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Thread: what's the most difficult part of learning Chinese?
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[quote=MELODYCHOW,35964]Dear, glad to see all your replies! Most of you said tones of Chinese are very difficult to be told the difference. Yes, exactly. One Chinese character has four diffrent tones, and the meaning varies based on the change of tones. If you read or speak a Chinese word in another tone (not the correct tone), it turns to be another word which may cause misunderstanding. But there is a way to work well on this nodus - imitation. This is what I think the most important for westerners to learn Chinese. If you have a/some Chinese frend(s), try to imitate what they say and how they pronounce a word. Pay special attention to his tones and try your best to imitate until you two are exactly the same. Then you've got the correct pronounciation!!! Anyway, whenever you learn a Chinese word or phrase, try to use them often in your daily life or, if you do not have a language environment, just make a simple sentence with them and recite it more, which may help you to memorize what you learn. I also want to say something about the dialects. Beijing-talk is not the real Chinese Mandarin but only the basis to shape the language. They are closer but different. However, never worry about the dialects that you think may trouble you. Even Chinese people themselves can not understand each other's local dialects if they come from different areas of China. But, actually, most of Chinese people, no matter they come from, can try to say the Chinese Mandarin. Like me, I was born in Shaanxi Province, but my native place is Henan Province. So I can say both Shaaxi Dialect and Henan Dialect. I never learn but I can. Of course, my Chinese Mandarin is out of problem. So take it easy and do not worry about the dialects. Chinese people will communicate with you (especially westerners) in Chinese Madarin as they can. What you have to learn is only the Chinese Madarin but not the dialects. Do you know a famous Canadian who live in China who can speak fluent Chinese Mandarin and even the Beijing Dialect - Da Shan (Mark Rowsell) ?? I think the language-learning environment is the most important for he has been already living in China for more than ten years. As a student major in English, I always dream to go abroad and live there for many many years, then I can also speak more fluent and native English, haha...LOL, right?? Plus, I will recommend you a very good TV program on CCTV-4 - 'Learn Chinese'. It is broadcast every morning at 09:50 and rebroadcast at 13:50 in the afternoon (Both are Beijing time). This twenty-minutes program are especially designed for westerners who want to learn Chinese,very interesting and instructive. Hope you will like it, and more disscussion are welcomed!!! :)))[/quote]
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