2011年10月24日 星期一

How to Learn Mandarin 3 Warning -Chinese Wiki

  • If you must use the internet, remember that it's not always accurate.

  • Some people might be picky and correct you, but that's alright. That's what you want, so you can correct your mistakes.

  • If you learn something offensive, you should only say it jokingly and not seriously as some Chinese curses can be very strong.

  • Make sure that the resources you use are reputable- the last thing you want is to be saying bad things that you don't mean!

  • When in doubt about how to use vocabulary, if you can, ask a native speaker.
       Katrina:  Even sometimes native speakers can make mistakes, especially when you throw    them a  random Eng. vocab. and want a quick, direct translation~  :(   
so~ it's better you give them a full complete sentence you wish to convey in Chinese, make sure your Chinese friends have a better, clear understanding of what you wish you speak in Mandarin!

  • When you get better, don't settle for mutual study sessions which are actually held in English. After a while your Chinese may be better than your friend's English. You should use this to your advantage and spend as much time speaking purely in Mandarin as possible. Remember - don't underestimate yourself and don't let yourself be underestimated by the Chinese.

How to Learn Mandarin 2 Tips

Tips


  • Tones/pronunciation is very important in Chinese. When first starting and learning new vocabulary, take some extra time to practice the tones.





  • Chinese is a very analytic language. This means that words, unlike German and sometimes English for instance, will not change for different cases, gender, etc.. In fact, every "word" is a single syllable, sometimes combining themselves next to each other to make "compound words".
    • On the subject of compound words, it is of note that about two thirds of modern Mandarin Chinese is made up of compound words. And there are actually patterns to what these words are--just look for them!




  • Remember, little and often.





  • Don't skip a day or a few weeks just because you don't have time. You'll forget everything and have to start from scratch.





  • Another thing to remember, find opportunities to speak it.





  • Get some friends that come from China or other Chinese speaking countries to teach you some Chinese. Make sure they know Chinese, as many schools in China now teach English.





  • If you need to learn in a hurry, try some software or use flash cards to learn before bed.





  • Get a 'How to learn Mandarin' Book to learn more.





  • Try to get a hold of a CD that you can play in your car or while doing homework or while just relaxing. It really will help if you just practice.





  • If you can, taking at least an introductory course on Mandarin at your school or local college can be an excellent way to be confident and accurate in your pronunciation and tones. Getting the basics down can help you have a good springboard for further studies on your own. Preferably make sure the course is conducted in Mandarin and *not* in English. English teachers who go to teach in China are expected to speak in English, not Chinese.





  • While there is much disagreement about romanization of Chinese and the use of such systems, learning the Pinyin system can prove invaluable if you intend to type in Chinese on a Western keyboard.





  • Learn simple Chinese characters first; these are most likely the "radicals" that use their meaning and/or pronunciation to give hints in complex characters [which are most likely groups of radicals themselves].





  • Flashcards are very useful for learning new vocabulary, but it is equally important to practice using new words in sentences.





  • If you intend to learn how to read Chinese characters, seek out a good reference book or character workbook at your local bookstore or library.





  • Persistence is key! If you think you know a lot, then just stop studying or repeating it, you will forget what you have learned. How frustrating will it be to have to relearn things over and over because you don't study at least 4 times a week.





  • One good skill to learn is how to downplay compliments that native speakers give you.


  •    
        Katrina:
    Sometimes even you just say xiexie (thank you), then you can get a huge compliment from Chinese/Taiwanese people saying: wow~you speak very good Mandarin!!
    And you know"it's NOT true!!"

  • There are free podcasts available online.





  • By and large, Chinese people are very proud of their culture, and enjoy helping people learn their language. Don't be afraid to ask for help or practice with a native speaker.



  • Katrina:
    But Taiwanese youngster nowadays don't know much about Chinese culture, and tend to speak more and more Eng. Besides, they don't really have much concern about their accent and structures when speaking Mandarin!!


  • While Taiwanese Mandarin is very similar to mainland Mandarin, there are very subtle differences in terms of pronunciations, vocabulary and subtle grammar structure differences. Much like American English and Standard British English.


  • Katrina:
    Very different!

    How to Learn Mandarin 1 -Chinese Wiki

    So, you love China?
    Chances are, you also like the Chinese language, and wish you could speak it.
     This can be a difficult task, unless you know how.
    Mandarin Chinese isn't a very complex language (if you compare it to French or German) but it needs to be practiced daily, alone with your textbooks, in the real life if you have Chinese speaking friends or why not, online with the numerous online Mandarin schools that exist over there.
    Are you ready? Let's go :)


    Steps :)

    Start small.
    Don't push yourself to do too much. Purchase some books from a bookstore, look in the Guides and/or Languages sections to teach yourself the basics. If you can, contact a friend who lives in China, and they can get really good books from there. If you don't have one, try to find online pen-pals !

    汉语 (Chinese) flashcards

    Select from 20000+ Words/Phrases with Audio and Examples
    http://www.trainchinese.com/
     
     
    Test yourself and have others test you.
     
    But remember, this isn't an exam; it's helping you become fluent in Chinese.
     
     
    Find opportunities to practice what you learn.
     
    Maybe there's a Chinese restaurant down the road. If there are Chinese people there, go in and greet them in Chinese! You don't need to buy their food. They will be delighted that you are taking an interest in their culture. If you can't find any, go to Chinatown. Maybe one of your neighbors speaks Chinese. Make sure they speak Mandarin, though, or it could mean a very embarrassing visit!
     
     
    Don't be too harsh on yourself.
    Learning a language is a gradual process - you have to keep at it. Chinese in one of the hardest languages to learn, so take your time
     
     
    If all self-teaching attempts fail, try taking a class in Chinese.
    With the growth of Asian neighborhoods around the country, many classes taught by volunteers have popped up. They range in cost from $300 to $500 or more per year, plus other costs. You can also try an online Mandarin school.
     
     
    Know your best way to learn.
    Do you learn best by rewriting phrases? Rereading? Saying them out aloud? Hearing them said aloud? If you are not sure, practice differently with new unique ways to help you remember.
     
    Rewrite every phase or word on the page.
    This will help - as you can always refer to it if you have trouble
     
    Learn the tones.
    There are four tones. One type of tone is usually over each Chinese word. Each tone type is drawn over the word 'ma' to show the different ways of pronouncing it.
     
     
     

    2011年10月20日 星期四

    呢 的用法!1

    “呢”在现代汉语中使用频率非常高,而且功能也比较复杂,对于“呢”的意义及用法分析从来都是现代汉语语法研究中的一个重要课题。鉴于此,本文在众多学者研究的基础之上,对众学者的说法进行分析整理,从而归纳总结出“呢”的基本语气意义和用法。


    “呢”在现代汉语中应用广泛、使用频率较高,对“呢”的研究由来已久,众多学者对于“呢”都提出了自己的观点,笔者在众多学者研究的基础之上,从教学的角度出发,认为“呢”在现代汉语中的意义及用法主要有以下几种:


      一、“呢”作为句末语气词

    “呢”作为句末语气词一般可用在陈述句、疑问句、反问句的末尾,用来增添某种语气。

     
    (一)“呢”用在陈述句末尾,有指明事实略带夸张的意味。
          “呢”用在陈述句末,有两种情况:
     

      1.用在一般陈述句末,指明事实略带夸张,且兼有不容置疑的口气,如:
     

     1)这栋房子占地六十亩呢!

     2)天安门广场可大呢!

     3)他比我小好几岁呢!

     4)小许同志待人可热情呢!

     5)你要星星他也能给你摘得下呢!
     

      2.用在“正/在……呢”“V着……呢”“………着呢
       ”表动作行为持续的句式中,
        “呢”在这里同样是指明事实并暗含提醒注意的意思!如:
     

     1)咦,你们到哪里去?外面还打着雷呢。

     2)外面下着雨呢!

     3)他进来的时候,我正在听录音呢。

     4)早上我正睡觉呢,突然电话铃响了,把我吓了一跳! 
     

     “呢”是惟一能用在这种表示持续状态的句式末尾的语气词,所以有些学者或语法学著作中都认为“呢”本身也含有表示持续的意味,笔者认为“持续”这一层意思是由整个句子来体现的,或者动词本身就表示动作行为是可以持续的,如“下”、“听”、“睡觉”等本身就是一个具有时间性的东西,表示一段时间的行为,且动态助词“着”最基本的意义也是表示动作或状态的持续,更不用说一些言明持续状态的副词如“正在”了!所以,由以上可以得出“表示持续的状态”这一层意思是由整个句子来承担的,“呢”在这里更多的是指明事实并提醒听者注意的意味!但在教学中应该提醒学生注意“呢”是惟一一个能用在这种句式中的语气词!
     

     (二)“呢”用于疑问句末尾(是非问句除外),
    给句子增添了“深究”的口气,对疑问点起深究作用。
    “呢”用于疑问句中的情况如下:
     

      1.用在特指问句末尾,句子里一般有疑问词
    “谁、什么、哪、怎么”等,“呢”对这些语气词所表示的内容进行深究,如:
     

     1)你问谁呢?——深究“谁”!

     2)老魏究竟说了些什么呢?——深究“什么”!

     3)你到哪儿去了呢?——深究“哪儿”!

     4)我的书在哪里呢?——深究“哪里”!
     

      有时现代汉语中会出现“N+呢”的形式,
    如“我大嫂呢?”、“你的拐杖呢?”这之类的问话,
    其实这种形式是“呢”字特指问句的简略形式。这种形式的出现在对话中,如:
     

     5)秋秋呢?你不是说他刚才还在这儿吗?=秋秋去哪儿了?

     6)小孙明天上午起身,小张呢?=小张什么时候起身呢?

     7)国强呢?=国强去哪儿了?/国强在哪儿呢?

     8)我的书包呢?=我的书包在哪里呢?
     

       2.用在选择疑问句末尾,“呢”同时深究两个疑问点!如:
     

     1)你到底是中国人呢?还是日本人呢?——深究“是中国人”和“是日本人”。

     2)他们认识不认识我呢?——疑问点落在“认识”和“不认识”上。

     3)咱们是去颐和园呢,还是去北海呢?——深究“是去颐和园”和“是去北海”。

     4)今天晚上你去不去呢?——疑问点落在“去”和“不去”上,同时深究!
     

      3.用在反问句末尾,因为反问句是无疑而问的句子,
    所以“呢”用在反问句中是对整个命题进行深究,
    有时会使句子带有夸张的情绪色彩,如:
     

     1)这事谁不知道,你何必瞒我呢?

     2)我怎么可能不知道呢?

     3)谁不知道她很难相处呢?

     4)看到这种情景,怎么会不叫人高兴呢!
     

      二、“呢”用在句中

     “呢”用在句中,表示停顿,并提请注意,
    使听者注意到“呢”停顿后所说的内容!“呢”用于句中情况如下:
     

    1.“呢”用于主语后时,“呢”除了表示停顿并提请注意外
    ,一般还用于表述两个或者更多的事物从而形成对比,
    这种对比在某些情况下含有一定的转折意味!如:
     

     1)你走好了,我呢,你就不用管了!

     2)这几个孩子兴趣爱好各不相同,姐姐爱好体育,妹妹呢,
          爱画画,哥哥喜欢音乐,小弟呢,就知道玩!
     

    3)马呢,不是让给病号骑,就是替大家驮干粮!

    4)人呢,倒是一个老实人,只是有点太拗!
     

      2.“呢”用于状语后,用于状语后的“呢”一般用于并述多种情况!如:
     

    1)爱姑回到那边去,其实呢,也没有什么味!

    2)这个人总爱说漂亮话,实际上呢,不做一点扎扎实实的工作。

    3)今天晚上我实在不能去,一来呢,我有点头疼,二来呢,还可能有人来找我!

    4)现在呢,你和你的第二个男人过活不到两年,倒落下一件大罪名!
     

      3.“呢”用于述语和宾语之间,此时的述语一般为“觉得”、
    “认为”之类表示心理活动的词,主要只表示停顿,并提请注意,如:
     

    1)我觉得呢,小王这几天有点心神不宁!

    2)我想呢,今年有机会的话,去趟海南。
     

      4.“呢”用于假设复句的第一分句后,“呢”除了用于一般的假设复句,
     
    还可以用于两歧式的假设复句,表示对立的两种情况或左右为难犹豫不定,如:

    1)我要是不同意呢,你怎么办?

    2)你批评得对呢,我就虚心接受;批评得不对呢,那也没有什么,
    有则改之,无则加勉嘛!

    3)这两个主意虽然不同,可是结果一样:不去呢,她必不会善罢甘休;
    去呢,她也不会饶了他。
     

    5.“呢”用于选择复句既可以只用于前一分句末,还可以同时用于两个分句末,如:
     

    1)通宝,你是卖蚕子呢,还是自家做丝?

    2)究竟是宝贝呢还是破烂?我看不是什么值钱的东西。

    3)你想学习文学呢,还是想学习历史呢?

     4)梁宝生对呢,还是郭振山对呢?
     

    三、结语

    我们认为,在教学中,尤其是对外汉语教学中,对于“呢”的意义及用法进行小结,有助于教师的课堂讲解,更有助于学生对于“呢”的规律性的掌握,对于提高汉语教学质量有很大的帮助。
     

    【参考文献】

    [1]朱德熙.语法讲义.商务印刷馆,19829.

    [2]刘月华等.实用现代汉语语法.外语教学与研究出版社,20011.

    [3]吕叔湘.现代汉语八百词.商务印书馆,19985.

    [4]王力.汉语史稿.商务印书馆,20043.

    [5]齐沪扬.语气词和语气系统.安徽教育出版社,200212.

    [6]孙汝建.语气和语气词研究.上海师范大学博士学位论文,19981.

    Sample Biz Card 1

    2011年10月19日 星期三

    New Material 1

    1. Chinese Master 1 - 漢語大師 1

    - For my money, this material is better than the new version of PAVC.
    Then lessons for each level, anyone who are a bit lazy about learning Chinese reading and writing
    will find this book more convenient for practicing speaking and listening because you can always see
    pinyin right under each Chinese character, and it comes with an MP3 for you to practice along.

    PAVC

    - Now i'm still using OLD version of PAVC
      The old one is good, but not as convenient as Chinese master.
      My students have been asking me to bring the new version of PAVC to teach them, I took their advice, but personally i don't like it!!!!
      It's too much trouble, they try jazz the book up with two different pinyins and
      with their fancy English translation, but I really don't agree with using English when you're teaching Mandarin!!!
    They are totally two different language systems!!! 

      English can only help you with little trouble when learning Mandarin on your way...
      But i can't help you all the way though the learning process!!!

      The publisher is also trying to make big bucks out of the new version of PAVC.
      For the old version of book 1 PAVC, it has 25 lessons but the new one only has got half  lessons 
      They made the old version of book one becoming new version of book one and two!!!!
      Business wise, it was awesome!!! 
    But as a Mandarin teacher, it sucks big time!!!


    2011年10月12日 星期三

    To All Mandarin Teachers & MTs To Be 4

    最後我要說的是

    我不是會說話,
    我也不是厲害的老師
    我能給多少,我就收多少錢!
    憑良心做事,如此而已!!

    出價之前先想想
    人家外國人教英文
    他們在沒有證照,沒有學歷,沒有經驗,
    設麼都沒有的情況下,收了你多少錢教你英文?
    你就會知道自己多麼的”謙虛“ ”便宜“了!!!
    你會說: FXXK!憑啥麼??!!
    我說:就憑他們夠有自信! That's it! and that's ALL they have!!!!

    但是在這裡並非批評”所有的外籍英文老師“
    也不是鼓勵你呼蘭外籍人士
    記住!
    我能給多少,我就收多少錢!
    憑良心做事,如此而已!!


    Katrina Lee