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hubei_canuk
Joined: 20 Apr 2003
Posts: 240
Location: hubei china
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 Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 5:15 pm Post subject: Re: The more language, the more fun. |
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| hubei_canuk wrote: |
| Kurochan wrote: |
However, I'd say the way Chinese is usually taught here is ABYSMAL. Teachers usually have this attitude like, "If you don't say it perfectly, don't say it at all." It's really daunting. |
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I've HATED all the chinese teachers who have tried to teach me Chinese in official courses. That's why i done so few courses.
For the last teacher i had in Taiwan, i used to write short pieces in Chinese.
Of couse they were humourous, satirical and imaginative.
...
This was a very valuable experience. I finally understood was it was like to be a Chinese Student in China. All of my writing traits were traits frowned upon and punished by Chinese teachers.
The chinese teacher reacted to my writings as if they were triple-X sex fiction... or exhortations of the anti-christ!!!
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And i couldn't get any feed back, any personal reaction no matter how hard i tried...
In desperation i asked.. "Did you like it?".
Her answer: (very sternly) "I showed it to the boss" (principal of the private school).
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I cowered.
Did i inadvertently write about barbequing Chinese babies?
I couldn't remember.
My mind went blank under her oppressive gaze.
I felt i needed to confess.. but to what i did not know. |
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kimo
Joined: 16 Feb 2003
Posts: 668
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| Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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HC and Kurochan, you two have hit the nail on the head for me. I've never had a course but I did try several language exchange partners, including my wife, and not one lasted more than a couple of sessions because of my imperfect pronunciation. They couldn't understand why I can read so well but couldn't say squat. At least my wife is coming around and she can see that pronunciation can improve over time. She is starting to understand that even her English pronunciation has made gains by just living with me.
My hats off to all those folks who say they have mastered the tones in three months. Even though I know them, it is not easy to string them togther into sentences. So I suggest to anyone who takes on a language exchange partner to INFORM them that you want to learn pronunciation over a period of time and do not look to perfection right away. Ask them to help you make sentences that can be understood even if less than perfect. That is a far better tact to learning to speak. And you'll waste a lot less time. |
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