Okay, this is a trick question.  As someone who moved to China with the stated goal of 'learning Chinese' I was impressed by this little snippet from the back page of a recent Chengdoo magazine: 

'..if the explicit goal of moving here is to "learn Chinese" - well, when can that goal be considered accomplished?  Who, no matter what their level, doesn't think their Chinese could or should be a little or a lot better?  With Chinese, as with so many things, the more you know, the more you realize how much you don't know.  In the end, you do what you can, and perhaps it is not a clear success or a clear failure, but, you know, you tried.  

What do poddies think?  I would like this Group to discuss some of the psychological and practical trials of learning Chinese.   

- 10 ways to succeed

Okay, there are more than 10 ways.  I bought a phrase book written for Chinese people learning English (临时急需一句话).  At first I thought this was a novelty - pinyin is used to guide the Chinese in their pronunciation of English.  Very comical. &nb...

(1)   new comment by posted June 25, 2010

- Tales of elation and deflation

I have been thinking about measures of success when learning Chinese. Living here I am fortunate enough to be tested every day - I am sometimes elated and sometimes deflated by events. But at least I am tested. I learn a new expression and use it successfu...

(0)   posted June 25, 2010