Comments on: Fallacies In Learning Chinese http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/ No-nonsense China Expat & Travel Community Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:53:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Matt Schiavenza - Counting Characters and Such http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-11033 Matt Schiavenza - Counting Characters and Such Tue, 26 Aug 2008 05:57:48 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-11033 [...] I mentioned in my first ever post for Lost Laowai, there isn’t a magical number of characters one has to know to achieve [...] [...] I mentioned in my first ever post for Lost Laowai, there isn’t a magical number of characters one has to know to achieve [...]

]]> By: Learning Chinese : Wander Words http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-10555 Learning Chinese : Wander Words Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:50:24 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-10555 [...] post on Lost Laowai from LL-newcomer Matt, about the fallacies of Chinese learners. Learning Chinese is so completely different from learning a Romance language (or even an [...] [...] post on Lost Laowai from LL-newcomer Matt, about the fallacies of Chinese learners. Learning Chinese is so completely different from learning a Romance language (or even an [...]

]]> By: Ryan http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-10359 Ryan Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:56:02 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-10359 nciku seems to be pimping themselves across the Web. Not that it's not unfounded - the site is pretty slick - I just get itchy when my sites get hit with borderline spam. nciku seems to be pimping themselves across the Web. Not that it’s not unfounded – the site is pretty slick – I just get itchy when my sites get hit with borderline spam.

]]> By: Tam http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-10351 Tam Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:56:09 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-10351 I'm bookmarking that site, thanks Tony, having played with the handwriting recognition thing. Very useful! I’m bookmarking that site, thanks Tony, having played with the handwriting recognition thing. Very useful!

]]> By: Tony http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-10350 Tony Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:52:56 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-10350 I've found an excellent site for Chinese learning - <a href="http://www.nciku.com" rel="nofollow">online dictionary</a> There're a lot of features for Chinese learners, like audio pronunciation, flashcards, pinyin assistance and so forth. Well, what i like most is the handwriting recognition, amazing! You can draw the Chinese character when you don't know how to input it. I’ve found an excellent site for Chinese learning – online dictionary

There’re a lot of features for Chinese learners, like audio pronunciation, flashcards, pinyin assistance and so forth.

Well, what i like most is the handwriting recognition, amazing! You can draw the Chinese character when you don’t know how to input it.

]]> By: Ryan http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9081 Ryan Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:44:54 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9081 @Scoff: I love that "oooh... now I get it" feeling. I agree, and also find that knowing singular characters in their own context helps me remember them when they are in multi-character words as well. An example of this from my own (limited) learning was 重要(zhòngyào). I knew the characters separately at first, and then when I saw them together meaning "important" (lit. "heavy" "want") ... the "ah!" moment was one I wont forget. I think that's the best part about learning Chinese, it's like a bit of a jigsaw puzzle and when the pieces fit together, it's a cool feeling. @Scoff: I love that “oooh… now I get it” feeling. I agree, and also find that knowing singular characters in their own context helps me remember them when they are in multi-character words as well.

An example of this from my own (limited) learning was 重要(zhòngyào). I knew the characters separately at first, and then when I saw them together meaning “important” (lit. “heavy” “want”) … the “ah!” moment was one I wont forget.

I think that’s the best part about learning Chinese, it’s like a bit of a jigsaw puzzle and when the pieces fit together, it’s a cool feeling.

]]> By: scoff http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9077 scoff Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:58:41 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9077 Points one and two are completely spot on. I have a small caveat concerning point three. Nothing to do the fact that know X number of characters does not necessarily mean you can read the newspaper, but with the bit about characters in isolation. I started off in classes learning the two or more character combos (words), but it was a little frustrating only knowing a character in the context of a word I knew. I've since started studying singular meanings for characters and I find it a lot easier to remember words if I know what each of the characters mean. Knowing 机 and 会 separately and then learning 机会 gives me one of those "oooh...now I get it" feelings. Words are still essential, but I'm just saying that learning the meanings of characters by themselves isn't necessarily a waste of time. Points one and two are completely spot on. I have a small caveat concerning point three. Nothing to do the fact that know X number of characters does not necessarily mean you can read the newspaper, but with the bit about characters in isolation. I started off in classes learning the two or more character combos (words), but it was a little frustrating only knowing a character in the context of a word I knew. I’ve since started studying singular meanings for characters and I find it a lot easier to remember words if I know what each of the characters mean. Knowing 机 and 会 separately and then learning 机会 gives me one of those “oooh…now I get it” feelings.

Words are still essential, but I’m just saying that learning the meanings of characters by themselves isn’t necessarily a waste of time.

]]> By: Beijing Olympics FAN! » Blog Archive » Learning Chinese? http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9076 Beijing Olympics FAN! » Blog Archive » Learning Chinese? Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:54:06 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9076 [...] Here’s a great article on Lost Laowai from Matt, about the fallacies of Chinese learners. [...] [...] Here’s a great article on Lost Laowai from Matt, about the fallacies of Chinese learners. [...]

]]> By: Matt Schiavenza - Just Another Lost Laowai http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9075 Matt Schiavenza - Just Another Lost Laowai Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:16:10 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9075 [...] My debut post, concerning three fallacies that students of Chinese ought to avoid, is now up. Have a look! [...] [...] My debut post, concerning three fallacies that students of Chinese ought to avoid, is now up. Have a look! [...]

]]> By: Matt Schiavenza http://www.lostlaowai.com/blog/learning-chinese/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9074 Matt Schiavenza Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:04:27 +0000 http://www.lostlaowai.com/commentary/blog/2008/03/05/fallacies-in-learning-chinese/#comment-9074 Thanks everyone! Syz- you're right that having a background in spoken Chinese- even a slight one- makes learning characters much easier. In this sense, people who start learning Chinese only after they've been living here a bit (like me) have a certain advantage over people who throw themselves into the written language immediately. Then again, it's never too early to start learning characters I'd say. Thanks everyone! Syz- you’re right that having a background in spoken Chinese- even a slight one- makes learning characters much easier. In this sense, people who start learning Chinese only after they’ve been living here a bit (like me) have a certain advantage over people who throw themselves into the written language immediately. Then again, it’s never too early to start learning characters I’d say.

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