User Comments - antony73
antony73
Posted on: Swimming Pools and the Beijing Accent
November 30, 2008 at 10:56 PMI first learned Mandarin from the Pimsleur tapes. Pimsleur uses the Beijing accent, and I've struggled real hard to shake it off since Pimsleur, simply because it's real fun to use (like 小孩). Ｉ found that I was more understood dropping the accent. I have a slight stutter and although Mandarin often makes talking much easier, probably because Mandarin is tonal, using an accent is helpful to me in getting fluency.
Posted on: Chinese Characters and the History of Sex in China
November 24, 2008 at 9:37 PMDoes anyone have any good tips for learning Hanzi?
Posted on: Chinese Characters and the History of Sex in China
November 24, 2008 at 9:34 PM...anyway
...a great lesson. I often become discouraged while learning Characters, and go through periods of time nearly giving up. So thanks for such an encouraging lesson and comments.
When I apply myself I learn the Simplified using self-made flash cards and 'Reading & Writing' A Comprehensive Guide to the Chinese Writng System by William McNaughton. It has just over a thousand common Characters including notes for each then several hundred others at the back of the book. Simplified and Traditional versions are available.
I agree with Pete, learning the Radicals is a great learning tool.
Posted on: An Executive Plan Report from Hong Kong
November 24, 2008 at 9:15 PMExecutive Plan is ok if you don't have any one to practice with on a weekly basis. I think if you have at least one or two good chinese conversations each week, that's fine. The rest of the time you can talk to yourself:)
p.s. I also have a cold - 威士忌酒柠檬蜂蜜 mixed then slightly heated... ahhh!
Posted on: Often: Using 常常，经常，通常 (chángcháng, jīngcháng, tōngcháng)
November 16, 2008 at 5:20 PMnice one, thanks pete! hoping to visit china myself next spring. maybe see you there:)
Posted on: Often: Using 常常，经常，通常 (chángcháng, jīngcháng, tōngcháng)
November 16, 2008 at 1:22 PMGood to have you as a new member Pete. How long have you been in China and studying Mandarin? Any words of wisdom for this Newbie?
Posted on: More Chinese lessons, and now EnglishPod!
November 16, 2008 at 12:58 PMYep - thinking of doing the same.
Posted on: Often: Using 常常，经常，通常 (chángcháng, jīngcháng, tōngcháng)
November 16, 2008 at 12:12 PMHere's my two:
我经常去游泳
我通常喝贮陈啤酒
elliepanda:
If you're using Windows XP, go to this link for a free download: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HA010347361033.aspx
Microsoft have free Chinese Simplified and Traditional language packs for all their Operating Systems. Multi-langauge packs for Office 2007 can be bought for $25.
'NJ Star' is worth considering. It can type Hanzi, Pinyin, paste to and from word, Cpod and others. It can also convert Hanzi to Pinyin and has a Hanzi to English Tranlator. Costs £50, though a free trial is available.
If you use an English mobile phone that uses Windows OS and want to type, read and text Hanzi on this, try 'CE-Star.' If I remember correctly, it costs under $30.
Hope this helps :D
Posted on: 练书法
November 15, 2008 at 10:27 AMI 'kind of' get the gist with this lesson, but just not quite got there. I'm still on the newbie going on to elementary level. With great effort I can usually get there at this level but it takes a very long time. I may post back later this evening when I've understood this lesson a bit more. 这个课太难. 我不明白. 如果我很多学我或许明白.
I find these 'What's the Story' lessons are great guaging tools in learning progess.
Vera 老师，谢谢!
Posted on: What's your (animal) sign?
December 12, 2008 at 3:03 AMI never really got 哪里 until this lesson. Saying "where where" always seemed a little odd to me. Early on I was taught that if ever given a kind complement like 你中文说的很好, that to be gracious and modest I should always reply with something like 哪里哪里我说的不好. Now I got it - "what are you talking about?"
Thanks