Study Chinese Online From China

Reading a Newspaper Online: Can You Do It?

READING THE PAPER - I have to admit I still can’t read a Chinese newspaper. Sometimes there’s a life article that I can sit down, read and enjoy. But for the most part the frontpage headlines are just a jumble of characters. Am I discouraged? Should you be?

Most laypeople will judge a person’s language skills with two questions, Can you talk to people? And can you read a newspaper? :

Here’s why it’s probably a separate track to learning newspaper talk than it is to learn conversational Chinese. The words are different. The 1000 most frequent spoken or fiction words are different than the top 1000 in newspapers.

At Chinese Text Computing you can see various lists of Chinese word frequency, for example in fiction versus the press.

http://lingua.mtsu.edu/chinese-computing/

Here’s another list with English definitions and notes, it’s actually a fun list to puruse and sip coffee over. You should be learning words in this order, as these are ranked by frequency.

http://www.zein.se/patrick/3000char.html

If you’d like to try your hand at reading a newspaper, there’s an online site that gives mouse-over popup of recent headline news, and saves you the trouble of copy-pasting into other translation tools.

http://www.newsinchinese.com/

And of course, there’s always browsing the papers.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/
http://fzsb.hinews.cn/php/

Content or info overload is a challenge with all the resources available online. To help parse things down a bit, I found one way to make ’sound-bites’ or rather ‘text-bites’ that I can read. Get a couple of Chinese RSS feeds and view them via Netvibes, a RSS reader. With each entry it gives you a popup of the first 50-characters of text, this is enough to see the topic and keeps you ‘reading’ the Chinese.

At the end of the day, however, it would be nice to sit down and casually pick u p a Chinese newspaper and read it to relax, just like in English. If I figure out how, I’ll post again!

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Chinesepod Full-Transcript Inter 52 Old Friend

Full Transcript of Chinesepod Intermediate Lesson 52 : Old Friend

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In this intermediate lesson, Jenny and John talk about bumping into an old acquaintence. There banter is quite moderately paced, with splashes of English. It’s a nice read and good practice to go thru the podcast with the full transcript. The English that is spoken is transcribed just enough to keep one on track.

John： Ah, what is that?
Jenny：就是巧。
John： 嗄，巧。
Jenny：恩，对。然后呢，我们在对话里会听到，呃，用用法是这么巧。
John： 巧这个词是第三声，是吧？

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Other Transcripts

$4.25 A Fated Meeting, Intermediate
$2.25 Negotiating, Intermediate
$0.99 News, Upper Intermediate

$3.00 All Three Above in a Starter Pack, what a deal! For a limited time only.

Books For Studying Chinese Will Drive You Crazy

BOOKS PASSE - I recently bought some books on learning Chinese, they are targeted at upper intermediate and advanced students. I felt I had to buy them because they explain parts of Chinese that I don’t yet know, and the authors have good concepts and explanations.

The one book has a chapter on how to write about a sequence of events, like cooking a recipe or describing a series of events.
For example, it says

“In describing procedures and processes, the following expressesions are often useful:

首先 first of all
然后 then
随后 soon afterwards
最后 finally

They also then nicely introduce,

“When presenting one’s point of view…it is more forceful to list them…by using the following words and phrases

首先 first of all
其次 secondly
除此之外 besides
不仅如此 not only that

Here’s what REALLY bugs me. I just DON’T GET it. I got in a pretty big argument/discussion with a Chinese person about how my viewpoint was wrong, almost offensive. WHY is there no pinyin? If I already know the word, well then I sure do hope I know how to use it.

If the authors think that I don’t know how to use these words, and they don’t since they are explaining their usage to me, then how do they expect me to know the sounds for the word? I think they are just LAZY, the book publishers want to keep the total pages to a minimum, I don’t know but it’s batty.

Why do authors feel like they need to mix up memorization and recall with explanations? It’s like explaining to me how to tie my shoes while spinning me around.

I’m used to studying online, where I can do this:

首先 然后 随后 最后 首先 其次 除此之外 不仅如此
shǒuxiān ranhou suihou zuihou shouxian qici chucizhiwai bujin ruci

via sites like ADSO: http://www.adsotrans.com/new/

How to Think in Chinese. It’s Important!

STUDY MINI-TUTORIAL

Recently on Chinesepod.com I posted some sentences from the day’s lesson. I found the feedback from Connie, a Chinesepod host, to be extremely helpful. The first examples are my original sentences, and the second sentences are Connie’s correct sentences.

The key here is not to learn grammar, but to see how the English mind orders things differently than Chinese when expressing an idea. First look at the English sentence, but just think about what it means. Visualize the context, the meaning, the circumstances. Then try to express it in Chinese, or your own English. You’ll see that if you try to write down the thought in your own English, it probably won’t be the same exact sentence as mine.

This is because thoughts are separate from language. We’re just used to matching it up with one language, our first language. This is what we must ‘break’ or expand upon, creating a match to another language.

What we are trying to do is make the mind capable of the following, the first we already can do, the second is where we are now, and the third is our target:

Thought—>English

Thought—>interlanguage
(mixed up English/Chinese grammar with Chinese words)

Thought—>Chinese
Thought—>English/Chinese

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I lost my heart. Ohh! I see it…it’s in the palm of your hand.

diū liǎo wǒ de xīn。 é！ kàndéjiàn。 。 。 zài nǐ de shǒuzhǎng shàng。
丢了我的心。哦！看得见。。。在你的手掌上。

Wǒ de xīn diū le. Ò，wǒ kànjian le，zài nǐ de shǒu xīn li.
我的心丢了。哦，我看见了，在你的手心里。

• I was looking at the word ‘dui’ and wanted to use it in a sentence. In my excitement I started off the sentence with that ‘verb’. Chinese sentences never start with a verb, in fact English sentences don’t either. So why did I? If you look closely at my first sentence you’ll see that actually it is a butchered English construction, I’ve left off the “(I) lost my heart.” Chinese for the most part starts off with the subject (my heart) and then says what happened (was lost). I must beat it into my brain, subject first, subject first, think subject. Don’t first think of me, me, me.

• Chinese thinking is very linear and sequential, especially because there is no conjugation. Right? Well there is a sort of conjugation, using ‘le’. It happens a lot with the second phrase when expressing a thought. I forgot, again I think it’s my English phrase-generator that is muddling things up. Chinese goes like this:

(1st phrase introduces the subject)
我的心丢了。
(2nd phrase gives more context about what happened)
哦，我看见了

• My last mistake was actually the easiest to correct, the grammar is correct, just I didn’t use the proper words for ‘in the palm of your hand’. That was because I used a dictionary!

在你的手掌上。vs
在你的手心里

I dropped my cell phone. Ahh, I found it. Ohh no, it’s broken.

shǒujì diào le。 ā ， zhǎo de dào。 āiyā ， wǒ de shǒujì huài le。
手记掉了。啊，找的到。哎呀，我的手记坏了。<>

.Wǒ de shǒujī diào le. A，zhǎodào le. Āiyā，wǒ de shǒujī huài le.
我的手机掉了。啊，找到了。哎呀，我的手机坏了。

• While we’re used to thinking of English as very much focused on the individual, I find that Chinese is actually much more self-centered! In the first sentence I left of ‘I’, but see Connie’s, the ‘wo de’ comes up front and center.
• In my second phrase, again I have forgotten the nice progression of the sequence of events, leaving off the ‘le’. I got the ‘le’ in the first phrase right, but my freshman Chinese didn’t have a sophmore level second phrase sophistication. Note to myself, think about what happens next, it’s important in Chinese…and my life for that matter.

I can’t find my soul mate. Don’t be anxious, it’s best to look slowly.
àiren zhǎobùdào。
A: 爱人找不到。

bié zháojí ， mànmàn zhǎo jiù hǎo le。
B: 别着急，慢慢找就好了。

Wǒ zhǎobudào wǒ de zhīxīn àirén .
我找不到我的知心爱人。
Bié zháojí，zuìhǎo shi mànmàn zhǎo.
别着急，最好是慢慢找。

• Here’s where I think a lot of traditional academic teaching and examples breaks down. The mind doesn’t really think so narrowly as making a noun always the subject, or a person the subject. In my first sentence the subject is ‘looking for’ 找不到, and thus I should have put it at the front of my sentence.
• Actually, I also think my first sentence is correct, but that Connie saw it as incorrect because I hadn’t introduced the context. If we had already been talking about ‘my soulmate’ I could have used my sentence. But when starting tabla rasa, I need to slowly introduce that idea.
• In the second sentence, the Chinese logic is much simpler and step-by-step than my original sentence.

别着急，慢慢找就好了。
(don’t worry) (slowly look) (it’s best)

别着急，最好是慢慢找。
(don’t worry) (it’s best) (to do) (slowly look)

SUMMARY: There are a couple things to do when thinking in Chinese, first put the subject first. Second, in your followup phrase, express clearly the next event, using a ‘le’ or other connector word like ‘jiu hao’.

When is it right to go offline?

OFFLINE - One of the challenges of modern life is taking stock of things when information becomes overload. There are some who rightly argue that we are forgetting about the basics. With that said, I took some time off recently and bought some hard-to-find online materials (yes I would’ve preferred all of these materials came with companion e-editions!) I’ll post further as I put the books into use. I think I have found the right books to get me over the intermediate-level plateau.

Developing Writing Skills in Chinese
Boping Yuan and Kan Qian, Routledge Press 2003, HK$398

I bought this book because it seems to present information on how to write more formal Chinese, it gives examples of how a written phrase would be written/said in colloqial Chinese. I see this as a nice bridge to improving my Chinese and especially in understanding more of the media around me.

Advanced Chinese, Intention, Strategy & Communication
Yanfang Tang and Qinghai Chen, Yale University Press 2005, HK$550

I bought this text because it has chapters with topics like “How to write a description”. It’s not just an ‘advanced story’ with another vocab list. It gives me the words, patterns and examples necessary to do more conceptial things with Chinese.

Making Out in Chinese
Ray Daniels, Tuttle Publishing 2003, HK$65

This text, well heck it’s just fun.

The Language Instinct
Steven Pinker, Perennial Classics 1994, US$15

This classic, reading it makes me re-think a lot of my study habits. It is easy to fall back into traditional learning approaches because they are so prevalent and ingrained in most learning materials. I have slipped. Reading the book has re-ignited my focus and I will go retool my study habits.

Chinesepod Full-Transcript Inter 56 A Fated Meeting

Chinesepod transcript for Intermediate Lesson 56 A Fated Meeting

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This is an excellent intermediate lesson on meeting someone new. It’s a podcast by John and Jenny who do a fair amount of simple chatting in Chinese. There’s over 10 pages (double-spaced) dialogue so this transcript is a little pricier, but it will serve you well.

With the transcript you can pick out the words that you don’t yet know, but you sure did hear! Acquire the the vocabulary and lexis in their banter.

If you’re an elementary wanting to move into intermediate, this is a podcast set to your level. For an intermediate, sweating the details will get you to upper-intermediate and advanced. Really lock it in with a listen-thru with the transcript in front of you. You’ll be amazed at how much new stuff you hear. Be prepared to go have coffee in Chinese!

John : Hey Jenny, so today…
Jenny : 对，今天而且我们的中级课程是终于我觉得有一点，不那么严肃，就是有一点浪漫的成分在里面。对吧。
John: A little light-hearted and romantic.
Jenny: 对对对

Listen to the podcast, get the dialogue pdf, do the exercises. Then listen again with the transcript.

*Please note that in this transcript, the English is only transcribed for the first sentence or words. It’s enough to keep track of things. We believe this helps you focus on reading the hanzi in the next line. And to be honest, easier for us to produce. Let us know if you’re interested in purchasing full-English versions.

** I’ve put the News podcast on firesale for the FTI Give It a Try price of 99 cents

Chinesepod Full-Transcript Inter 28 Negotiating

Chinesepod transcript for Intermediate Lesson 28 Negotiating

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This is an excellent low-intermediate lesson on how to bargain in China. As a low-intermediate lesson Ken and Jenny slowly explain the scripted dialogue and break things down sentence by sentence. Towards the latter part of the podcast however they start to utilize the vocabulary in their banter. If you’re a newbie or elementary this dialogue might be tough on the first few listens. Go thru this transcript and then listen again. You’ll be amazed at how much new stuff you here, and how much easier the acquisition is. Learn how to bargain in Chinese!

KEN：啊，对。You have to use cash. Ten percent discount if you pay in cash.
JEN：如果你用现金买，我可以给你打九折。
KEN：很好。
JEN：那，说到打折，我们可以来练习一下

Listen to the podcast, get the dialogue pdf, do the exercises.

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Full-Transcripts Inititiative (FTI): Update 2

Hi Everyone,

Thanks to those of you who have already made a purchase of our first professional full-length transcript of a Chinesepod podcast. As an added incentive I’ve decided to try the Disney-DVD model of antagonizing, excuse me, encouraging new customers to make a purchase. I’m going to pull this first transcript off the market for an undisclosed time in three days. That means on Monday Sept 4, it will no longer be available! Of course on Monday I will publish a new transcript for another lesson. So hurry and send that Paypal cash over and buy the first transcript now!

We are also now thinking of offering a Paypal BuyItNow button for a package of the next five transcripts. This would allow us to fund FTI on a more consistant basis and ensure that we keep getting our transcripts. What do you think? Do people like that idea? And I’ll be totally upfront, how much would you pay for 5 transcripts and be peachy keen with the price?

To be fun and interesting I also thought that package buyers will get a bonus transcript that I will delay for a real long time putting out for general purchase. So who’s up for it?

Thanks,

The Executive Management Marketing Prooduction Team

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Full Transcripts Initiative (FTI): Update 1

Hi Fellow Cpoders,

Thanks to the first few early-adopters, those at the bleeding edge, the few, the proudly addicted to learning Chinese. I’ve received several orders and am encouraged that these transcripts are something that will help many of us in our studies.

I plan to get out a few intermediate level transcripts next, and slowly build up over time. There’s a lot of lexis and stuff to learn when one looks at a full transcript, about 5-6 pages. So for now I’m not planning to put out more than one a week. Please let me know though, the only limiting factors are costs, student-interest, and my internet connection.

For the next transcript I’m also thinking of trying out a more fun pricing scheme. I realize it’s a little aggravating to have these little small amounts charged to Paypal, so when I have enough transcripts I’ll put out ‘package deals’. But for now, I’m thinking the first 10 purchases are 99 cents, then it doubles to $2.00, then it settles at $3.00.

Thanks everyone,

Lantian

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Chinese is Easier than English: A Proof

A PROOF

A sentence which is easier in Chinese than it is in English

I will prove that Chinese is easier than English. First let’s start off with a thought, imagine that you have entered a classroom, you have taken off your shoes. Express this statement in Chinese and English. Which is easier to do?

wǒ tuō le xié zǒujìn jiàoshì。
我脱了鞋走进教室。

I-took off-shoes-go-enter-classroom
I took off my shoes and walked into the classroom.
I took off my shoes and entered the classroom.

A: Chinese version

我脱了鞋走进教室

In this Chinese sentence the only variable is the progression of time and the sequence of events. There is virtually no conjugation or tricky word forms. Just subject, verb and actions, and nouns. The verbs do not need conjugation, there are no tricky connector words. It’s about as simple as one could make it. There are about 15 components making up the hanzi, and about 7 words.

我 ….. subject, ( I )
脱了… first action, completed action, (remove)
鞋…… noun, (shoe)
走…… second action (go)
进…… third action (forward/into)
教室… noun, (classroom)

I-took off-shoes-go-enter-classroom
wǒ tuō le xié zǒujìn jiàoshì。

B: English version

I took off my shoes and walked into the classroom.

In the English version we are see that at almost every point in the sentence it’s necessary to make modifications and choices. Imagine doing this all in rapid-fire conversation, how can one do this?! When do I need a ‘the’? Why don’t I say “my pair of shoes”? There are 19 different letters and about 10 words several of which have irregular conjugations; take-took, I-mine-my, in-into, the classroom-a classroom-classroom.

I………… subject, must be converted, ie. from me, mine.
took off…. first action, must be made past tense, doesn’t follow ‘ed rule, exception. Plus this verb requires ‘off’.
my……… possession, need to add this as English is not context sensitive, must determine if it should be I, me, mine, my.
shoes……. noun, must be made plural of shoe, no need to indicate ‘pair’ of shoes in this situation
and……… this must be added because in English verbs can not just be strung together one after another
walked….. first action, must be made past tense to match first verb
into……… must be added to indicate direction
the………. must be added in front of noun, consideration of whether it is ‘a’, ‘the’, or nothing necessary. I don’t know why really, but you have to have ‘the’.
classroom…. 9-letters compared to 9 basic components within the Chinese hanzi 教室. Why two ’s’ and not one? Why is it not ‘class room’?

Proof: Since in this Chinese sentence I only require one variable, the progression of time and actions, and in the English sentence I require 8 modifications, I conclude that Chinese is an easier language than English.

Ref: A Crash Course in Chinese–Sentence Construction Patterns in Mordern Chinese. Ding Haosen. Shanghai 2004.

Chinesepod Full-Transcript Upper Inter 9 News

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I’m going to raise the price soon, or maybe lower it…I’m kinda hard to predict.

John: …
Jenny : 大家好，那今天我们要跟大家说一个，每天可能你都需要的话题，对不对？
John：每天都需要的？
Jenny：对我来说，对好多人来说，是一个习惯吧可能，就是新闻。
John：呃，恩。。。
Jenny：新闻。那我觉得这个词其实在中文和英文里呀都特别好，因为光光这一个词呢就把这个及时性都给传播出来了