Ray of Hope for Rissa
This post is completely out of schedule, but something happened today to make me wish to share this song of mine with you all. I want to use my words, my magic, to inspire hope in you.
Songs are also part of the magic of language. It's not only written language. Actually, Ray of Hope has been a poem before it became a song. I didn't plan to write lyrics but just needed to get those feelings out of me lest I burst with them. After the poem was written, the melody sneaked into my head and asked to be written down. So that's how my words turned into a song this time.
Today, I have added a second stancer for someone who can really need hope and prayers right now, and I dedicated my song to her. For all of you who want to do more than just send hope, please visit "Rissa's Battle" to learn more about what happened and how to help.
I want to ask all of you to use your power of words today to inspire hope in someone who desperately needs hope to overcome a difficult situation.
Let your language love, your personal magic, unfold!
Lyrics:
Darkness spreads its veil over the land.
Nothing moves, all is frozen in shock.
Cold seeps through ev'ry fibre of life.
A new golden sun emerges from the shadows
to send a ray of hope over the land.
A tender blossom dares to break the earth.
Now it is weak and the cold is stron,
yet with time and care and light
a new life might grow into existence.
Darkness ...
For you, dear Rissa, I will send my hope!
You're not alone, we all pray for you.
With our love and care and thoughts
you will have the strength to beat this cancer.
Darkness ...
Language ... the bridge of communication, the magic creator of worlds, the brush and paint of authors. Language is magic. It gives us power. It is something you just have to love.
Wednesday 29 December 2010
Learning Languages While Reading
Yes, it is possible. You can improve your language skills without actually studying it. How? Now, that’s simple. All you have to do is read in the language you want to improve.
What do you say? That doesn’t sound easy? You are afraid you won’t understand much of what you read?
Ok, let’s have a look at the requirements you need in order to achieve this:
Grammar
You need to have some basic grammar understanding. With basic, I mean that you should know at least the different tenses (you don’t need to be able to use them all on your own yet, you only need to recognize them) and the personal pronouns (and the object forms for direct and indirect as well as possessive objects).
Sentence Structure
You should know how a sentence is structured, that is you need a basic understanding of main clauses and subordinate clauses and of conjunctions.
Vocabulary
You need a basic vocabulary in order to understand at least part of what you read without a dictionary. This vocabulary should include question words, above mentioned conjunctions, the most commonly used verbs, the most commonly used adjectives and the most commonly used nouns. To learn them, you can look at your local library if they have some books on basic vocabulary in your target language.
When all these requirements (and, come on, they are not that difficult to achieve) are met, you only need a book which interests you and a good dictionary.
Have fun reading (and learning)!
Monday 27 December 2010
Advantages of Knowing Several Languages as a Writer
I speak two languages fluently and can read well in some more languages. This gives me the advantage of being able to read more information on various topics. It makes research that much easier: If you don't find suitable information in one language, you just look for information in another language.
Really, it is worth learning another language just for that! If you have a closer look at the references sections of most of my articles, you will find German and English references all together.
One great advantage of foreign sources is that there is literally no risk of accidentally copying the source. You see, to copy it, you would have to translate it. It is far easier to phrase the information you read in your own words, believe me.
Only take care that you don't name foreign resources for your "Further Reading" section ... your readers might just get it wrong ...
Ok, to make it easy for you to weight this:
Advantages
Disadvantages
As you need a sound command of the second language, this might not be a valid option for those who just studied a second language for a year in college and almost forgot about it in the meantime. If someone has more than one first language, though, there is no reason why he shouldn't use this to his advantage.
For all others, this might be a motivation to improve a second language to a level where they can read and use information for their articles. Acquisiton of passive knowledge (which means you are able to understand but not to use it on your own) is far easier than acquisition of active knowledge. Plus: your passive knowledge will become active knowledge if used often enough. Thus, you can even kill two birds with one stone!
If you don't know if your editor would approve of sources in foreign languages, just ask. Or, like I did, just use your sources and wait whether someone complains or not. In my case, no one complained.
Really, it is worth learning another language just for that! If you have a closer look at the references sections of most of my articles, you will find German and English references all together.
One great advantage of foreign sources is that there is literally no risk of accidentally copying the source. You see, to copy it, you would have to translate it. It is far easier to phrase the information you read in your own words, believe me.
Only take care that you don't name foreign resources for your "Further Reading" section ... your readers might just get it wrong ...
Ok, to make it easy for you to weight this:
Advantages
- a lot more information at your disposal
- no risk of copying by accident
Disadvantages
- need to be able to read the second language fluently or nearly fluently
- might need a good dictionary too
As you need a sound command of the second language, this might not be a valid option for those who just studied a second language for a year in college and almost forgot about it in the meantime. If someone has more than one first language, though, there is no reason why he shouldn't use this to his advantage.
For all others, this might be a motivation to improve a second language to a level where they can read and use information for their articles. Acquisiton of passive knowledge (which means you are able to understand but not to use it on your own) is far easier than acquisition of active knowledge. Plus: your passive knowledge will become active knowledge if used often enough. Thus, you can even kill two birds with one stone!
If you don't know if your editor would approve of sources in foreign languages, just ask. Or, like I did, just use your sources and wait whether someone complains or not. In my case, no one complained.
Saturday 25 December 2010
My Two Cents ... IV
I recently used this expression again and thought it would be perfect for today's post:
"That's right up my alley." (also: down one's alley)
What does it mean?
If someone says, 'Hey, that's right up my alley,' he means that it is perfect for him; it's exactly what he likes or is good at.
Where does the phrase come from?
This idiom seems to be first mentioned in the first half of the 20th century, though I couldn't find out where it originally came from. It uses the word "alley" in the sense "one's own province" which dates back to about 1600.
My two cents on this phrase:
I love it! Yes, I simply love this phrase. This might indicate that it originally came from Great Britain (sorry, no offense meant, but somehow British English is more up my alley). The meaning of this phrase is similar to the phrase "my cup of tea" so now I have two nice expressions for saying that I like or am good at something.
As an afterthought: Merry Christmas to all my readers who celebrate it!!!
"That's right up my alley." (also: down one's alley)
What does it mean?
If someone says, 'Hey, that's right up my alley,' he means that it is perfect for him; it's exactly what he likes or is good at.
Where does the phrase come from?
This idiom seems to be first mentioned in the first half of the 20th century, though I couldn't find out where it originally came from. It uses the word "alley" in the sense "one's own province" which dates back to about 1600.
My two cents on this phrase:
I love it! Yes, I simply love this phrase. This might indicate that it originally came from Great Britain (sorry, no offense meant, but somehow British English is more up my alley). The meaning of this phrase is similar to the phrase "my cup of tea" so now I have two nice expressions for saying that I like or am good at something.
As an afterthought: Merry Christmas to all my readers who celebrate it!!!
Wednesday 22 December 2010
How to Wish a Merry Christmas in Other Languages?
Ok, as it's almost Christmas, I thought it would be nice to know how to wish a merry Christmas in other languages than just English. I'm trying to put up as many languages as I know but it would be nice if you commented to add any other languages you know.
German: Frohe Weihnachten!
French: Joyeux Noёl!
Spain: Feliz Navidad!
Italian: Boun Natale!
Dutch: Prettige kerstdagen!
Chinese (Mandarin): 圣诞快乐 shèngdàn kuàilè
Japanese: クリスマスおめでとう。 Kurisumasu o·medetô.
Turkish: Mutlu Noel bayramɪ!
Swedish: God Jul!
Irish: Nollaig Shona!
Ok, so I have listed ten languages for you and added a few online dictionaries in the resources section on the way. I would be happy if any one of you who knows another language can add this phrase in the comments. There will be more intersting stories to come after the holidays.
I wish all of you who celebrate it some great holidays!!!
German: Frohe Weihnachten!
French: Joyeux Noёl!
Spain: Feliz Navidad!
Italian: Boun Natale!
Dutch: Prettige kerstdagen!
Chinese (Mandarin): 圣诞快乐 shèngdàn kuàilè
Japanese: クリスマスおめでとう。 Kurisumasu o·medetô.
Turkish: Mutlu Noel bayramɪ!
Swedish: God Jul!
Irish: Nollaig Shona!
Ok, so I have listed ten languages for you and added a few online dictionaries in the resources section on the way. I would be happy if any one of you who knows another language can add this phrase in the comments. There will be more intersting stories to come after the holidays.
I wish all of you who celebrate it some great holidays!!!
Monday 20 December 2010
Fun with Spanglish
by Glory Lennon
I was born in the Dominican Republic to Dominican parents and the first words I uttered, no doubt, were Spanish. Caribbean Spanish, that is, which many don’t consider Spanish at all, but that’s a tale for another time. So, knowing that about me, you would assume I’m quite fluent in Spanish. You would be vastly incorrect. Yes, I can understand much of it and I do speak it well enough to be understood, but it takes a bit of effort on my part.
Since the age of two I have been in the USA, and although Spanish was spoken at home, at school it was English I had to learn. Of course, that didn’t mean I didn’t do both without realizing it. I recall quite clearly even four decades later my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. White, wagging her finger at me and saying, “No, no, no! English, you must speak English!”
I was five years old and looked in confusion to my best friend, Maria, a little Puerto Rican girl who, of course, knew Spanish too.
“What is she talking about? I am speaking English,” I said. Maria just shrugged. She understood me perfectly and insisted that Mrs. White wasn’t very bright for a teacher.
I realize now I must have been switching back and forth between my two languages, and probably mixing English words with Spanish without knowing it. I can laugh about it now but my parents didn’t like it. My Spanish seemed to deteriorate as I learned English.
I think in English now, you see, so I have to force myself to think in Spanish in order to make the switch, but it often goes awry. My parents, my father in particular who was a teacher no less, shake their heads in utter embarrassment when I speak what they like to call Spanglish. Oh, yes, I’m fluent in Spanglish! ;-)
English is now my primary language of choice, the one in which I am quite confident in using both for speaking and in writing. Yes, I do a great deal of writing; romance novels, funny short stories and articles mostly pertaining to gardening. My parents are quite proud of this writing career I have but they lament that I do not write in Spanish. They can speak and understand English but reading it is rather difficult for them, just like Spanish is for me. So, they have me translate my stories into Spanish for them. Let’s just say, a lot is missed in the translation.
Last Christmas while my family and I were in the Dominican visiting my parents, I gave them an opportunity to laugh at me big time. I often do this but this time I made a major language blunder, the funniest to date, which they take delight in telling all our relatives every chance they get.
My mother asked about a Christmas party we had attended and I told her, “There was dancing and lots of food and they played a type of music I had never heard of, Chabatta.”
My parents laughed so hard it took several minute before they could explain to me what I had done. It seems that the type of music I was talking about is called Batchata and Chabatta is a type of bread. They will never let me live that one down!
I’m quite certain when I go back to visit this Christmas, like we always do, I’ll say something else to make them either laugh or cringe. Either way they have fun with me and my horrible Spanglish.
Thank you very much, Glory, for sharing your experiences with your three languages (English, Spanish and Spanglish) with us. It made me smile more than once and I am sure my readers will love your account as well.
Glory writes about gardening and self-reliance when she writes non-fiction but she also writes teen stories about everyday teens which have everyday problems. You can even find a novel excerpt from her on Helium.
I was born in the Dominican Republic to Dominican parents and the first words I uttered, no doubt, were Spanish. Caribbean Spanish, that is, which many don’t consider Spanish at all, but that’s a tale for another time. So, knowing that about me, you would assume I’m quite fluent in Spanish. You would be vastly incorrect. Yes, I can understand much of it and I do speak it well enough to be understood, but it takes a bit of effort on my part.
Since the age of two I have been in the USA, and although Spanish was spoken at home, at school it was English I had to learn. Of course, that didn’t mean I didn’t do both without realizing it. I recall quite clearly even four decades later my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. White, wagging her finger at me and saying, “No, no, no! English, you must speak English!”
I was five years old and looked in confusion to my best friend, Maria, a little Puerto Rican girl who, of course, knew Spanish too.
“What is she talking about? I am speaking English,” I said. Maria just shrugged. She understood me perfectly and insisted that Mrs. White wasn’t very bright for a teacher.
I realize now I must have been switching back and forth between my two languages, and probably mixing English words with Spanish without knowing it. I can laugh about it now but my parents didn’t like it. My Spanish seemed to deteriorate as I learned English.
I think in English now, you see, so I have to force myself to think in Spanish in order to make the switch, but it often goes awry. My parents, my father in particular who was a teacher no less, shake their heads in utter embarrassment when I speak what they like to call Spanglish. Oh, yes, I’m fluent in Spanglish! ;-)
English is now my primary language of choice, the one in which I am quite confident in using both for speaking and in writing. Yes, I do a great deal of writing; romance novels, funny short stories and articles mostly pertaining to gardening. My parents are quite proud of this writing career I have but they lament that I do not write in Spanish. They can speak and understand English but reading it is rather difficult for them, just like Spanish is for me. So, they have me translate my stories into Spanish for them. Let’s just say, a lot is missed in the translation.
Last Christmas while my family and I were in the Dominican visiting my parents, I gave them an opportunity to laugh at me big time. I often do this but this time I made a major language blunder, the funniest to date, which they take delight in telling all our relatives every chance they get.
My mother asked about a Christmas party we had attended and I told her, “There was dancing and lots of food and they played a type of music I had never heard of, Chabatta.”
My parents laughed so hard it took several minute before they could explain to me what I had done. It seems that the type of music I was talking about is called Batchata and Chabatta is a type of bread. They will never let me live that one down!
I’m quite certain when I go back to visit this Christmas, like we always do, I’ll say something else to make them either laugh or cringe. Either way they have fun with me and my horrible Spanglish.
Thank you very much, Glory, for sharing your experiences with your three languages (English, Spanish and Spanglish) with us. It made me smile more than once and I am sure my readers will love your account as well.
Glory writes about gardening and self-reliance when she writes non-fiction but she also writes teen stories about everyday teens which have everyday problems. You can even find a novel excerpt from her on Helium.
Saturday 18 December 2010
My Two Cents ... III
This week, I have another commonly used phrase for you:
"to call it a day/night"
What does it mean?
If you call it a day, you stop doing what you have been doing so far. Mostly, this means to stop work for the day.
Where does it come from?
The phrase "to call it a day" was first mentioned in 1901 in the Los Angeles Times, it seems. It originates from the fact that a full day's work has been accomplished, no matter what time the clock shows. A similar phrase, "to call it a half a day", was used during the 19th century. "To call it a night" is just a modification of the original phrase.
My two cents on it:
I like the origin of this phrase. For us freelancers who often work longer hours than many employees, it can be important to set a goal when starting a work day. That way, we can "call it a day" at some point and can do other stuff like reading a good book or watching a nice film without having a bad conscience.
"to call it a day/night"
What does it mean?
If you call it a day, you stop doing what you have been doing so far. Mostly, this means to stop work for the day.
Where does it come from?
The phrase "to call it a day" was first mentioned in 1901 in the Los Angeles Times, it seems. It originates from the fact that a full day's work has been accomplished, no matter what time the clock shows. A similar phrase, "to call it a half a day", was used during the 19th century. "To call it a night" is just a modification of the original phrase.
My two cents on it:
I like the origin of this phrase. For us freelancers who often work longer hours than many employees, it can be important to set a goal when starting a work day. That way, we can "call it a day" at some point and can do other stuff like reading a good book or watching a nice film without having a bad conscience.
Wednesday 15 December 2010
Teaching Others: How Can You Benefit From It?
When you teach others, it can be a very rewarding job. If you have ever taught someone, you will know what I'm talking about. No matter who you taught, or what you taught, the moment when your student gets what you are trying to explain is special.
I have been giving tutoring for English for over nine years now. I had smart and not so smart students, students who wanted to improve and such who were annoyed at my presence. There was one thing, however, which all of them had in common: This special look, a mixture of pride and disbelief, when they finally understood something which had been a problem for them before.
It is the bonus I get for teaching. No money in the world could ever make up for the feeling of actually having made a difference in someone's life. If your student looks up at you and seriously asks you why his teacher at school can't explain things as easy to understand as you do, you know that you do the right thing. Plus, when you need to explain grammar rules to your students, you often learn something yourself. Or do you know every grammar rule and exception? Believe me, your student will ask you about the things you don't yet know.
I rarely ever made grammar mistakes at school, yet often enough I didn't know why something was right. It just felt right. When I started tutoring, I suddenly had to know. So I looked it up. There were still grammar structures for which I didn't find explanations. Yet, of course, my students asked me. And somehow, I was able to explain it to them.
You see, teaching has sharpened my own grammar skills. Learning so many languages has also sharpened my understanding of complex grammar structures. I started to compare and to think about it. Languages are logical to me. Math is not. Am I weird? Maybe. But once you learn how to see behind the language, to see right to its core, you will understand how it functions. And then you will be able to explain it.
For everyone who just starts giving tutoring, I have dug out one of my articles full of advice: How to Give Tutoring to Younger Children
If you know your subject (it doesn't need to be a language) well, why don't you start today? Get yourself the extra money as well as the other rewards!
I have been giving tutoring for English for over nine years now. I had smart and not so smart students, students who wanted to improve and such who were annoyed at my presence. There was one thing, however, which all of them had in common: This special look, a mixture of pride and disbelief, when they finally understood something which had been a problem for them before.
It is the bonus I get for teaching. No money in the world could ever make up for the feeling of actually having made a difference in someone's life. If your student looks up at you and seriously asks you why his teacher at school can't explain things as easy to understand as you do, you know that you do the right thing. Plus, when you need to explain grammar rules to your students, you often learn something yourself. Or do you know every grammar rule and exception? Believe me, your student will ask you about the things you don't yet know.
I rarely ever made grammar mistakes at school, yet often enough I didn't know why something was right. It just felt right. When I started tutoring, I suddenly had to know. So I looked it up. There were still grammar structures for which I didn't find explanations. Yet, of course, my students asked me. And somehow, I was able to explain it to them.
You see, teaching has sharpened my own grammar skills. Learning so many languages has also sharpened my understanding of complex grammar structures. I started to compare and to think about it. Languages are logical to me. Math is not. Am I weird? Maybe. But once you learn how to see behind the language, to see right to its core, you will understand how it functions. And then you will be able to explain it.
For everyone who just starts giving tutoring, I have dug out one of my articles full of advice: How to Give Tutoring to Younger Children
If you know your subject (it doesn't need to be a language) well, why don't you start today? Get yourself the extra money as well as the other rewards!
Monday 13 December 2010
Introduction to Mandarin Chinese
By Dan Hensley
From the time I was young, I have loved the Chinese people and their culture. India and China were the first countries in the world I was exposed to through social studies in grade school. As part of our lessons on China, we studied basic Chinese culture & Chinese language characters. It's not just a language, but an art as well.
The Chinese language is made up of several dialects; Mandarin is just one of them. Learning Mandarin Chinese starts with knowing that there are four tones. The four tones are the most important factor of pronunciation in this language because if you say "There is a nice movie playing tonight" and use the wrong tones even with the right words, the words take on a whole different meaning and you can end up saying something else by accident.
It has taken this author a while to know these four tones, and I'm still learning as time allows. When I first became ready to pursue my love of the Chinese language and Chinese culture, I went on Google and used the search terms "Chinese Music", "Chinese Pop", "Chinese Pop Rock", "Chinese Food", "Chinese Language", and "Mandarin Chinese Learning".
One of the first sites that came up in the Google listings was a Youtube Channel by someone called Yumiilove, AKA: "YY Sophie" and "Sophie Kuo".
Sophie turned out to be a talented instructor who is well rounded in what she does, and also one of the best there is. Sophie Kuo graduated from Washington State University, and represents the top of expectations a person can find in someone to be an ambassador to China to American citizens.
Sophie Kuo's Mandarin Chinese Youtube instructional videos are of excellent quality and the audio level is just right on each video. Sophie took time out of her own life schedule to share with the world, a basic instruction of Mandarin Chinese right from her own home.
If you are ready to learn Mandarin Chinese basics, follow me on an exciting virtual trip to Mandarin Chinese Language class, or "Mandarin Chinese 101"!
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 1 - The Four Tones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh2Gt4HzAw8
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 2 - Mandarin Chinese Numbers 1 to 10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD77sfgCRJI
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 3 - Simple Self Introduction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmXf8HEcMrQ
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 4 - Day of The Week
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EaEmmc97nA
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 5 - Seasons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j4U7zTPYFk
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 6 - Time of The Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a9cDLRwEG0
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 7 - Money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAPwZCsa3t4
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 8 - Body Parts 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcr-sLuK2Us
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 9 - Chinese New Year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI2NrJzFnDI
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 10 - Self Introduction 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjJKNxoLaW0
Yet another good Youtube channel I ran across is called ChineseTutoring
Here is a video by them called "Learn Chinese Mandarin: Food Menu and Characters Lesson" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jjgxUxxAmQ
How Much Is It? Counting Money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCGDuyUp9do
Bargaining:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRzARrixa5Y&feature=player_profilepage
Colors:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AWTW0Ml6z8
One more excellent Chinese learning guide with 203 Chinese language lessons is found at China Radio International's "Chinese Studio" at:
http://english.cri.cn/08chinese/
and at
http://english.cri.cn/7106/more/7115/more7115.htm
Thank you for allowing me to introduce you to the world of learning Chinese Mandarin and to the world of Chinese culture. For Language Love, this has been Dan Hensley. If you have enjoyed this, or any other piece, please let the Administrator of Language Love know how much you appreciate it and always know that the readers of Language Love are the reason for it's presence.
I really appreciate it that Dan Hensley took the time to introduce us to Mandarin Chinese, a wonderful and fascinating language. I will link to this post from the resources section as well because of the great links he provided me with. If you enjoyed his post, I am sure he would appreciate a visit to his blog on radio, Shortwave America.
Thank you, Dan!
From the time I was young, I have loved the Chinese people and their culture. India and China were the first countries in the world I was exposed to through social studies in grade school. As part of our lessons on China, we studied basic Chinese culture & Chinese language characters. It's not just a language, but an art as well.
The Chinese language is made up of several dialects; Mandarin is just one of them. Learning Mandarin Chinese starts with knowing that there are four tones. The four tones are the most important factor of pronunciation in this language because if you say "There is a nice movie playing tonight" and use the wrong tones even with the right words, the words take on a whole different meaning and you can end up saying something else by accident.
It has taken this author a while to know these four tones, and I'm still learning as time allows. When I first became ready to pursue my love of the Chinese language and Chinese culture, I went on Google and used the search terms "Chinese Music", "Chinese Pop", "Chinese Pop Rock", "Chinese Food", "Chinese Language", and "Mandarin Chinese Learning".
One of the first sites that came up in the Google listings was a Youtube Channel by someone called Yumiilove, AKA: "YY Sophie" and "Sophie Kuo".
Sophie turned out to be a talented instructor who is well rounded in what she does, and also one of the best there is. Sophie Kuo graduated from Washington State University, and represents the top of expectations a person can find in someone to be an ambassador to China to American citizens.
Sophie Kuo's Mandarin Chinese Youtube instructional videos are of excellent quality and the audio level is just right on each video. Sophie took time out of her own life schedule to share with the world, a basic instruction of Mandarin Chinese right from her own home.
If you are ready to learn Mandarin Chinese basics, follow me on an exciting virtual trip to Mandarin Chinese Language class, or "Mandarin Chinese 101"!
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 1 - The Four Tones
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh2Gt4HzAw8
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 2 - Mandarin Chinese Numbers 1 to 10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD77sfgCRJI
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 3 - Simple Self Introduction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmXf8HEcMrQ
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 4 - Day of The Week
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EaEmmc97nA
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 5 - Seasons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j4U7zTPYFk
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 6 - Time of The Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a9cDLRwEG0
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 7 - Money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAPwZCsa3t4
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 8 - Body Parts 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcr-sLuK2Us
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 9 - Chinese New Year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI2NrJzFnDI
Mandarin Chinese Lesson 10 - Self Introduction 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjJKNxoLaW0
Yet another good Youtube channel I ran across is called ChineseTutoring
Here is a video by them called "Learn Chinese Mandarin: Food Menu and Characters Lesson" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jjgxUxxAmQ
How Much Is It? Counting Money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCGDuyUp9do
Bargaining:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRzARrixa5Y&feature=player_profilepage
Colors:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AWTW0Ml6z8
One more excellent Chinese learning guide with 203 Chinese language lessons is found at China Radio International's "Chinese Studio" at:
http://english.cri.cn/08chinese/
and at
http://english.cri.cn/7106/more/7115/more7115.htm
Thank you for allowing me to introduce you to the world of learning Chinese Mandarin and to the world of Chinese culture. For Language Love, this has been Dan Hensley. If you have enjoyed this, or any other piece, please let the Administrator of Language Love know how much you appreciate it and always know that the readers of Language Love are the reason for it's presence.
I really appreciate it that Dan Hensley took the time to introduce us to Mandarin Chinese, a wonderful and fascinating language. I will link to this post from the resources section as well because of the great links he provided me with. If you enjoyed his post, I am sure he would appreciate a visit to his blog on radio, Shortwave America.
Thank you, Dan!
Saturday 11 December 2010
My Two Cents ... II
When I had posted last week's part I, I suddenly realised that "my two cents" is a saying as well. So today's post will rotate around:
"My Two Cents"
What does it mean?
"My two cents" or rather "add my two cents" means that one is expressing his opinion on something.
Where does it come from?
While researching its origins, I came across an article by a fellow writer, Angela Russell, who explained the possible origins of this phrase really well. According to her, the saying originated in Great Britain and has been used since as far back as the 16th century to enter a conversation.
My two cents on this:
I have to admit, I was very surprised to learn that this wasn't an American saying. But then, when I think about it, it makes sense. First of all, if it's really that old, the settlers probably brought it with them. Secondly, it is the Brits who are famous for their humility and courtesy. By devaluing their own opinion like that, they make sure no one loses his face if someone disagrees.
"My Two Cents"
What does it mean?
"My two cents" or rather "add my two cents" means that one is expressing his opinion on something.
Where does it come from?
While researching its origins, I came across an article by a fellow writer, Angela Russell, who explained the possible origins of this phrase really well. According to her, the saying originated in Great Britain and has been used since as far back as the 16th century to enter a conversation.
My two cents on this:
I have to admit, I was very surprised to learn that this wasn't an American saying. But then, when I think about it, it makes sense. First of all, if it's really that old, the settlers probably brought it with them. Secondly, it is the Brits who are famous for their humility and courtesy. By devaluing their own opinion like that, they make sure no one loses his face if someone disagrees.
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Language Confusion in Spain
During my professional training, I worked in a Spanish hotel for four weeks. I knew Spanish when I arrived but most of it had been so long ago that you would have needed an archaeologist to bring it up to the surface again - or some days in a Spanish speaking environment!
The day of my arrival, I had a hard time to find the right train station in Madrid to get to the small town where the hotel was. My active Spanish was limited to a few sentences, my Spanish listening abilities were even worse ... and no one around who spoke English or German! With help of a pencil and a sheet of paper, I finally found the right station, bought my ticket and got into the right train. I thought I had made it finally. A naive mistake as I should learn at the station. The hotel was about a kilometre up the hill, it was midnight, no one was around. Oh, great. Then I noticed a police car in front of the station's pub. My rescue!
I went in and asked one of the police officers if they could bring me to the hotel. Don't ask me how I managed to make clear what I wanted and why - I managed. They drove me up and saw me in to make sure I was really where I should be. Imagine my relief when the guy working at the front office greeted me in German! I was able to communicate without pen and paper again. He showed me to the flat the hotel had rented for short-time workers and explained on the way that another Spanish girl and two French guys were already living there. As he also spoke French, he introduced me to the boys. The Spanish girl was not home so the boys showed me around. My French was quite ok at that time and we actually managed to chat away the rest of the evening in a mixture of French and English.
The next morning, I woke up to find the Spanish girl asleep in the other bed in my room. So she was back. When she woke up some moments later, I got a big surprise. She actually spoke German quite well. She offered to show me around as she had a free day and I had to start the next day so we headed to the hotel for lunch - it was already past noon - and she introduced me to my colleagues at the front office. One of them reminded her of the fact that I needed to get used to Spanish but to my big relief she stayed with German for the rest of the day. We walked around the hotel and she told me much about its history and my colleagues. I had afternoon shift the next day so I was free to spend the evening with my room-mate and the two French guys.
My first days of work were hardest. It took some time to get used to Spanish again but one of my colleagues spoke English as well so he would switch to English whenever I stared blankly at him. With each day, my listening comprehension and active Spanish got better and after a week, I was allowed to do the check-ins of many customers on my own.
After two weeks, a customer entered the hotel and after greeting him, my colleague ushered me to do the check-in. I should have been warned by his smug smile ... the customer talked slowly but I had such a hard time understanding him that I apologised and asked my colleague for help. After the customer had gone, I told him that I just hadn't been able to understand his accent. My colleague burst with laughter and frankly told me that the customer had been speaking Portuguese all the time.
Some days later, we were together on morning shift. It ended at four pm so he asked if the other colleague and I wanted to have a few drinks together before dinner. Sure we did. As is customary in Spain, we went from pub to pub. As is also customary, the two guys alternately paid for me. They wouldn't know a word of me paying too. It was a fun afternoon. My only problem: While my two Spanish colleagues were drinking beer, I only drank coke because I was on medication and wasn't allowed to drink alcohol. Can you imagine how difficult it got to understand my tipsy colleagues whose Spanish became more and more slurred while I was still perfectly sober?
At the end of week three, I hit the roof. We had a woman working in the gift shop who was originally from France. That afternoon, I was chatting with her in her shop and one of the French guys entered. As he still didn't understand Spanish well, we switched to French. At least I thought that was what I had done. Instead, I noticed that she began to translate. I stared at her in surprise, then looked at the French guy who in turn stared at me, and she began to laugh and explained I had been speaking a mixture of French and Spanish. Honestly, I hadn't noticed! Of course, the poor guy hadn't understood what I was telling him.
Those four weeks in Spain have been a great experience but they accounted for quite some language confusion too. I wouldn't want to miss that time!
The hotel I worked in - yes, it was a real medieval castle!
The day of my arrival, I had a hard time to find the right train station in Madrid to get to the small town where the hotel was. My active Spanish was limited to a few sentences, my Spanish listening abilities were even worse ... and no one around who spoke English or German! With help of a pencil and a sheet of paper, I finally found the right station, bought my ticket and got into the right train. I thought I had made it finally. A naive mistake as I should learn at the station. The hotel was about a kilometre up the hill, it was midnight, no one was around. Oh, great. Then I noticed a police car in front of the station's pub. My rescue!
I went in and asked one of the police officers if they could bring me to the hotel. Don't ask me how I managed to make clear what I wanted and why - I managed. They drove me up and saw me in to make sure I was really where I should be. Imagine my relief when the guy working at the front office greeted me in German! I was able to communicate without pen and paper again. He showed me to the flat the hotel had rented for short-time workers and explained on the way that another Spanish girl and two French guys were already living there. As he also spoke French, he introduced me to the boys. The Spanish girl was not home so the boys showed me around. My French was quite ok at that time and we actually managed to chat away the rest of the evening in a mixture of French and English.
The next morning, I woke up to find the Spanish girl asleep in the other bed in my room. So she was back. When she woke up some moments later, I got a big surprise. She actually spoke German quite well. She offered to show me around as she had a free day and I had to start the next day so we headed to the hotel for lunch - it was already past noon - and she introduced me to my colleagues at the front office. One of them reminded her of the fact that I needed to get used to Spanish but to my big relief she stayed with German for the rest of the day. We walked around the hotel and she told me much about its history and my colleagues. I had afternoon shift the next day so I was free to spend the evening with my room-mate and the two French guys.
My first days of work were hardest. It took some time to get used to Spanish again but one of my colleagues spoke English as well so he would switch to English whenever I stared blankly at him. With each day, my listening comprehension and active Spanish got better and after a week, I was allowed to do the check-ins of many customers on my own.
After two weeks, a customer entered the hotel and after greeting him, my colleague ushered me to do the check-in. I should have been warned by his smug smile ... the customer talked slowly but I had such a hard time understanding him that I apologised and asked my colleague for help. After the customer had gone, I told him that I just hadn't been able to understand his accent. My colleague burst with laughter and frankly told me that the customer had been speaking Portuguese all the time.
Some days later, we were together on morning shift. It ended at four pm so he asked if the other colleague and I wanted to have a few drinks together before dinner. Sure we did. As is customary in Spain, we went from pub to pub. As is also customary, the two guys alternately paid for me. They wouldn't know a word of me paying too. It was a fun afternoon. My only problem: While my two Spanish colleagues were drinking beer, I only drank coke because I was on medication and wasn't allowed to drink alcohol. Can you imagine how difficult it got to understand my tipsy colleagues whose Spanish became more and more slurred while I was still perfectly sober?
At the end of week three, I hit the roof. We had a woman working in the gift shop who was originally from France. That afternoon, I was chatting with her in her shop and one of the French guys entered. As he still didn't understand Spanish well, we switched to French. At least I thought that was what I had done. Instead, I noticed that she began to translate. I stared at her in surprise, then looked at the French guy who in turn stared at me, and she began to laugh and explained I had been speaking a mixture of French and Spanish. Honestly, I hadn't noticed! Of course, the poor guy hadn't understood what I was telling him.
Those four weeks in Spain have been a great experience but they accounted for quite some language confusion too. I wouldn't want to miss that time!
The hotel I worked in - yes, it was a real medieval castle!Monday 6 December 2010
Why You Should Learn a Foreign Language
by Kathy Foust
I have to admit, I'm a fan of people learning the language of the country they are in. I live in America and I am sick of having to press 1 to hear my own language. I know my ancestors had to learn it and I don't see why anyone would even go to a foreign country and not attempt to speak the language, though I do understand it takes time. So, when it came to having to take a foreign language in high school, I took the one that I enjoyed the sound of, French.
When it came to college, I struggled my way through Spanish, though it's very similar to French. I was struggling because of my own personal irritation with having to learn a second language rather than visitors having to learn the language of the land they moved to. But, in retrospect, I always kept in mind an instance where knowing the language would have served me well. In the end, the incident was quite humorous, but it could have worked out a lot simpler if either of us had known the other's language.
I was 17. I was in a foster home in Chicago. Lucky for me, the foster family was extremely nice. I was done with high school though and the mother of the family didn't work, so it was just her and me at the house all day. She spoke Spanish and I spoke English.
At the corner of our block was a small store with a deli. She motioned for me to go down to the deli. After a bit of laughing and improvised hand signals, I understood that she wanted me to go get her sausage, coffee and chips. Feeling light-hearted and impressed that we had dealt with the language barrier in a sufficient manner, I strolled down to the store, bought the items and brought them home to her. I bought a pack of sausages, a can of coffee and a large bag of chips.
Imagine my surprise when she burst out laughing when I walked in the door with a smile on my face. After some more hand motions and slow speaking of words neither of us understood, I finally figured out what was so funny. I had thought she needed supplies, but all she really wanted was lunch! While I understood what she wanted, I had quite lost the idea of the quantity!
My mother's family is 100% Polish. Growing up, their accents were a welcome comfort to my ears and that accent still is today. Never in my life would I have thought to learn Spanish though! But, after that incident, I did understand the value of a second language even if I resented the requirement of it. After all, what would that incident have turned out like if it had been an emergency?
Thank you, Kathy, for your guest post here.
Kathy Foust is a great writer and friend with a background in education. You can find some of her articles on Bright Hub where she writes for the Education Channel, among others.
I have to admit, I'm a fan of people learning the language of the country they are in. I live in America and I am sick of having to press 1 to hear my own language. I know my ancestors had to learn it and I don't see why anyone would even go to a foreign country and not attempt to speak the language, though I do understand it takes time. So, when it came to having to take a foreign language in high school, I took the one that I enjoyed the sound of, French.
When it came to college, I struggled my way through Spanish, though it's very similar to French. I was struggling because of my own personal irritation with having to learn a second language rather than visitors having to learn the language of the land they moved to. But, in retrospect, I always kept in mind an instance where knowing the language would have served me well. In the end, the incident was quite humorous, but it could have worked out a lot simpler if either of us had known the other's language.
I was 17. I was in a foster home in Chicago. Lucky for me, the foster family was extremely nice. I was done with high school though and the mother of the family didn't work, so it was just her and me at the house all day. She spoke Spanish and I spoke English.
At the corner of our block was a small store with a deli. She motioned for me to go down to the deli. After a bit of laughing and improvised hand signals, I understood that she wanted me to go get her sausage, coffee and chips. Feeling light-hearted and impressed that we had dealt with the language barrier in a sufficient manner, I strolled down to the store, bought the items and brought them home to her. I bought a pack of sausages, a can of coffee and a large bag of chips.
Imagine my surprise when she burst out laughing when I walked in the door with a smile on my face. After some more hand motions and slow speaking of words neither of us understood, I finally figured out what was so funny. I had thought she needed supplies, but all she really wanted was lunch! While I understood what she wanted, I had quite lost the idea of the quantity!
My mother's family is 100% Polish. Growing up, their accents were a welcome comfort to my ears and that accent still is today. Never in my life would I have thought to learn Spanish though! But, after that incident, I did understand the value of a second language even if I resented the requirement of it. After all, what would that incident have turned out like if it had been an emergency?
Thank you, Kathy, for your guest post here.
Kathy Foust is a great writer and friend with a background in education. You can find some of her articles on Bright Hub where she writes for the Education Channel, among others.
Saturday 4 December 2010
My Two Cents ... I
So each Saturday, I will give you my two cents on a saying I came across during the week, or which intrigued me in any other way. We will start this week with:
"It's not my cup of tea."
So, first of all: What does this saying mean?
It means that you don't like something or are not interested in it. If you say, 'Sorry, but rock music just isn't my cup of tea,' then you maybe like to listen to rap music instead. You don't automatically hate rock music but as long as you can choose, you will choose something else.
How did this saying develop? Where does it come from?
Apparently, the saying started in Great Britain in the late 1800s. At first, it was used as a positive. When a Brit said, 'It's my cup of tea,' he indicated that he liked something. Around 1920, the meaning switched to the negative form which is more often heard today.
My two cents on this:
Of course, I was absolutely sure this saying had to be British. I mean, who else is famous for their tea-drinkin tradition? The time frame also makes sense. In the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century before WWII, England's society thinking was at its peak. It was determined by birth and by money who was someone and who wasn't. The fine ladies would have tea with friends, chatting and gossiping, every afternoon. It was almost unthinkable that someone from the high society would as much as seriously talk to someone from the working class - except for giving orders. With the afternoon tea tradition lived to its fullest, it is no wonder that such a saying would develop.
"It's not my cup of tea."
So, first of all: What does this saying mean?
It means that you don't like something or are not interested in it. If you say, 'Sorry, but rock music just isn't my cup of tea,' then you maybe like to listen to rap music instead. You don't automatically hate rock music but as long as you can choose, you will choose something else.
How did this saying develop? Where does it come from?
Apparently, the saying started in Great Britain in the late 1800s. At first, it was used as a positive. When a Brit said, 'It's my cup of tea,' he indicated that he liked something. Around 1920, the meaning switched to the negative form which is more often heard today.
My two cents on this:
Of course, I was absolutely sure this saying had to be British. I mean, who else is famous for their tea-drinkin tradition? The time frame also makes sense. In the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th century before WWII, England's society thinking was at its peak. It was determined by birth and by money who was someone and who wasn't. The fine ladies would have tea with friends, chatting and gossiping, every afternoon. It was almost unthinkable that someone from the high society would as much as seriously talk to someone from the working class - except for giving orders. With the afternoon tea tradition lived to its fullest, it is no wonder that such a saying would develop.
Friday 3 December 2010
Language Is More Than Words; It's Magic!
If you have ever come across that saying, you have come across me somewhere. I coined it. It's my motto, no, it's my life. I live this magic. Language has always fascinated me. It gives me power.
You don't see that power?
Have you never wondered why some people seem to get everything they want and others don't? Oh well, maybe it's the looks. But I bet you most of the times it has to do with language. You see, what you say and how you say something has a huge influence on how people react to you. If you apologize for having forgot your bus ticket and you do it friendly and with a smile, you might just get away with it. However, if you just blantly say, 'Hey, everyone has a bad day and forgets his ticket sometimes, so why bother?' you won't have that much luck.
Another example. I am a writer. I love to write, to create. With the use of language, I have the power to create whole worlds, to bring people into life and to kill them again. I have the power to draw pictures of landscapes or to make my readers laugh and cry. All I need for this power is language. It is inside of me; it is inside of everyone. Whether you use your native language or a foreign language, it makes you powerful. You might not be able to draw pictures with a foreign language but just think of the bridges you can build between people of different native languages. You have the power.
Nothing else is so magical. If real magic has ever existed on earth, it has existed in language. And it still does. Just take a moment, stop what you were just doing, feel inside and find that magic inside of you. I know it is there!
You don't see that power?
Have you never wondered why some people seem to get everything they want and others don't? Oh well, maybe it's the looks. But I bet you most of the times it has to do with language. You see, what you say and how you say something has a huge influence on how people react to you. If you apologize for having forgot your bus ticket and you do it friendly and with a smile, you might just get away with it. However, if you just blantly say, 'Hey, everyone has a bad day and forgets his ticket sometimes, so why bother?' you won't have that much luck.
Another example. I am a writer. I love to write, to create. With the use of language, I have the power to create whole worlds, to bring people into life and to kill them again. I have the power to draw pictures of landscapes or to make my readers laugh and cry. All I need for this power is language. It is inside of me; it is inside of everyone. Whether you use your native language or a foreign language, it makes you powerful. You might not be able to draw pictures with a foreign language but just think of the bridges you can build between people of different native languages. You have the power.
Nothing else is so magical. If real magic has ever existed on earth, it has existed in language. And it still does. Just take a moment, stop what you were just doing, feel inside and find that magic inside of you. I know it is there!
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