is quite confusing to non-Chinese speaking learners.
Wendy Lin/Author of the book series "Practical Chinese" and the "Daily Chinese"
www.practicalchinese.com
practicalchinese@gmail.com
Monday, May 18, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Why Study Mandarin Chinese?
Since so many people ask how young a child should be before learning a second language, or why a child should learn Chinese, as opposed to a more "westernized" language such as Spanish, I thought it could be helpful to post an article from our web site, www.ChineseLanguageSchool.org, on "Why Study Chinese."
Here we go...
"Congratulations on starting the search for your child's Chinese language introduction.
Education experts agree that the earlier a child is introduced to a second language, the greater the chances are that the child will become truly proficient in the language.
For example, each Mandarin syllable has four tones that can mean different things. For example, "ma" in the first tone means "mother," while spoken in the third tone means "horse." Younger children find it much easier to learn a tonal language such as Chinese because they can mimic sounds much easier than older children or adults.
According to the Connecticut Department of Education, the number of public school students studying Mandarin, mostly non-Asian, has seen a more than ten-fold increase from 2004 to 20061. As more Connecticut public and private schools offer Mandarin classes at the middle school and high school level, CLSC students will have an educational advantage since they will have started at a much younger age.
In addition, for those students whose schools only offer Chinese once or twice per week, regular exposure to Chinese via CLSC tutoring and small private classes, will enhance their overall Chinese learning experience.
1 Winnie Hu, "Non-Asians Show a Growing Interest in Chinese Courses," The New York Times, November 29, 2006.
Culture: Learning the Chinese language and culture will allow students to explore an ancient culture, rich with innovation and historical significance. From writing Chinese characters, to learning about the 7 Sages during a watercolor painting exercise, to playing traditional Chinese games, students will be introduced to one of the oldest civilizations in the world.
Communication: Mandarin Chinese is spoken by nearly one out of every four people on the planet. As China grows in economic and political importance, it is critical that U.S. students become global citizens, and that they are given the opportunity to communicate in Chinese and to be familiar with Chinese customs and culture.
Enhanced Cognitive Ability: [From the BBC News and the Guardian, June 30, 2003] According to Dr. Sophie Scott, a psychologist at the Wellcome Trust, and colleagues from hospitals in Oxford and London who performed brain scans on volunteers as they listened to their native languages, when English speakers heard English, their left temporal lobes lit up on screen. When Mandarin Chinese speakers heard their native tongue, both right and left lobes buzzed with activity.
The left temporal lobe is normally associated with piecing sounds together into words; the right with processing melody and intonation.
"Speech really is a complex sound," said Dr Scott. "As well as understanding words, the brain uses the way in which words are spoken, such as intonation and melody, to turn spoken language into meaning. This system has to be robust and flexible enough to deal with variations in speech sounds such as regional accents. We think Mandarin speakers interpret intonation and melody in the right temporal lobe to give correct meaning to the spoken words."
The study suggests that language itself might affect the way the brain develops in a young child.
Improved Skills: In its 1992 report, College Bound Seniors: The 1992 Profile of SAT and Achievement Test Takers, the College Entrance Examination Board reported that "students who averaged 4 or more years of foreign language study scored higher on the verbal section of the SAT than those who had studied 4 or more years in any other subject area. This finding echoes many experts' belief that learning a second language can improve not only a child's aptitude in English, but also enhance creativity and problem-solving skills."
Global Edge: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, commentator and fund manager Jim Rogers, former president of Goldman Sachs John L. Thornton, and News Corp's chairman Rupert Murdoch are just a few of the world's leaders that speak Chinese or realize the importance of learning Mandarin.1 With the emergence of China as a global economic superpower (Goldman Sachs famously prophesizes that China will overtake the US as the world's largest economy by 2050, and China is now the world's third-largest trading nation.2), the importance understanding China's global relevance cannot be understated. "
1 Ellen Gamerman, "Drilling Kids in Chinese," The Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2007.
2 Kevin Rudd, Peking University, April 9, 2008
Here we go...
"Congratulations on starting the search for your child's Chinese language introduction.
Education experts agree that the earlier a child is introduced to a second language, the greater the chances are that the child will become truly proficient in the language.
For example, each Mandarin syllable has four tones that can mean different things. For example, "ma" in the first tone means "mother," while spoken in the third tone means "horse." Younger children find it much easier to learn a tonal language such as Chinese because they can mimic sounds much easier than older children or adults.
According to the Connecticut Department of Education, the number of public school students studying Mandarin, mostly non-Asian, has seen a more than ten-fold increase from 2004 to 20061. As more Connecticut public and private schools offer Mandarin classes at the middle school and high school level, CLSC students will have an educational advantage since they will have started at a much younger age.
In addition, for those students whose schools only offer Chinese once or twice per week, regular exposure to Chinese via CLSC tutoring and small private classes, will enhance their overall Chinese learning experience.
1 Winnie Hu, "Non-Asians Show a Growing Interest in Chinese Courses," The New York Times, November 29, 2006.
Culture: Learning the Chinese language and culture will allow students to explore an ancient culture, rich with innovation and historical significance. From writing Chinese characters, to learning about the 7 Sages during a watercolor painting exercise, to playing traditional Chinese games, students will be introduced to one of the oldest civilizations in the world.
Communication: Mandarin Chinese is spoken by nearly one out of every four people on the planet. As China grows in economic and political importance, it is critical that U.S. students become global citizens, and that they are given the opportunity to communicate in Chinese and to be familiar with Chinese customs and culture.
Enhanced Cognitive Ability: [From the BBC News and the Guardian, June 30, 2003] According to Dr. Sophie Scott, a psychologist at the Wellcome Trust, and colleagues from hospitals in Oxford and London who performed brain scans on volunteers as they listened to their native languages, when English speakers heard English, their left temporal lobes lit up on screen. When Mandarin Chinese speakers heard their native tongue, both right and left lobes buzzed with activity.
The left temporal lobe is normally associated with piecing sounds together into words; the right with processing melody and intonation.
"Speech really is a complex sound," said Dr Scott. "As well as understanding words, the brain uses the way in which words are spoken, such as intonation and melody, to turn spoken language into meaning. This system has to be robust and flexible enough to deal with variations in speech sounds such as regional accents. We think Mandarin speakers interpret intonation and melody in the right temporal lobe to give correct meaning to the spoken words."
The study suggests that language itself might affect the way the brain develops in a young child.
Improved Skills: In its 1992 report, College Bound Seniors: The 1992 Profile of SAT and Achievement Test Takers, the College Entrance Examination Board reported that "students who averaged 4 or more years of foreign language study scored higher on the verbal section of the SAT than those who had studied 4 or more years in any other subject area. This finding echoes many experts' belief that learning a second language can improve not only a child's aptitude in English, but also enhance creativity and problem-solving skills."
Global Edge: Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, commentator and fund manager Jim Rogers, former president of Goldman Sachs John L. Thornton, and News Corp's chairman Rupert Murdoch are just a few of the world's leaders that speak Chinese or realize the importance of learning Mandarin.1 With the emergence of China as a global economic superpower (Goldman Sachs famously prophesizes that China will overtake the US as the world's largest economy by 2050, and China is now the world's third-largest trading nation.2), the importance understanding China's global relevance cannot be understated. "
1 Ellen Gamerman, "Drilling Kids in Chinese," The Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2007.
2 Kevin Rudd, Peking University, April 9, 2008
Chopstix Preschool Mandarin Chinese Class
How young is too young to begin learning Chinese?
Do your children ever express interest in learning Chinese, or hearing more about Chinese culture? (maybe after watching "Nihao Kailan"??)
When my older daughter (now 13) was 2, she started asking me how to say certain words in Mandarin Chinese ("Mommy, how do you say 'dog' in Chinese? How do you say 'flower' in Chinese?).
I had to admit that, mainly, I didn't know. I enlisted a friend of mine, Susan Lem, who taught Emily a few things, but since she had moved from Taiwan when she was very young, and because she hadn't paid attention in Chinese school, she didn't remember a lot.
So, even she started saying how her daughter (also 2) should be learning Chinese.
It occured to me one day, that if I set up a small Chinese program for preschoolers, I could charge a small fee, Emily and her friends could learn a few words, and I could donate the proceeds to groups that worked with children in Chinese orphanages (synergy!)
Serendipitiously, I met Dr. Joseph Ho and his wife, Catherine, of Stamford, CT. Catherine graciously volunteered to teach, and Chopstix was born.
For information on Chopstix preschool Chinese classes for children ages 18 months to 5 years old, please visit www.ChineseLanguageSchool.org or email us at info@chineselanguageschool.org
Do your children ever express interest in learning Chinese, or hearing more about Chinese culture? (maybe after watching "Nihao Kailan"??)
When my older daughter (now 13) was 2, she started asking me how to say certain words in Mandarin Chinese ("Mommy, how do you say 'dog' in Chinese? How do you say 'flower' in Chinese?).
I had to admit that, mainly, I didn't know. I enlisted a friend of mine, Susan Lem, who taught Emily a few things, but since she had moved from Taiwan when she was very young, and because she hadn't paid attention in Chinese school, she didn't remember a lot.
So, even she started saying how her daughter (also 2) should be learning Chinese.
It occured to me one day, that if I set up a small Chinese program for preschoolers, I could charge a small fee, Emily and her friends could learn a few words, and I could donate the proceeds to groups that worked with children in Chinese orphanages (synergy!)
Serendipitiously, I met Dr. Joseph Ho and his wife, Catherine, of Stamford, CT. Catherine graciously volunteered to teach, and Chopstix was born.
For information on Chopstix preschool Chinese classes for children ages 18 months to 5 years old, please visit www.ChineseLanguageSchool.org or email us at info@chineselanguageschool.org
Networking for Chinese Language and Culture
Visit our new group at LinkedIn to see job postings, connect with others interested in promoting Chinese language and culture...www.LinkedIn.com and search Chinese Language School of Connecticut.
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Want to be a TV Star?
From Chou Yuru at the Tzu Chi foundation:
New York and New Jersey Tzu Chi volunteers are producing a TV program (tentatively named Tzu Chi USA Journal). This TV program is scheduled to broadcast worldwide on Tzu Chi's Da Ai satellite TV(http://www.newdaai.tv/?view=detail&id=56500).
We have volunteer positions open for the production team, i.e. director, writer, cameraman, editor, translator, production assistant, makeup artist, and host anchor. There will be a casting screening for the English anchor position on May 30. Chinese language skill is a plus but not required. If anyone is interested, please email contact information to Miss Ting Fan at tingfan0129@gmail.com to try out at the screening on May 30.
New York and New Jersey Tzu Chi volunteers are producing a TV program (tentatively named Tzu Chi USA Journal). This TV program is scheduled to broadcast worldwide on Tzu Chi's Da Ai satellite TV(http://www.newdaai.tv/?view=detail&id=56500).
We have volunteer positions open for the production team, i.e. director, writer, cameraman, editor, translator, production assistant, makeup artist, and host anchor. There will be a casting screening for the English anchor position on May 30. Chinese language skill is a plus but not required. If anyone is interested, please email contact information to Miss Ting Fan at tingfan0129@gmail.com to try out at the screening on May 30.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Chinese Language School of Connecticut Contributes to Chinese Language Sourcebook
The Chinese Language Teachers Association of Greater New York Completes 'Essential Chinese Language Teaching Sourcebook'
The Chinese Language School of Connecticut contributed to this important project.
Assembled by a team of more than 10 editors assisted by close to 20 graduate students, the Sourcebook aims to provide a generalized resource for all of the various issues in implementing Chinese language in schools, including teachers, management, and administrators.
For more info: www.ChineseLanguageSchool.org or info@ChineseLanguageSchool.org
Planning to travel to China?
Several parents and alumni families have recommended China Connection Tours, which has offices in several locations in China as well as the U.S. Professional service, wonderful trips, vacations may be customized.
http://www.china-tour.cn/
or, contact the Chinese Language School of Connecticut for more details about where some students have visited in China!
http://www.china-tour.cn/
or, contact the Chinese Language School of Connecticut for more details about where some students have visited in China!
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