Comments on: Why Chinese Is So Damn Hard and other fulltext goodies http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/ Notes and Queries in Anthropology — A Group Blog Thu, 24 May 2012 01:47:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Andrew http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/comment-page-1/#comment-617907 Andrew Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:03:32 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/#comment-617907 LOL, I totally agree. Even I Am a chinese, I still find it so damn hard. I even failed the exams LOL, I totally agree. Even I Am a chinese, I still find it so damn hard. I even failed the exams

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]]> By: Rickard http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/comment-page-1/#comment-31569 Rickard Wed, 27 Sep 2006 13:09:22 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/#comment-31569 Moser is completely right about why chinese is difficult. I've cursed all of his points myself at some time or other. But he doesn't mention why chinese is easy: no cases, no numbers, no genders (other than natural), no moods. In fact all words are <em>indeclinable</em>, much unlike the "easy" French. The difficulty with Chinese is vocabulary, no transparency from european languages, no way to guess the pronounciation or spelling of a word, while the difficulty with French and many other european languages is grammar. I'd guess that speaking idomatically correct French is at least as difficult as speaking idiomatically correct Chinese (given you know the vocab). Now, reading is a completely different matter, not to mention writing, unless you are using a computer (a lot has happened on that front in the 15 years since the paper was published). Moser is completely right about why chinese is difficult. I’ve cursed all of his points myself at some time or other.

But he doesn’t mention why chinese is easy: no cases, no numbers, no genders (other than natural), no moods. In fact all words are indeclinable, much unlike the “easy” French.

The difficulty with Chinese is vocabulary, no transparency from european languages, no way to guess the pronounciation or spelling of a word, while the difficulty with French and many other european languages is grammar.

I’d guess that speaking idomatically correct French is at least as difficult as speaking idiomatically correct Chinese (given you know the vocab).

Now, reading is a completely different matter, not to mention writing, unless you are using a computer (a lot has happened on that front in the 15 years since the paper was published).

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]]> By: Mark S. http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/comment-page-1/#comment-29561 Mark S. Tue, 19 Sep 2006 05:48:23 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/#comment-29561 As the person who does all of the conversions to PDF, I'm open to suggestions for which <em>Sino-Platonic Papers</em> to reissue sooner rather than later. Relatively recent issues, however, won't be released in PDF form until the stock of printed copies is sold out. Look for free editions of "Chinese Romanization Systems: IPA Transliteration" (SPP no. 52) and "Backhill/Peking/Beijing" (SPP no. 19) within the next month or so. As the person who does all of the conversions to PDF, I’m open to suggestions for which Sino-Platonic Papers to reissue sooner rather than later. Relatively recent issues, however, won’t be released in PDF form until the stock of printed copies is sold out. Look for free editions of “Chinese Romanization Systems: IPA Transliteration” (SPP no. 52) and “Backhill/Peking/Beijing” (SPP no. 19) within the next month or so.

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]]> By: Kerim http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/comment-page-1/#comment-29492 Kerim Mon, 18 Sep 2006 23:38:21 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/#comment-29492 The <a href="http://pinyin.info/news/" rel="nofollow">Pinyin News</a> blog on the same site is also must-reading for anyone interested in Chinese language issues. There are also some great sources for learning Chinese online. Check out: <a href="http://learningchineseonline.net" rel="nofollow">Learning Chinese Online</a> and <a href="http://www.chinesepod.com/" rel="nofollow">Chinese Pod</a> The Pinyin News blog on the same site is also must-reading for anyone interested in Chinese language issues.

There are also some great sources for learning Chinese online. Check out: Learning Chinese Online and Chinese Pod

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]]> By: Great wall of Chinese! « Entertaining Research http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/comment-page-1/#comment-29481 Great wall of Chinese! « Entertaining Research Mon, 18 Sep 2006 22:17:38 +0000 http://savageminds.org/2006/09/18/why-chinese-is-so-damn-hard-and-other-fulltext-goodies/#comment-29481 [...] Here is an essay called Why Chinese is so damn hard (pdf); link via Savage minds. [...] [...] Here is an essay called Why Chinese is so damn hard (pdf); link via Savage minds. [...]

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