Avenues for learning Chinese

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Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #30 on: August 20, 2008, 04:09:24 AM »
Sure...but then tell me what the dish "burning love" consists of.
Or "Hotchpotch", "Poor Knights", "Frog snappers", "Jansson's Temptations". The same thing goes for English cuisine. If you picked up an English menu and came across dishes like "Bangers and mash", "Toad-in-a-hole" or "Spotted Dick", would you, having never heard of these names before, readily understand what they mean?
That's why buying a detailed guide meant to decipher the different strange names of Chinese dishes is a good idea.
"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination." Oscar Wilde.

"It's all oojah cum spiffy". Bertie Wooster.
"The stars are God's daisy chain" Madeleine Bassett.

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Rajin

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Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #31 on: August 20, 2008, 04:16:38 AM »
You could ask someone Chinese to translate it for you, of course.

Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #32 on: August 20, 2008, 04:20:47 AM »
Or I could not behave like I just stepped out of the British Empire anno 1850 and actually try to learn the language, customs and cuisine of the country I have decided to live in.
"Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination." Oscar Wilde.

"It's all oojah cum spiffy". Bertie Wooster.
"The stars are God's daisy chain" Madeleine Bassett.

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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #33 on: August 20, 2008, 07:08:17 AM »
Hi!

This section is called "The Library".
Its purpose is to let people come in and find useful info fairly quickly, without having to wade through the mountains of blather seen in the other areas.

Please post info here. Nothing else.

Please.
"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)

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Rajin

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Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #34 on: August 21, 2008, 03:41:52 PM »
Well, feel free to delete this post then, but I can't believe ericthered can give such a rude response to someone genuinely giving advice.

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teleplayer

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Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #35 on: August 30, 2008, 11:13:27 AM »
Or I could not behave like I just stepped out of the British Empire anno 1850 and actually try to learn the language, customs and cuisine of the country I have decided to live in.

ETR,

 If you can believe this Ozlander?, Denis Zavialov, who's "taken the United Nations Competitive Examinations for Translators/Prècis Writers, Editors, Verbatim Reporters" and posted a translated menu in 2005  http://www.onefootprint.com/projects/ChineseMenu.shtml
Go direct: http://www.onefootprint.com/news/downloads/Ch-en-menu20056pages.doc.doc

The tone marks on the pinyin in right hand column are in the top of the cell so you'll have to adjust it a bit to see them for pronounciation help. Edit: They seem to be embedded pics so not easy to paste elswhere to expand, but a start. If you can find the 2003 version cached it's easier. If not, I'll email it to you. I saved the PDF.

There's also this menu http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/menu/dish.htm. No piyin but you could put the characters into the C/E dictionary at Mandarin Tools http://www.mandarintools.com/ and get a pronounciation and see Pinyin.

Also no Pinyin here where NYTimes Culture writer J.8 Lee in June 6, '08 article "Chinese Food Translations: Sweet, Sour and Downright Odd" posted link to pages of suggested translations for the Olumpics http://www.for68.com/new/2008/6/li8655365544181680024816-0.htm

Oh, and for humor, the Blog "Two Chubby Chinese Ladies: All food, all the time..."
http://tccladies.blogspot.com/2007/01/chinese-menu-translations.html posted link to this totally inaccurate bit of translation humor:
http://www.rahoi.com/2006/03/may-i-take-your-order/ Or to paraphrase a comment from a list of Chinglish  in on another verion of the saloon, "Why we're here doing what we do."

« Last Edit: August 30, 2008, 11:50:38 AM by teleplayer »

Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #36 on: November 16, 2008, 04:08:21 PM »
Hi,

As a recent arrival to China I found the originalpost in this thread very useful, as I am very interested in learning Chinese.

I would just like more information regarding the language teaching offered by universities in China. I have done some googling on this but have only found some very expensive programmes that quote prices in US dollars.

Can someone please recommend some sites where I can get information about the Chinese language courses offered by universities in terms of cost and dates?

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Lotus Eater

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Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #37 on: November 16, 2008, 04:16:08 PM »
Bentham, are you planning on teaching at uni here?  You can sometimes negotiate Chinese lessons as part of your contract.  Otherwise, whichever city you are going to be in, directly contact the Foreign Affairs offices of universities close to you and ask them.  Many of the quote you will have seen will include accommodation, which you won't need if you are working.  I think you should be able to arranges classes - 3-4 hours, 5 days per week - for around $1000 or less.

Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #38 on: November 17, 2008, 04:21:49 PM »
Lotus Eater -

I currently teach at a university here in China, but I think that the university doesn't offer Chinese classes. Asking around for universities that would teach me in my local city is a good idea.

I was planning on combining travel with study, that is, settling down in a city I'd like to visit for a couple of weeks to both see the city and have language lessons. The quotes I have seen have been well over $1000 - however, these sites seem to be targeted at foreigners coming from their own country for the express purpose of study.

Do you think I would have luck arranging affordable lessons simply by contacting the FAO offices of places I would like to visit and study? 

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Lotus Eater

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Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #39 on: November 17, 2008, 04:40:54 PM »
I think that would be the best way, although the places I know usually run full semester programs.  There must be one in the city you are working in.  But I know Xi'an Foreign studies University has shorter programs, so you could try there. 

Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #40 on: November 17, 2008, 04:42:14 PM »
Hey Bentham, I don't know if this is exactly what you're looking for but our very own Nolefan runs a great Chinese Language Bootcamp which is well worth your consideration. Check it out here - http://www.sinocamps.com/

I did this course a couple of years ago and got a huge amount from it. The course itself was interesting, educational and more than a little entertaining. The most valuable thing for me was being able to continue to develop my language skills after the course finished using the things I had learned there.

There are quite a few members here who have done the course, so getting some other feedback should be pretty easy.
You have to care for it to matter.
http://www.haerbinger.com - All About Harbin

Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #41 on: November 17, 2008, 11:07:01 PM »
I have seen noles talk about the bootcamps on a certain other site, but had always ignored it because of the nature of the place. Now, thanks ND for the link. I took a look at it and it sure sounds like the ideal way to spend part of the vacation, while getting some definate benefits. I will have to look into my schedule a bit more and possibly check it out this winter. HMMMM, hot springs in winter, learn chinese, and very reasonable costs in my opinion. Too bad the 'alcoholics drinks' are not included, but does that mean for us 'social drinkers' we can drink for free.  agagagagag agagagagag :alcoholic:

Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #42 on: November 17, 2008, 11:21:55 PM »
I'm doing it this year.  agagagagag agagagagag

We can buy beer so we won't be dry  agagagagag agagagagag
Be kind to dragons for thou are crunchy when roasted and taste good with brie.

Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #43 on: November 18, 2008, 01:22:17 AM »
unfortunately, i still don't know my finish time yet so I might be cutting it close. I should find out next week and then I will hope he still has some slots left if I can go. I definately need the help with learning this stuff.  agagagagag bjbjbjbjbj

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chinalin

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Re: Avenues for learning Chinese
« Reply #44 on: November 18, 2008, 06:48:20 AM »
Does anyone else here know anything about the bootcamps?  I have had a look at the link, and it sure looks interesting.  I have sent off an email to them, to try and get more info. But, some firsthand knowledge would be appreciated.  Am I right that one of our members is involved (runs it?)  I have been (half-heartedly!) trying to learn to speak Mandarin, and am having precious little success.  Maybe my advanced years are a hindrance to me here.  But I would really like to give it a go, and the price looks pretty reasonable to me.

So if anyone has any personal experience, I would appreciate hearing about it, either here or to my email lonewolfe@iinet.net.au

Thanks heaps,  Lin.