The Languages of China

The Languages of China
Author: S. Robert Ramsey
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 366
Release: 2024-05-21
Genre: History
ISBN: 069126824X

An incredible source of information about the Chinese language and China’s minority languages In this accessible and informative book, S. Robert Ramsey lucidly explains what the Chinese language is—its social and geographical situation, its history, its range of dialects, the structure of the modern standard language, and the writing system. He goes on to describe the languages of China’s national minorities, showing how they interrelate with each other and with Chinese. Readers learn about the peoples who speak the languages of China, what China is like linguistically, and the cultural and historical settings of the country’s languages. For those who want more linguistic detail, Ramsey provides lists, maps, charts, and descriptions along with technical references in notes at the end of the book. Invaluable to general linguists and Sinologists alike, The Languages of China is an excellent introduction to Chinese and East Asian linguistics.

The Chinese Language

The Chinese Language
Author: John DeFrancis
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
Total Pages: 348
Release: 1986-03-01
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 9780824810689

"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

Learning Chinese Language and Culture

Learning Chinese Language and Culture
Author: Weijia Huang
Publisher: The Chinese University of Hong Kong Press
Total Pages: 282
Release: 2020-03-15
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 9882370608

Learning Chinese Language and Culture is an intermediate level textbook, which was intended to be used throughout the entire school year and designed mainly for students who have completed introductory courses of Chinese as a foreign language. Written in English, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, this book illustrates Chinese language knowledge and introduces Chinese culture in twentytwo lessons, covering a variety of cultural content, including customs and manners, holidays and festivals, poems and idioms, calligraphy and couplets, myths and legends, feng shui and superstitions, and historical relics and sceneries and many others. In every lesson, the authors have strived to maintain a clear topic and a coherent structure. They have also endeavored to keep the contents lively and achieve a fluent writing style while closely controlling the structure and grammar of every lesson.

Chinese Language(s)

Chinese Language(s)
Author: Maria Kurpaska
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter
Total Pages: 297
Release: 2010
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 311021914X

"The book uncovers the role The Great Dictionary of Modern Chinese Dialects plays in analyzing the spectrum of linguistic differentiation in China. The author starts by sketching the development and current state of Chinese dialectology and dialectal research. She then provides an analysis of the Dictionary and of the kind of information it provides. Looking at Chinese dialectology from a Western point of view, the author aims to understand and present the Chinese perspective"--Provided by publisher.

Chinese-language Film

Chinese-language Film
Author: Sheldon H. Lu
Publisher: University of Hawaii Press
Total Pages: 444
Release: 2005
Genre: Motion pictures
ISBN:

A comprehensive work on Chinese film, this text explores the manifold dimensions of the subject and highlights areas overlooked in previous studies. Leading scholars take up issues and topics covering the entire range of Chinese cinema.

Book2 English - Chinese for Beginners

Book2 English - Chinese for Beginners
Author: Johannes Schumann
Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
Total Pages: 106
Release: 2008-10
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 9781440440830

book2 - is available in many languages - is ideal for beginners - has 100 short and easy chapters - corresponds to the European levels A1 and A2 - requires no prior knowledge of grammar - covers the basic vocabulary - uses simple structures to help you learn a language - helps you to speak complete sentences immediately - applies the latest memory research All downloads can be accessed at www.book2.de.The audio files are available free of charge at www.book2.de.

The Routledge Encyclopedia of the Chinese Language

The Routledge Encyclopedia of the Chinese Language
Author: Sin-Wai Chan
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 1085
Release: 2016-04-14
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 131738248X

The Routledge Encyclopedia of the Chinese Language is an invaluable resource for language learners and linguists of Chinese worldwide, those interested readers of Chinese literature and cultures, and scholars in Chinese studies. Featuring the research on the changing landscape of the Chinese language by a number of eminent academics in the field, this volume will meet the academic, linguistic and pedagogical needs of anyone interested in the Chinese language: from Sinologists to Chinese linguists, as well as teachers and learners of Chinese as a second language. The encyclopedia explores a range of topics: from research on oracle bone and bronze inscriptions, to Chinese language acquisition, to the language of the mass media. This reference offers a guide to shifts over time in thinking about the Chinese language as well as providing an overview of contemporary themes, debates and research interests. The editors and contributors are assisted by an editorial board comprised of the best and most experienced sinologists world-wide. The reference includes an introduction, written by the editor, which places the assembled texts in their historical and intellectual context. The Encyclopedia of the Chinese Language is destined to be valued by scholars and students as a vital research resource.

Chinese Language Education in the United States

Chinese Language Education in the United States
Author: Jiening Ruan
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 265
Release: 2015-11-10
Genre: Education
ISBN: 3319213083

This book offers historical, philosophical, and sociocultural perspectives on Chinese language education for speakers of other languages with a special focus on Chinese language education in the United States. It provides a comprehensive, cross-disciplinary look at changes in CFL/CSL education over time in China and the U.S. and the philosophical, political and sociocultural influences that led to these changes. The essays address a wide array of topics related to Chinese language education, including: A historical overview of the field Theories that apply to CFL/CSL learning Policies and initiatives for CFL/CSL by the Chinese and U.S. governments Medium of instruction Curriculum and instruction for CFL/CSL learners at K-12 and college levels Technology for CFL/CSL education Chinese language learning for heritage learners CFL in study abroad contexts CFL teacher education and training This work is essential reading for scholars and students interested in gaining a greater understanding of Chinese language education in the two countries and around the world.

The Field of Chinese Language Education in the U.S.

The Field of Chinese Language Education in the U.S.
Author: Vivian Ling
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 466
Release: 2018-02-13
Genre: Foreign Language Study
ISBN: 1351384996

This book will be the first account of the development of Chinese as a foreign language in the U.S., as it interacts with the relevant entities in China and beyond. There are virtually no systematic retrospective reflections on the field outside of the greater China region; and yet over the past decades the field has grown by leaps and bounds, and it is critical now that we pause to reflect on what has happened and what we can learn from the past. The contributors are among some of the most influential pioneers in the field whose entire academic lives have been dedicated to its development. The Field of Chinese Language Education in the U.S.: A Retrospective of the 20th Century is aimed at those who are currently engaged in Chinese language education, as teachers or as students.

Teaching Chinese Language in Singapore

Teaching Chinese Language in Singapore
Author: Kaycheng Soh
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 156
Release: 2020-01-11
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9811511497

This book addresses the problems and issues surrounding teaching Chinese as a second language in the Singapore context. It identifies four main areas of concern: (1) Neglect of culture in the teaching of Chinese; (2) Difficulty of learning Hanzi (Chinese characters); (3) Cognitive and affective aspects of Chinese language learning; and (4) Authenticity of the Chinese language in a global and Singapore context. The book includes lesson design and instructional practices for re-prioritizing Chinese as a set of trainable skills, as well as teaching culture in the context of teaching the language. It also introduces the Chinese as a Second Language Readability Formula to help learners overcome their difficulties with learning Hanzi (Chinese characters), and the Attitude Toward Chinese Language Scale to help understand the various factors that can influence Chinese language learning. It also proposes a student-oriented model for conducting problem-based research, tapping into the disciplines of psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics. Resolving or minimizing the issues identified here requires action at the macro level by Chinese language researchers on a national scale, and at the micro level by classroom teachers through action research.