The Chinese Language

The Chinese Language PDF Author: John DeFrancis
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 9780824810689
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 348

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Book Description
"DeFrancis's book is first rate. It entertains. It teaches. It demystifies. It counteracts popular ignorance as well as sophisticated (cocktail party) ignorance. Who could ask for anything more? There is no other book like it. ... It is one of a kind, a first, and I would not only buy it but I would recommend it to friends and colleagues, many of whom are visiting China now and are adding 'two-week-expert' ignorance to the two kinds that existed before. This is a book for everyone." --Joshua A. Fishman, research professor of social sciences, Yeshiva University, New York "Professor De Francis has produced a work of great effectiveness that should appeal to a wide-ranging audience. It is at once instructive and entertaining. While being delighted by the flair of his novel approach, the reader will also be led to ponder on some of the most fundamental problems concerning the relations between written languages and spoken languages. Specifically, he will be served a variety of information on the languages of East Asia, not as dry pedantic facts, but as appealing tidbits that whet the intellectual appetite. The expert will find much to reflect on in this book, for Professor DeFrancis takes nothing for granted." --William S.Y. Wang, professor of linguistics, University of California at Berkeley

The Chinese Language

The Chinese Language PDF Author: John DeFrancis
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
ISBN: 9780824810689
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 348

Get Book Here

Book Description
"DeFrancis's book is first rate. It entertains. It teaches. It demystifies. It counteracts popular ignorance as well as sophisticated (cocktail party) ignorance. Who could ask for anything more? There is no other book like it. ... It is one of a kind, a first, and I would not only buy it but I would recommend it to friends and colleagues, many of whom are visiting China now and are adding 'two-week-expert' ignorance to the two kinds that existed before. This is a book for everyone." --Joshua A. Fishman, research professor of social sciences, Yeshiva University, New York "Professor De Francis has produced a work of great effectiveness that should appeal to a wide-ranging audience. It is at once instructive and entertaining. While being delighted by the flair of his novel approach, the reader will also be led to ponder on some of the most fundamental problems concerning the relations between written languages and spoken languages. Specifically, he will be served a variety of information on the languages of East Asia, not as dry pedantic facts, but as appealing tidbits that whet the intellectual appetite. The expert will find much to reflect on in this book, for Professor DeFrancis takes nothing for granted." --William S.Y. Wang, professor of linguistics, University of California at Berkeley

Language and Gesture in Chinese Conversation

Language and Gesture in Chinese Conversation PDF Author: Kawai Chui
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781032214580
Category : Chinese language
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
"Language and Gesture in Chinese Conversation is a study of quantitative-qualitative analysis of linguistic-gestural instances from conversations among adult native speakers of Taiwan Mandarin. As the linguistic and the gestural manifestations in natural discourse are examined together in the form of the simultaneous expression of meaning across modalities, more details about speech, gesture, cognition, and discourse can be revealed. The study will focus on representational gestures, spontaneous manual configurations depictions of semantic information associated with the linguistic meanings The intended audience of this book includes scholars in a broad range of studies, including linguistics, language and gesture, human communication, cognition, cognitive neuroscience, social psychology, sociology, linguistic anthropology, speech pathology, and speech therapy"--

Conversational Chinese Dialogues

Conversational Chinese Dialogues PDF Author: Lingo Mastery
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781951949051
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 338

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Book Description
Conversational Chinese Dialogues is packed with over 100 dialogues in Chinese with both pinyin and English translations which makes this an excellent immersion tool for Chinese (Mandarin) language learners.

A Billion Voices

A Billion Voices PDF Author: David Moser
Publisher: Penguin Group Australia
ISBN: 1760143308
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 96

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Book Description
Mandarin, Guoyu or Putonghua? 'Chinese' is a language known by many names, and China is a country home to many languages. Since the turn of the twentieth century linguists and politicians have been on a mission to create a common language for China. From the radical intellectuals of the May Fourth Movement, to leaders such as Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong, all fought linguistic wars to push the boundaries of language reform. Now, Internet users take the Chinese language in new and unpredictable directions. David Moser tells the remarkable story of China's language unification agenda and its controversial relationship with modern politics, challenging our conceptions of what it means to speak and be Chinese. 'If you want to know what the language situation of China is on the ground and in the trenches, and you only have time to read one book, this is it. A veritable tour de force, in just a little over a hundred pages, David Moser has filled this brilliant volume with linguistic, political, historical, and cultural data that are both reliable and enlightening. Written with captivating wit and exacting expertise, A Billion Voices is a masterpiece of clear thinking and incisive exposition.' Victor H. Mair, American sinologist, professor of Chinese language and literature at the University of Pennsylvania and author of The Columbia History of Chinese Literature 'David Moser explains the complex aspects of Putonghua against the backdrop of history, delivering the information with authority and simplicity in a style accessible both to speakers of Chinese and those who are simply fascinated by the language. All of the questions that people have asked me about Chinese over the years, and more, are answered in this book. The history of Putonghua and the vital importance of creating a common language is a story David Moser brings to life in an enjoyable way.' Laszlo Montgomery, The China History Podcast

Basic Spoken Chinese Practice Essentials

Basic Spoken Chinese Practice Essentials PDF Author: Cornelius C. Kubler
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462914640
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 672

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Book Description
Use this one-of-a-kind practice guide together with any Chinese book or language program, and dramatically enhance your speaking and listening skills. No matter what book or course you're using to learn Chinese, it takes a lot of practice. Here is a wealth of effective practice activities--including more than 16 hours of audio material!--to help polish your spoken Mandarin Chinese. This book corresponds to Basic Spoken Chinese and allows you to move from complete beginner level to basic proficiency. Downloadable content features over 16 hours of audio material, as well as (printable) PDF files of hundreds of additional practice pages and exercises. Basic Spoken Chinese Practice Essentials includes carefully designed activities to help solidify every aspect of your spoken Chinese skills, including: Pronunciation exercises. Vocabulary and Grammar summaries. Substitution drills. Transformation and Response drills. Role Play & Listening Comprehension exercises. Dictation exercises. Translation exercises. The downloadable content contains: 16 hours of audio by native Mandarin speakers. Printable practice pages. Printable exercises and activities. Together with or after this book, you can use Basic Written Chinese if you want to learn Chinese reading and writing. It introduces the highest-frequency characters and words in a systematic way. About the Series Respected Chinese language expert Dr. Cornelius Kubler, who has taught diplomats, business people and students, presents a learning system that uses separate but integrated "tracks" to help you efficiently master the basics of spoken and written Chinese. The materials in the Basic Spoken Chinese series allow you to move from complete beginner level to intermediate fluency.

Protestant Bible Translation and Mandarin as the National Language of China

Protestant Bible Translation and Mandarin as the National Language of China PDF Author: George Kam Wah Mak
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004316302
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 427

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Book Description
This book represents the first monograph-length study of the relationship between Protestant Bible translation and the development of Mandarin from a lingua franca into the national language of China. Drawing on both published and unpublished sources, this book looks into the translation, publication, circulation and use of the Mandarin Bible in late Qing and Republican China, and sets out how the Mandarin Bible contributed to the standardization and enrichment of Mandarin. It also illustrates that the Mandarin Union Version, published in 1919, was involved in promoting Mandarin as not only the standard medium of communication but also a marker of national identity among the Chinese people, thus playing a role in the nation-building of modern China.

Basic Spoken Chinese

Basic Spoken Chinese PDF Author: Cornelius C. Kubler
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462914810
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 386

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Book Description
This is a beginning-level course in spoken Chinese that employs a revolutionary new method designed to have you quickly speaking and comprehending Mandarin Chinese. Along with its sister book Basic Written Chinese and their accompanying workbooks, Basic Spoken Chinese offers a complete introductory course to the Chinese language. As a native English speaker, working hard to learn Chinese is not enough; you have to work smart to learn this very different language efficiently. Downloadable audio and video reinforce the material introduced in the book. No matter why you've chosen to learn Chinese--for business, travel, cultural studies or another goal--the Basic Chinese approach of two separate but integrated tracks in spoken and written Chinese will help you learn this language most efficiently and successfully. Detailed explanations in English of Chinese pronunciation, grammar, usage, culture, society, and recommended learning approaches. A digital Instructor's Guide is available electronically. A written Character Transcript (Simplified and Traditional) is available electronically. The downloadable materials feature: 40 videos with dozens of native speakers filmed on location in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. 6 hours of native-speaker audio, including all of the book's conversations. Build up sections, new words, and pronunciation exercises. Available separately, Basic Spoken Chinese Practice Essentials is the companion workbook for Basic Spoken Chinese. This practical guide includes a broad range of drills and exercises designed to enhance your proficiency in speaking and comprehending dramatically. While intended for use with the companion textbook, it can be used together with any Chinese textbook or teaching program to hone your Chinese language skills.

The Chinese Language Demystified

The Chinese Language Demystified PDF Author: Zhengming Du
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN: 1443884952
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 185

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Book Description
The Chinese Language Demystified offers a detailed exploration of the features that have made Mandarin Chinese so unique among the major languages of the world, particularly English and other European linguistic forms of communication. While discussing the aspects that contribute to the perception of the language as somewhat ‘mysterious,’ the book also investigates how it is comprehended and used by the Chinese people despite its lack of formal grammatical structure in the conventional terms of understanding.

Conversations on Justice from National, International, and Global Perspectives

Conversations on Justice from National, International, and Global Perspectives PDF Author: Jean-Marc Coicaud
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1316510093
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 419

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Book Description
Authors from a variety of fields including law, political science, international relations and economics discuss matters of justice at the national, international and global levels.

Language in Hong Kong at Century's End

Language in Hong Kong at Century's End PDF Author: Martha C. Pennington
Publisher: Hong Kong University Press
ISBN: 962209418X
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 467

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Book Description
This volume offers a view of the linguistic situation in Hong Kong in the final years of the twentieth century, as it enters the post-colonial era. In the chapters of this book, scholars from Hong Kong and around the world present a contemporary profile of Chinese, English, and other languages in dynamic interaction in this major international economic centre. Authors survey usage of different languages and attitudes towards them among students, teachers, and the general population based on census data, newpapers, language diaries, interviews, and questionnaires. They address issues of code-mixing, the shift from English-medium to Chinese-medium education, the place of Putonghua in the local language mix, and the language of minority groups such as Hong Kong Indians.This wide-ranging group of original studies provides a social and historical perspective from which to consider developments in language among the past, present, and future populations of Hong Kong.