Comments on: Scaling a Great Wall: Top 5 Tips for Learning Chinese http://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/ Adventures in web and mobile globalization Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:38:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: BThttp://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-45814 BT Wed, 29 Sep 2010 07:36:15 +0000 http://www.globalbydesign.com/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/#comment-45814 I am trying to decide which to learn, Cantonese or Mandarin. I am a native English speaker (United States) and have little exposure to either. I have been doing some research, and it looks like it may be better to learn Mandarin as an overall second language. However, it seems like Cantonese is a language that is needed to conduct business in Hong Kong. At this point I am not doing any business in China at all. My reason for wanting to learn the language(s) is to develop a skill set that will be in demand in the very near future (if not already). I was reading that it may be easier to learn Cantonese first and than add on Mandarin (if able to) so as to be more useful overall. This sounds like it may be very difficult to do. If I had to choose only one, which do you think I should learn, Cantonese or Mandarin? Is it possible to learn both simultaneously seeing as how they share a common written form? If it is possible to learn both simultaneously, do you know of (or recommend) any schools (or materials) that teach in this fashion (in U.S.)? Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response. BT I am trying to decide which to learn, Cantonese or Mandarin. I am a native English speaker (United States) and have little exposure to either. I have been doing some research, and it looks like it may be better to learn Mandarin as an overall second language. However, it seems like Cantonese is a language that is needed to conduct business in Hong Kong. At this point I am not doing any business in China at all. My reason for wanting to learn the language(s) is to develop a skill set that will be in demand in the very near future (if not already).

I was reading that it may be easier to learn Cantonese first and than add on Mandarin (if able to) so as to be more useful overall. This sounds like it may be very difficult to do.

If I had to choose only one, which do you think I should learn, Cantonese or Mandarin?

Is it possible to learn both simultaneously seeing as how they share a common written form?

If it is possible to learn both simultaneously, do you know of (or recommend) any schools (or materials) that teach in this fashion (in U.S.)?

Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response.

BT

]]> By: Miguel Lemenhttp://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-37022 Miguel Lemen Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:11:50 +0000 http://www.globalbydesign.com/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/#comment-37022 I am a zero knowledge about chinese. What i read clear my mind in many ways. Good tips what you are saying. Thanks for sharing. I am a zero knowledge about chinese. What i read clear my mind in many ways. Good tips what you are saying. Thanks for sharing.

]]> By: Shelbyhttp://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-24972 Shelby Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:22:25 +0000 http://www.globalbydesign.com/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/#comment-24972 Wow! Thanks for posting! This is really helpful!! Im a junior in high school and have already begun to study Chinese character. I decided to put off oral fluency becuase I dont really need it now. I'll be taking Chinese in college. Anyway, these tips really help a lot! Wow!
Thanks for posting!
This is really helpful!!

Im a junior in high school and have already begun to study Chinese character. I decided to put off oral fluency becuase I dont really need it now. I’ll be taking Chinese in college.

Anyway, these tips really help a lot!

]]> By: Most popular posts of 2007 | Global by Designhttp://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-24111 Most popular posts of 2007 | Global by Design Fri, 28 Mar 2008 21:02:44 +0000 http://www.globalbydesign.com/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/#comment-24111 [...] Scaling a Great Wall: Top 5 Tips for Learning Chinese This is another guest article, by Saul Gitlin of Kang & Lee, and a very hot topic these days. [...] [...] Scaling a Great Wall: Top 5 Tips for Learning Chinese This is another guest article, by Saul Gitlin of Kang & Lee, and a very hot topic these days. [...]

]]> By: Most Popular Posts of 2006 (Belated Edition) | Global by Designhttp://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-19816 Most Popular Posts of 2006 (Belated Edition) | Global by Design Mon, 17 Sep 2007 21:32:34 +0000 http://www.globalbydesign.com/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/#comment-19816 [...] Scaling a Great Wall: Top 5 Tips for Learning Chinese [...] [...] Scaling a Great Wall: Top 5 Tips for Learning Chinese [...]

]]> By: nawabhttp://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-335 nawab Wed, 06 Dec 2006 09:05:55 +0000 http://www.globalbydesign.com/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/#comment-335 I am curious to learn chinese and i thank you for the valueable info given by you. I am curious to learn chinese and i thank you for the valueable info given by you.

]]> By: Ken Rhttp://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-291 Ken R Sun, 26 Nov 2006 17:46:15 +0000 http://www.globalbydesign.com/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/#comment-291 Best books for learning Chinese: Beginner's Chinese with 2 Audio CDs http://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Chinese-2-Audio-CDs/dp/0781810957/sr=1-1/qid=1164556585/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-7388234-3494354?ie=UTF8&s=books Essential Chinese 1500 http://www.lulu.com/content/530690 Ultimate Chinese http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Chinese-Mandarin-Beginner-Intermediate-Basic-Intermed/dp/1400021030/sr=1-2/qid=1164556763/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-7388234-3494354?ie=UTF8&s=books Best books for learning Chinese:

Beginner’s Chinese with 2 Audio CDs
http://www.amazon.com/Beginners-Chinese-2-Audio-CDs/dp/0781810957/sr=1-1/qid=1164556585/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-7388234-3494354?ie=UTF8&s=books

Essential Chinese 1500
http://www.lulu.com/content/530690

Ultimate Chinese
http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Chinese-Mandarin-Beginner-Intermediate-Basic-Intermed/dp/1400021030/sr=1-2/qid=1164556763/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-7388234-3494354?ie=UTF8&s=books

]]> By: Alexhttp://www.globalbydesign.com/blog/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/comment-page-1/#comment-169 Alex Mon, 20 Nov 2006 04:06:44 +0000 http://www.globalbydesign.com/2006/08/28/scaling-a-great-wall-top-5-tips-for-learning-chinese/#comment-169 Nihao Saul, I'm glad that we share the same view in the 5 points you outlined contrary to most people's perceptions that Chinese is 'the most difficult' language to learn. Fullstop. As a 1st generation Australian Chinese with a strong sense of Chinese heritage instilled, (with my mother being a Chinese language cultural ars teacher plus my father being a Chinese calligrapher), I feel dismayed that we have a lot of people wanting to learn but most leaving because of this misconception or irrelevant teaching styles. Your article has cleared the mist and supports my mission now to help anyone, anywhere Start Speaking Chinese in 58 Minutes with No Pen, No Paper. To Everyone's Chinese learning success! Alex Start Speaking Chinese With Your Eyes Closed at: www.ChinaSpeak.com.au Nihao Saul,

I’m glad that we share the same view in the 5 points you outlined contrary to most people’s perceptions that Chinese is ‘the most difficult’ language to learn. Fullstop.

As a 1st generation Australian Chinese with a strong sense of Chinese heritage instilled, (with my mother being a Chinese language cultural ars teacher plus my father being a Chinese calligrapher), I feel dismayed that we have a lot of people wanting to learn but most leaving because of this misconception or irrelevant teaching styles.

Your article has cleared the mist and supports my mission now to help anyone, anywhere Start Speaking Chinese in 58 Minutes with No Pen, No Paper.

To Everyone’s Chinese learning success!

Alex
Start Speaking Chinese With Your Eyes Closed at:
http://www.ChinaSpeak.com.au

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