Comments on: On reading Chinese http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/on-reading-chinese/ commentary on all things Taiwanese -- Taichung, Taiwan Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:46:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: David on Formosa » Taiwanese Chinese http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/on-reading-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-1633 David on Formosa » Taiwanese Chinese Mon, 18 Dec 2006 07:56:47 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/on-reading-chinese/#comment-1633 [...] In my Chinese class I have been regularly reading articles from the Guoyu Ribao (國語日報). I have always thought of the Guoyu Ribao as a somewhat anachronistic institution, dedicated to preserving Mandarin Chinese in a form that was spoken in China in the 1930s. This was reinforced during the time I was studying Qibai Zi Gushi (published by the Guoyu Ribao). My teacher would often comment that various words and phrases were only used in China and some of them would even be considered quite old fashioned there.  [...] [...] In my Chinese class I have been regularly reading articles from the Guoyu Ribao (國語日報). I have always thought of the Guoyu Ribao as a somewhat anachronistic institution, dedicated to preserving Mandarin Chinese in a form that was spoken in China in the 1930s. This was reinforced during the time I was studying Qibai Zi Gushi (published by the Guoyu Ribao). My teacher would often comment that various words and phrases were only used in China and some of them would even be considered quite old fashioned there.  [...]

]]> By: D.A. http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/on-reading-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-136 D.A. Fri, 04 Aug 2006 07:08:00 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/on-reading-chinese/#comment-136 The Japanese also provide katakana and hiragana next to their Kanji (for young readers), and I haven't heard of anyone complaining about it. But if it were me, have the zhuyin would be too distracting, and my characters would never progess at the rate I would want them to. <a HREF="http://terracottabloggers.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Thats just me though</A>. You must have alot of patience to study the way you do. I enjoyed you post. Keep em coming. The Japanese also provide katakana and hiragana next to their Kanji (for young readers), and I haven’t heard of anyone complaining about it. But if it were me, have the zhuyin would be too distracting, and my characters would never progess at the rate I would want them to. Thats just me though. You must have alot of patience to study the way you do. I enjoyed you post. Keep em coming.

]]> By: David http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/on-reading-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-135 David Wed, 02 Aug 2006 11:31:00 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/on-reading-chinese/#comment-135 I think if I my knowledge of Zhuyin was any better than it is now I would just read it and ignore the characters. The eyes will naturally just move towards what is easiest to read. As my goal is learning to read Chinese characters I would prefer a minimum of distraction in the text. I think if I my knowledge of Zhuyin was any better than it is now I would just read it and ignore the characters. The eyes will naturally just move towards what is easiest to read.

As my goal is learning to read Chinese characters I would prefer a minimum of distraction in the text.

]]> By: Mark http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/on-reading-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Mark Tue, 01 Aug 2006 07:06:00 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2006/07/on-reading-chinese/#comment-134 It may sound odd since I've said so much good stuff about the mainland as a study location, but I actually <I>like</I> the zhuyin in kids books here. I don't think most Chinese students would want to learn zhuyin, and I don't want it in textbooks, but it's still nice in story books. Zhuyin's strong point is that it's not very obtrusive. When I browsed through the kids books in Wangfujing (in Beijing), I found it hard to keep myself from looking at the pinyin under each character, even characters I knew. It's just hard not to immediately focus on the roman characters. With zhuyin, on the other hand, I just look at it when I need it. It may sound odd since I’ve said so much good stuff about the mainland as a study location, but I actually like the zhuyin in kids books here. I don’t think most Chinese students would want to learn zhuyin, and I don’t want it in textbooks, but it’s still nice in story books. Zhuyin’s strong point is that it’s not very obtrusive.

When I browsed through the kids books in Wangfujing (in Beijing), I found it hard to keep myself from looking at the pinyin under each character, even characters I knew. It’s just hard not to immediately focus on the roman characters. With zhuyin, on the other hand, I just look at it when I need it.

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