Chinese Pinyin - Have to think of words to learn? - Page 2 -

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Hero Doug -



Quote:


Originally Posted by FSO

I would recommend keeping a small notepad with you at all times. Then, when you find yourself
wanting to say something you haven't yet learned (or that you have learned and forgotten), jot it
down in English. Next time you see your teacher/tutor/bilingual friend, ask her or him, then write
down the answer. Doing this, you will quickly build up vocabulary that is personally relevant,
meaning that you will be less likely to forget it in the future.


I have to say I like this idea a lot, I'd just learn the word/phrases/sentences/etc at my own
accord though.



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mr.stinky -

@ kudra

the point is to learn vocabulary you can use (for the immersed) or that is interesting (for
the, uh, dry?). what's the point of having first-semester students memorize words and
characters they'll just forget after the next test?

ok, i admit the toilet may have been a poor example. (but given the quality of plumbing
fixtures here, the vocab is needed almost on a monthly basis.)










Aristotle -

I had an idea a while ago, that I have yet to try out (I'm doing Pimsleur and getting most of my
vocab from that). Work on translating song lyrics you know. That way, you'll get a logical chain
of words (i.e. sentances), which makes it easier to remember than just disconnected ones, and
you'll already know the "story" in English, so it's no problem remembering what word is supposed
to come next. When you get to a word you don't know, look it up. Then you could write the song
down on a paper and repeat it until you know it by heart. Then you can just try to sing it for
yourself when you need to repeat it.

For more advanced study, try to make the translation fit the melody/rhythm ("what other way can I
say this to make it into four syllables?"). You'll not only get vocab practice, but might also
encounter some interesting grammatical problems to solve. As an added benefit, songs are more
easily remembered than texts without melodies, so you might be able to retain it better. And if
you're really lucky, it'll get stuck in your head, so you'll repeat it a hundred times before
lunch, involuntarily...

Maybe we should start a thread with song translations for people to work with. Anyone want to
translate "I Like Big Butts" for me?

"Wo3 xi3huan1 da4 de... butts... he2 wo3 bu4 ke2yi3... lie" See, already two important and useful
words I need to look up and learn.

Yes, my pinyin might be off (and I'm not sure about the da de construction), but I've only just
finished Pimsleur 1, ok? They don't teach you pinyin there...










kudra -

@ mr. stinky


Quote:

what's the point of having first-semester students memorize words and
characters they'll just forget after the next test?

who would seriously advocate that? Any textbook worth it's salt will build and reinforce and
review previously introduced vocab. I think many text book authors have this in mind and try to do
this, albeit with varying degrees of success. The only 1st semester book I ever used was from the
Huang and Stimson series which seemed to follow that model for material corresponding through 4
semesters. Of course not every word is reviewed in each chapter, but stuff definitely pops up
again from earlier chapters.

As you were getting at, it must depend a lot if one is in China or not. If you are in the US, and
fairly dry as you put it (good one ) then you've got some daily block of time to review and
practice Chinese. Seems like a focussed curriculum say to get to the point of reading newspapers
and understanding news podcasts won't have a lot (although some) room for spending time on mundane
vocab.

The place where I get the "everyday" vocab is from watching episodes of Chinese Style Divorce for
example. Then I can pause, and look up stuff if it seems interesting. Of couse watching CSD is
probably not useful for 1st yr. students in the US.

I am skeptical that a text built around useful everyday vocab, even one that reinforced and
reviewed in a systematic way, would keep the interest of high school or college freshman. Hower,
that could just be my inner snob, filtered through my advanced age, coming through. geezer smiley>










L-F-J -



Quote:


Originally Posted by roddy

Do it by themes. 'Things I use in the kitchen'. 'Words to describe people'. 'Foods I like'.


i have an awesome vocabulary book that already divides them like this, but how do you go about
memorizing them and using them all once you get them? its kind of difficult to incorporate them
all so as to commit them to memory....










johnmck -



Quote:

The place where I get the "everyday" vocab is from watching episodes of Chinese Style Divorce for
example.

I am currently doing exactly the same thing and was just about to suggest this. I bought Chinese
Style Divorce a while ago but only now am I able to watch it. You really need about 600 words
under your belt if you want to avoid looking up every single word. Now I look up about one word
every two sentences. It is slow but I am learning new vocab and the plot is excellent.










heifeng -

I think that strawberries is a teen, so I dunno if Chinese style divorce is gonna be her ideal
soap...

I would recommend, the (insert your own description here, but I'll use terribly addicting and more
entertaining than I thought it would be...) Meteor Garden. Yes I admit it, I watched it. Twice.

If that's not your thing and you want something sappier and seemingly never ending, go for Aegean
Sea" (Qingding Aiqinhai) I and II.

Consider them an investment in your Chinese education.










L-F-J -

well, since we're naming them... sappy ones.

youtube has all episodes of 地下铁 in mandarin with chinese subtitles. "sound of colors" is the
title its under.

that show was really good i thought. its one of those that'll make a man grab the tissue unless
he's stonecold.

but for learning, it has lots of different voice types and speech rates. some people with deep
voices, some high, some speak really fast, some more slowly. i learned a lot with it.










DrZero -

You guys have sold me on Chinese Style Divorce. Where can I get it, and are there pinyin
transcripts available?
I have a vocabulary of about 1,000 words ... do you think I should be able to get something out of
this soap opera?










roddy -

See here, particularly here to start with.

No transcripts available as far as I know. There is the book the show was based on.

Roddy












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