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 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes |  | |
| TheElvenLord Diglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6086 days ago 915 posts - 927 votes  1 sounds Speaks: Cornish, English* Studies: Spanish, French, German Studies: Portuguese, Mandarin | Message 17 of 32 05 September 2008 at 7:42am | IP Logged | ||
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Josht
Thanks for your first answer In regards to your second, I believe it is fine to start with characters. If you dont want to learn them, there is pinyin aswell. If you do, great! Fanatic I will take a look at that ASAP, but for now im thinking on getting Remembering the Hanzi for that (I already have remembering the kanji now, would that work?). Thanks TEL 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| TDC Triglot Senior Member United States Joined 6927 days ago 261 posts - 291 votes Speaks: English*, Mandarin, French Studies: Esperanto, Ukrainian, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Persian | Message 18 of 32 05 September 2008 at 7:48am | IP Logged | ||
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Well, I didn't go through the Assimil Chinese book until after I had been in China for quite a while, but I found that a lot of what the Assimil book covered was identical to what I was hearing everyone say and what I was picking up from the air of being in China.
My path to Chinese was a rush job of Pimsleur 3 months before I went to get in the basics and then once I was there I found I could start having conversations with people, although difficult at first, it was still possible and I talked with everyone I could. Taxi drivers, waitresses, managers, restaurant owners, etc... I bought an excellent little red dictionary that I carried around with me absolutely everywhere and used my cellphone to send and receive lots of msgs. Thus I was learning Chinese mainly from the Chinese. At that point I could talk about lots of stuff, but I wanted to get some dialogues and such to listen to. I found the Assimil audio online and found that I understood a HUGE amount of it. I actually was able to go through and transcribe it without having the text. I could do this up to nearly the last lessons. I don't think a traditional classroom textbook is all that necessary for Chinese. There's not a lot of grammar to learn, no pesky conjugations or anything like that, so a fill-in the blank exercise is really more like "can you remember the word for "apple"?" Instead of how do you say "I speak, you speak..." etc... So, if you're interested in learning what people actually say, then I would highly, highly recommend the Assimil book. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Cainntear Pentaglot Senior Member Scotland linguafrankly.blogsp Joined 6017 days ago 4399 posts - 7687 votes Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh | Message 19 of 32 05 September 2008 at 9:02am | IP Logged | ||
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Learn the characters first? Yuck.
I find it very difficult to read numerals in foreign languages. When I see "Il y avait 41...", my brain reads "Il y avait forty-one". If you learn to read the Hanji without knowing the word, you'll tie the symbol to the English word, just like I've done with Arabic/Indian numerals. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| TheElvenLord Diglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6086 days ago 915 posts - 927 votes 1 sounds Speaks: Cornish, English* Studies: Spanish, French, German Studies: Portuguese, Mandarin | Message 20 of 32 05 September 2008 at 10:20am | IP Logged | ||
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TDC
I wish to use Assimil Chinese alongside this textbook. Assimil will give me a lot of vocabulary needed, and reinforce grammar, but I feel, beyond the basics, I will need a textbook. I find them very helpful, for reference, revision and learning. Cainntear I understand what you say, But I have had not much problem in the past. I wish not to learn them first, but alongside. When I said "start with characters", I meant that a textbook for beginners with English/Pinyin/Characters is fine. I dont like it when they start in Pinyin then move the characters. The "alphabet" was one of the main reasons I learnt Mandarin, I am not going to leave it out. TEL 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
 magister Pro Member United States Joined 6609 days ago 346 posts - 421 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Turkish, Irish Personal Language Map | Message 21 of 32 05 September 2008 at 1:04pm | IP Logged | ||
Cainntear, you've piqued my interest. Can you provide a recommended link or two? Thank you. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Cainntear Pentaglot Senior Member Scotland linguafrankly.blogsp Joined 6017 days ago 4399 posts - 7687 votes Speaks: Lowland Scots, English*, French, Spanish, Scottish Gaelic Studies: Catalan, Italian, German, Irish, Welsh | Message 22 of 32 06 September 2008 at 2:28pm | IP Logged | ||
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TEL,
Have you checked out www.freelanguagecourses.com? They don't do their own stuff, but index and mirror other people's courses. They list a couple of Chinese courses. magister, I don't have any links (I've only ever bought books in person in India, never over the net), but just Google something like "bookshops India" and you're sure to find something. Edited by Cainntear on 06 September 2008 at 2:29pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| TheElvenLord Diglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6086 days ago 915 posts - 927 votes 1 sounds Speaks: Cornish, English* Studies: Spanish, French, German Studies: Portuguese, Mandarin | Message 23 of 32 07 September 2008 at 3:43am | IP Logged | ||
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Thanks Cainntear.
I will be buying New Practical Chinese Reader soon (When I get enough money :D), it looks quite good, so I will be using that. Thanks to all TEL 1 person has voted this message useful |
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