[Tetra]

Pinyin is actually very easy, so I'm not sure why some people find it difficult to master pinyin. However, I'm not very familiar with zhuyin.

Perhaps people don't study hard enough.
Like 去 is "qu", yet it sounds like "chu" if you translate it in english. I think some people use direct translations rather than actually using pinyin =/

That's why they mistake "xiao" for "shao".

[tranced_azn]

我知道一點中國話. does that make sense? lol, i was wondering how to say "i know little bit chinese (mandarin)". and how would i tell someone that im currently studying it? 謝謝你.

[Izam.]

我知道一點中國話. does that make sense? lol, i was wondering how to say "i know little bit chinese (mandarin)". and how would i tell someone that im currently studying it? 謝謝你.

That is correct. To say that you are currently studying it, you would say: 我現在正在學習中文.

[Tetra]

Or simply 我正在學中文
Is formality meant to be good =/

[MUXU]

超闷哦..=__=''
想打下中文..谁陪我讲讲话吧..@_@''
好吧..我打下我今天的事情..
我没复习期末考..(死)..唉
又浪费了一天

i know this is a chinese helping thread..but there's no chinese discussion thread..=T

[Tamago86]

A lot of caucasian people went for chinese cause of the whole mandarin wave, but like a few months later, they dropped out and said chinese was BS language and they don't see why anyone would like it.

Ha, uncommitted n00bs.

That's funny, seems to describe most Asians here when it comes to English as well

[MUXU]

^haha..seems to describle alot of people who learns a new language

[Tamago86]

^haha..seems to describle alot of people who learns a new language

Not really, I'm talking about the people here in Asia especially Japan where they study English for 11 years and can't even say basic greetings, because their whole education focuses on grammar rather than speaking or listening and they're also taught English by Japanese teachers who can't even speak English as well, thus continuing the cycle. Not to mention that instead of actually teaching them how to pronounce words and sentences in English they give them the phonetic equivalent in Japanese, therefore things like "Hello, my name is Lynn" are taught in katakana as "ハロー、マイ　ネーム　イズ　リン" (haroo, mai neemu izu rin) . I sit in everyday on these classes so yea..

And when was this "mandarin wave" ? I must have missed it

[Izam.]

Not really, I'm talking about the people here in Asia especially Japan where they study English for 11 years and can't even say basic greetings, because their whole education focuses on grammar rather than speaking or listening and they're also taught English by Japanese teachers who can't even speak English as well, thus continuing the cycle. Not to mention that instead of actually teaching them how to pronounce words and sentences in English they give them the phonetic equivalent in Japanese, therefore things like "Hello, my name is Lynn" are taught in katakana as "ハロー、マイ　ネーム　イズ　リン" (haroo, mai neemu izu rin) . I sit in everyday on these classes so yea..

And when was this "mandarin wave" ? I must have missed it

It'll be very rare for them to hire a non-Japanese teacher even if it's just to teach foreign language (because they'll be taking jobs away from Japanese people). Am I right?

[Tamago86]

It'll be very rare for them to hire a non-Japanese teacher even if it's just to teach foreign language (because they'll be taking jobs away from Japanese people). Am I right?

No they don't really care about taking jobs away from people, they just prefer Japanese people because he or she will understand all the manners of Japanese culture, and will also know his/her obligations better. Many foreign English teachers here also do not speak Japanese, even those who claim they're fluent are actually umm..not at all..which means they can't take part in staff meetings or any activities that would include using Japanese with other teachers (just about all activities)..Consensus is very important when it comes to faculty at a Japanese school, and if someone can't even speak the language it breaks the chain of command. They also believe that a Japanese person won't be going anywhere anytime soon, where most foreign teachers will only be teaching for a year or two and then going back home. They also think that most foreign people don't understand the work ethic at Japanese schools, and alot don't..Many of my teachers stay at the school until 7pm and are also there on weekends as well, they have basically no free time but that's what is expected of them.

What they really prefer is someone who is half, like the one they have at my school. A half Japanese / half white person who grew up in America so he can speak fluent English, but who can also speak fluent Japanese is gold here.

Another problem is the goal of English education in Japan is not to be able to make it so that Japanese students can survive in foreign countries, they just do it so they'll be able to pass the rigorous college entrance exams, which include a large English section on it. If it weren't for this, they probably wouldn't even bother teaching more than a year of English. This also means for a serious English teacher they need someone that's able to explain both Japanese and English grammar and able to explain it in Japanese for the students to understand.

Because of all this, most non-Japanese people in Japan that speak English typically just teach English conversation classes.

[Izam.]

No they don't really care about taking jobs away from people, they just prefer Japanese people because he or she will understand all the manners of Japanese culture, and will also know his/her obligations better. Many foreign English teachers here also do not speak Japanese, even those who claim they're fluent are actually umm..not at all..which means they can't take part in staff meetings or any activities that would include using Japanese with other teachers (just about all activities)..Consensus is very important when it comes to faculty at a Japanese school, and if someone can't even speak the language it breaks the chain of command. They also believe that a Japanese person won't be going anywhere anytime soon, where most foreign teachers will only be teaching for a year or two and then going back home. They also think that most foreign people don't understand the work ethic at Japanese schools, and alot don't..Many of my teachers stay at the school until 7pm and are also there on weekends as well, they have basically no free time but that's what is expected of them.

What they really prefer is someone who is half, like the one they have at my school. A half Japanese / half white person who grew up in America so he can speak fluent English, but who can also speak fluent Japanese is gold here.

Another problem is the goal of English education in Japan is not to be able to make it so that Japanese students can survive in foreign countries, they just do it so they'll be able to pass the rigorous college entrance exams, which include a large English section on it. If it weren't for this, they probably wouldn't even bother teaching more than a year of English. This also means for a serious English teacher they need someone that's able to explain both Japanese and English grammar and able to explain it in Japanese for the students to understand.

Because of all this, most non-Japanese people in Japan that speak English typically just teach English conversation classes.

Ahh I see. Thanks for explaining!

[Tetra]

超闷哦..=__=''
想打下中文..谁陪我讲讲话吧..@_@''
好吧..我打下我今天的事情..
我没复习期末考..(死)..唉
又浪费了一天

i know this is a chinese helping thread..but there's no chinese discussion thread..=T

It may help me with my vocabulary more than this thread xD

That's funny, seems to describe most Asians here when it comes to English as well

Or perhaps it's the whole environment. In a place such as Canada or the US, where english is mainly spoken, learning other languages is not mandatory while everything is taught in english, whereas other places have their own official languages.

[tranced_azn]

That is correct. To say that you are currently studying it, you would say: 我現在正在學習中文.

Oo, thank you! ^.^ just one question...approximately how many characters should a person know? i heard it was around 3,000 or something, and do you guys try to follow stroke order when writing, or just go with the flow?

[Tetra]

Oo, thank you! ^.^ just one question...approximately how many characters should a person know? i heard it was around 3,000 or something, and do you guys try to follow stroke order when writing, or just go with the flow?

3000?

I could've sworn it was around 4000 O_o

Google said 3500 = 99.5% coverage rate, so I don't know xD

Like the japanese teacher said people know like 2000 kanji, so I'm thinking...err, that's like half of chinese language

I follow stroke-order. It's best to write it properly rather than go all over the place. Makes it look better too.

[MUXU]

It may help me with my vocabulary more than this thread xD

maybe..but arent u fluent in it already? chinese i mean
best way to learn chinese is to actually speak it and be in that enviroment =D

Oo, thank you! ^.^ just one question...approximately how many characters should a person know? i heard it was around 3,000 or something, and do you guys try to follow stroke order when writing, or just go with the flow?

i have no idea..3000 4000? XD
but for beginners..yes u have to follow the strokes..but once u do enough writing..it's just go with the flow
there is a reason why you have to follow the strokes..to make writing easier

[Tetra]

maybe..but arent u fluent in it already? chinese i mean
best way to learn chinese is to actually speak it and be in that enviroment =D

Fluent? No.

I can speak it properly, but my vocabulary isn't as strong as the chinese immigrants, nor is my reading and writing.

Frankly, my reading/writing is dead. I can't read a whole lot (like...a couple hundred words?), but that's still not enough.

[tranced_azn]

maybe..but arent u fluent in it already? chinese i mean
best way to learn chinese is to actually speak it and be in that enviroment =D
i have no idea..3000 4000? XD
but for beginners..yes u have to follow the strokes..but once u do enough writing..it's just go with the flow
there is a reason why you have to follow the strokes..to make writing easier

yea, i agree that practicing stroke order is essential. before, i didn't know how to write "guo" (ie. zhongguo), but when i learned the correct stroke order, it was much easier to write. and another one was "zai" (ie. zaijian) .

[Aziraphale]

Oo, thank you! ^.^ just one question...approximately how many characters should a person know? i heard it was around 3,000 or something, and do you guys try to follow stroke order when writing, or just go with the flow?

I agree that you have to follow the strokes, but I don't agree that after that, you can go with the flow. I remember when I was a kid, we had writing exercises and the words were printed on square grids, so that we could identify which stroke came first, and practise writing according to the order of the strokes. It is a lot easier if you follow the order, from left to right, top to bottom, and not all over the place. It's the way the word is constructed, so I think we should respect it.

I'm so old-school.

Frankly, my reading/writing is dead. I can't read a whole lot (like...a couple hundred words?), but that's still not enough.

Any books that you can pick up and just start learning again? Maybe there are some DIY stuff around...

[MUXU]

Fluent? No.

I can speak it properly, but my vocabulary isn't as strong as the chinese immigrants, nor is my reading and writing.

Frankly, my reading/writing is dead. I can't read a whole lot (like...a couple hundred words?), but that's still not enough.

appearantly..im dead in writing now..XD i can still read and type..but writing..@_@'' nothing

[putasmileon]

If you follow the strokes, it makes calligraphy and search through dictionaries a lot easier. Oh yeah.. 4000 sounds good. There are a lot of ancient words (on tea labels, etc..) that most natives can't read. Hardly anyone knows all the characters. You'll know you've learned enough if you can go around a Chinese-speaking area (even Chinatown) and read/understand 99% of what's around you.