Language Explorer

Tue, 17 November 2009

I speak this in Chinese and English on the recording.

Here is a little project for you.
5 reasons for learning English
"I like learning English because........"
Here are mine about Chinese
我喜欢学习中文。因为。。

I like learning Chinese because

1。我能交中国朋友
2。我可以学习一些中国的国学
3。我能去中国度假，说一点中文。
4。我可以看一些汉语书
5。我能和中国人交流，特别(尤其)是我的中国朋友们

Bye

阿伦

Direct download: 5_reasons.mp3
Category: 中文 (Chinese) -- posted at: 11:39 AM

Comments[0]

Mon, 26 October 2009

你们好！I am on QQ!

Hello to Chinese visitors 你们好！Because I want to keep this "Language Explorer" website mostly English posts, I have decided to practice a little Chinese on "QQ"!

QQ number 1146217092

再见

阿伦

Category: 中文 (Chinese) -- posted at: 6:41 AM

Comments[5]

Thu, 20 August 2009

Language "coat"

When we speak languages, we cannot help but think about how it changes our thinking and how we say things.

Each language has its influence and it is always interesting to think about how much influence a language has on us.

But, we are not a different person, we are just ourselves speaking a different language and trying to express the same thoughts and feelings.

So, it is like wearing a different coloured coat so that we know were are showing a different outside appearance, but it does not change us as a person.

So, remember to wear your language coat!

Bye for now

Alan

Category: 中文 (Chinese) -- posted at: 8:16 AM

Comments[2]

Mon, 29 June 2009

我的英国你的英文videocast:鱼和薯条

Hello. Here is my latest videocast in Chinese. English version next...

再见阿伦

I would like to thank my Chinese friend for the translation.

鱼和薯条

鱼和薯条是一种非常有名的美食。这种食品把鱼裹在面糊里，把土豆切成条，放入高温的植物油或动物油中煎炸。在美国，这种炸薯条叫做 “French fries”.

在英国，“鱼和薯条店”遍布所有的城镇乡村。尽管鱼和薯条已不像过去那样流行，但还是风靡各地。

除了鱼和薯条外，有些人还喜欢吃用干碗豆煮的“碗豆糊”，它看上去有点儿像绿色的粥糊。

鱼和薯条的传统吃法是从店铺中将鱼和薯条用纸包好，走在街上吃。现在许多鱼和薯条店在店铺内设有餐厅，人们可以在店内用餐，也可以打包拿回家享用。

鱼和薯条店是典型的英国传统美食文化

Direct download: fishandchips_0001.wmv
Category: 中文 (Chinese) -- posted at: 3:55 PM

Comments[12]

Wed, 24 June 2009

Chinese/English podcasts 中文 / 英文

Hello, 你们好

I will be putting Chinese podcasts on my website for Chinese friends. To see these exclusively, you can just use this web address:

www.language-explorer.co.uk/int/chinese

I will also put an image 中文 next to each Chinese article.

This means that if you want to see just the Chinese videocasts, podcasts and text blogs, you just use this address.

Of course you can still see all the videocasts, podcasts, textblogs, music and forum on the usual address

www.language-explorer.co.uk

Bye for now

再见

Alan

阿伦

Category: 中文 (Chinese) -- posted at: 6:58 AM

Comments[12]

Sat, 13 June 2009

Teaching Chinese to Westerners - my viewpoint

As you know, I learn Chinese. If I were able to go back and start again with a teaching class, this is what I would suggest for Chinese teachers. I suggest:

1. Reassure new learners straight away that it is possible to learn Chinese - even though they must realise that it is difficult and much slower to learn than learning European languages.

2. Explain how they should practice listening a lot at first.

3. Tell them not to worry if they cannot speak much at first - I think it takes 5 times longer to learn with Chinese compared with a European language

4. Offer exercises and samples of simple sentences that gives students early success

e,g, my name is

e.g I like learning Chinese

e.g. my dog is called..

5. Give students structured exercises, which are theme-based so they can relate to real situations: at a bank, in a hotel, meeting people, buying something.

6. Explain grammar points when they come up during classtime, but don't spend too much time on grammar.

7. Make sure people don't get worried when they don't understannd or get things right at first

8. Explain how pin yin will help them to understand pronunciation and explain and encourage them to understad and use both types of tone marks

9. Introduce characters also in a careful way also showing the techniques on how to draw characters in the correct way, starting with simple characters.

10. Introduce elements of Chinese culture along with each lesson.

Personally speaking, I think to people who start learning Chinese, the language sounds so different to any other language.

When we start to learn it it sounds like this: "yingpingpongningbotangnengzou,,,,,,"

(just a long word to demonstrate the "sound" of Chinese to a beginner)

We cannot easily distinguish one word from another word. so we must listen a lot to get our minds to "hear" real Chinese.

It takes maybe 6 months before we can start to hear words properly. Well, maybe not as long for some people, but it took me 6 months!

Bye for now!

再见

Alan

Category: 中文 (Chinese) -- posted at: 1:55 PM

Comments[8]

Wed, 13 May 2009

中文：英国幽默

nǐmenhǎo！

我wǒ gāng kàndào yīpiān yǒuguān 英国yīngguó幽默yōumò)的(de)法语(fǎyǔ)文章(wénzhāng)。它(tā)对(duì)什么(shénme)能(néng)使(shǐ)英国人(yīngguórén)发笑(fāxiào)做(zuò)了(le)很(hěn)精确(jīngquè)的(de)阐述(chǎnshù)。我(wǒ)决定(juédìng)用(yòng)它(tā)作为(zuòwéi)一(yī)个(gè)很好(hěnhǎo)的(de)Podcast练习(liànxí)法语(fǎyǔ)，同时(tóngshí)，也许(yěxǔ)我(wǒ)会(huì)在(zài)另外(lìngwài)的(de)Podcast中(zhōng)再(zài)用(yòng)英语(yīngyǔ)解释(jiěshì)一些(yìxiē)电视(diànshì)系列剧(xìlièjù)中(zhōng)涉及(shèjí)到(dào)的(de)例子(lìzǐ)。例如(lìrú)，憨豆(hāndòu)先生(xiānshēng)在(zài)全世界(quánshìjiè)的(de)其它(qítā)许多(xǔduō)国家(guójiā)大(dà)受(shòu)欢迎(huānyíng)，因为(yīnwéi)饰演(shìyǎn)憨豆(hāndòu)先生(xiānshēng) (Mr Bean)的(de)演员(yǎnyuán)（Rowan Atkinson）表演(biǎoyǎn)的(de)幽默(yōumò)大多(dàduō)是(shì)肢体(zhītǐ)喜剧(xǐjù)，而(ér)不(bú)需要(xūyào)过多(guòduō)的(de)台词(táicí)。再见(zài jiàn)！尽管(jǐnguǎn)我们(wǒmen)是(shì)英国(yīngguó)的(de)邻居(línjū)，英国(yīngguó)幽默(yōumò)却(què)时常(shícháng)让(ràng)我们(wǒmen)很(hěn)困惑(kùnhuò)。对于(duìyú)一些(yìxiē)“捉摸不定(zhuōmōbúdìng)的（de）幽默(yōumò)”，我们(wǒmen)始终(shǐzhōng)感到(gǎndào)难以(nányǐ)理解(lǐjiě)。这种(zhèzhǒng)英国式(yīngguóshì)的(de)幽默(yōumò)总是(zǒngshì)围绕(wéirào)着(zhe)蠢事(chǔnshì)或者(huòzhě)过头(guòtóu)的(de)搞笑(gǎo xiào)。有(yǒu)一个(yīgè)例子(lìzǐ)能够(nénggòu)很好(hěnhǎo)地(dì)说明(shuōmíng)这(zhè)一点(yìdiǎn)，就是(jiùshì)在(zài)电视(diànshì)系列剧(xìlièjù)《荒唐阿姨(huāng táng āyí)》(” Absolutely Fabulous”)中(zhōng)的(de)两个(liǎnggè)角色(juésè)Pasty和(hé)Edina。这(zhè)两个(liǎnggè)女人(nǚrén)的(de)人物(rénwù)特征(tèzhēng)都(dōu)极其(jíqí)夸张(kuāzhāng)怪异(guàiyì)。从(cóng)另外(lìngwài)一种(yīzhǒng)风格(fēnggé)来看(láikàn)，非常(fēicháng)流行(liúxíng)的(de)憨豆(hāndòu)先生(xiānshēng) (Mr Bean)经常(jīngcháng)把(bǎ)自己(zìjǐ)置于(zhìyú)荒谬(huāngmiù)可笑(kěxiào)的(de)境地(jìngdì)。英国人(yīngguórén)有(yǒu)一种(yīzhǒng)他人(tārén)无法(wúfǎ)仿效(fǎngxiào)的(de)对于(duìyú)荒唐事(huāngtángshì)的(de)理解(lǐjiě)。“巨蟒”(jùmǎng) (“Monty Python”)喜剧(xǐjù)系列(xìliè)是(shì)又一个(yòuyīgè) 英国人(yīngguórén)用(yòng)自己(zìjǐ)的(de)特有(tèyǒu)方式(fāngshì)嘲弄(cháonòng)日常(rìcháng)生活(shēnghuó)的(de)例子(lìzǐ)。