You Can Learn Chinese

Are you doing the right things to learn Chinese? In this episode, John and Jared discuss the Four Strands of language learning developed by Paul Nation, a famous researcher in vocabulary acquisition, and how we can use these four keys to identify strengths and weaknesses in any language program. After listening to this show, you’ll not only be able to identify a good Chinese program, you’ll know what you need to do to optimize your progress towards fluency! Gest interview is with Daniel Keefe, who after 15 years of living in China, decided to buckle down and learn Chinese. He’ll share with you the magic ingredient that helped him pull the language together and pass the HSK 4 exam. Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links referenced in this Episode. Paul Nation Paul Nation – The Four Strands Yangmei/杨梅/Yum Berries - Myrica Yubra *Pomelo/Youzi/柚子 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You may know a lot of Chinese, but are you proficient in it? Or maybe you’ve studied for a long time but are still unable to speak or hold a simple conversation. Jared and John discuss this as one of the most common issues among language learners and offer practical advice on how to balance the two with an emphasis on how to build Chinese language proficiency. You’ll also get a rant and a rave. Guest interview is with Elyse Ribbons, playwright, webmistress, radio host, Peking opera performer, social entrepreneur, foodie, yoga teacher, and runner up for China’s top chef. She shares her insights into learning Chinese and her path to starring roles in Chinese TV and movies. Please write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links referenced in this Episode. Learn Chinese Forums Google Translate - China Elyse Ribbons – Wikipedia Page “Red Star Over China” by Edgar Snow “Great Expectations” Mandarin Companion Level 2 Graded Reader See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What makes a fluent reader in Chinese? To cut through the wide range of opinions on this subject, this episode delves into the research behind what makes a reader fluent and what you can do to achieve reading fluency in Chinese. Join John and Jared on this insightful discussion that dispel myths and help you know what to focus on. And of course, you’ll get a rant and a rave. Guest interview is with Ola Jagielska from Poland who has learned multiple languages including Chinese. If you like the show, write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links referenced in this Episode. Research Paper - Character reading fluency, word segmentation accuracy, and reading comprehension in L2 Chinese Launch of the New Breakthrough Level Books: 150 Characters "The Rise of the Monkey King" Graded Reader “Be There or Be Square”|《不见不散》 Being a Nomad See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jared gives a review of the 2019 National Chinese Language Conference in San Diego, California, and John & Jared discuss the different stages of learning Chinese. As usual, you’ll get a rant and a rave, including a rant that goes into a unique tangent. Guest interview is with John D’Andrea who began learning Chinese back in the 70’s and teaches Chinese today. You’ll discover how much the methods of learning Chinese have progressed to what we have today. A fascinating perspective that will engender gratitude for everyone learning Chinese today. If you like the show, write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links referenced in this Episode. National Chinese Language Conference The 5 Stages To Learning Chinese The China History Podcast| Laszlo Montgomery John DeFrancis - American linguist, sinologist, author of early Chinese language textbooks Lanzhou (兰州) – Capital city of the Gansu province See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jared & John field a question from a listener asking a question pertaining to Chinese linguistics, a subject in which John just happens to have a masters degree. As usual, you’ll get a rant and a rave, and Jared pulls out the original Chinese emoji: 囧 (jiǒng). Guest interview is with Jacob Gill, the CEO of Skritter. Jake originally thought he could never learn a second language but has gone on to obtain a high level of Chinese without having spent extensive time in Asia. If you like the show, write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links referenced in this Episode. Skritter 囧 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jared & John discuss everything you wanted to know about tones but were afraid to ask. They highlight why they are important, what makes them difficult, where learners usually go wrong, and how to polish your tones to sound better than you thought possible. You’ll get a rant about Chinese teachers using English names and mixing simplified and traditional characters together. Guest interview is with Dr. David Moser, Chinese professor, author, Chinese language performer, translator, media commentator, and author of the famous paper “Why Chinese is So Damn Hard”. David shares his experiences of learning Chinese, performing xiangsheng 相声 (comic “cross talk”) on Chinese national TV, and strategies that helped him achieve mastery in the language. If you like the show, write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links referenced in this Episode. Confidence and Tones The Process of Learning Tones Masters Thesis on Learning Tones Why Chinese Is So Damn Hard Crazy English Method – Learning English by Shouting See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jared & John talk about the myth of adults learning Chinese like a child. If you think this is the best way for someone to learn, you may come away with not only a different perspective but also new ideas on how you can learn Chinese faster. John and Jared also discuss a listeners question, fake graded readers, and the mystique of the Chinese typewriter (yes, it’s a real thing). Our guest interview is with Matt McGill. Some might call Matt a Scottish version of Harrison Ford; he started out as a carpenter but is now a star actor on the popular YouTube Chinese comedy channel “Mamahuhu”. He deviates from the norm in that he never took a day of Chinese class in his life, he simply learned on the streets of Shanghai. If you like the show, please write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links Referenced in this episode: Why You Won’t Learn Like a Child How I Learned Chinese (part 2) The Chinese Typewriter Mamahuhu YouTube Channel THE LAOWAI BAOAN (Expat Security Guard) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is all about how to immerse yourself in the language without having to travel half way around the world. Jared and John share all sorts of tried and true tips from learners everywhere, including some you’ve probably never heard of! Get the scoop on reading, movies, music, and tricks to help you create that immersive environment. You’ll even get a sample of the “Crazy Rich Asians” soundtrack and the Youtube channel “Chinese Buddy”, plus John will tell you what he thinks is the best Disney movie in Chinese. Xinjiang, China, is the westernmost province of China where Josh Summers lived for over 10 years. He shares his story of living, learning, and thriving in this diverse and exotic environment. He and his wife came to Xinjiang to teach English, stayed to learn Chinese, and then started a travel business. If you like our show, please write us a review on Apple Podcasts! We are also taking questions from our listeners. If you have a question, reach us at feedback@mandarincompanion.com or leave us a note on our Facebook page. Links referenced in the Podcast. Wo Yao Ni De Ai - Grace Chang Yellow - Katherine Ho (Coldplay Cover) Lyrics Video with Pinyin Stinky Tofu Song | Chinese Buddy Karakoram Highway in HD! Adventure of a Lifetime from Kashgar (China) to Pakistan Travel to China: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we talk about a number of common questions people have about reading and writing in Chinese. We challenge the conventional wisdom that kids books in Chinese are good things to read when you are learning Chinese (spoiler; they're not). You'll also learn why so many books in Chinese have pinyin over the top of the characters and how this can negatively impact our learning. We also address the question students face in our modern age: should I learn to hand write Chinese characters? We'll talk about Stephen Colbert's Chinese pronunciation on The Late Show and John has an amazing tech tip on utilizing the text-to-speech feature native in practically all smart phones. Guest interview is with Vanessa Dewey who moved to China because she wanted to learn Chinese. Ten years and two kids later, she shares her amusing experience towards fluency. We would really really really like to hear what you have to say about our podcast. Please write us a review on iTunes! That helps us immensely! You can also find us on Facebook, please like us and drop us a note! Article referenced in this episode: Pinyin over Characters: The Crippling Crutch As always, sponsored by Mandarin Companion. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, John introduces the concept of language power struggles which is when you want to practice your Chinese with a Chinese person, but they will only talk to you in English. We also talk about the reverse when you are speaking English and the other person is speaking Chinese and you both understand each other, kind of like Han Solo and Chewbacca. We delve into the different accents in Chinese along with the myriad of different "dialects" in Chinese and how in reality many of these are entirely different languages along with why many schools and universities seem to miss out on the learners perspective. The guest interview is with Kerric Knowles and about his challenges and triumphs with studying Chinese at university, and how if you don't use it, you lose it. Kerrick has an excellent face for radio, but unfortunately we don't have the pictures to prove it. If you like this show, please write us a review and like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/YouCanLearnChinese See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.