Chinese is quite an interesting language to master with its diversity and straightforward way of delivering its meaning. It is spoken by mostly millions of people worldwide. So, what do you really know about this fascinating language?
If you desire to study Chinese, you need to know some basic facts about it. And in this article, the basic facts of the Chinese language will be discussed. Hence, know more about it because this can aid to promote your learning this language more successfully.
The First Fact
Chinese is considered as an isolating language. What does this mean? It means that it breaks down the words into simpler and smaller ones unlike in English which contains several prefixes as well as suffixes. Additionally, its grammar and structure is more straightforward when compared to English.
Also, many individuals believe that it is a monosyllabic language. This may have something to do on how it is written and every Chinese character conforms to a single sound. But Chinese is actually disyllabic since it groups two sounds to form a word.
The Second Fact
Another basic fact is that it is a tonal language. While in speaking English, through the tone of your voice you can determine if it is a question, command or statement. Whereas in Chinese, the way you pronounce the word gives it its meaning. For this reason, it is really vital to know the four tones of this language.
You may think that this makes it difficult to learn Chinese. However, it can come more naturally once you get to master it. Thus, it is advisable to practice speaking it often especially with a Chinese individual so that if you mispronounce a word you can be corrected. You can also watch movies and listen to audio in Chinese to grasp how native speakers properly pronounce the word.
Bridging the Gap
Chinese is consists of several dialects. And the most common one is Mandarin since most Chinese people use it. So, it is the best way to bridge the gap among the diverse community of the Chinese people.
For you to learn this language effectively, it is pretty essential to start with the basics first. With it, you can gain more understanding on what you are studying. And it will open your mind to discover new things along the process. Continue your search to learn Chinese and you may just find out that it is an easy language to master.
Eithan Dickerman learned Chinese in Tel Aviv University where he was able to hone his skills in Mandarin Chinese. He specializes in techniques on how to learn Chinese and has been writing a lot of articles in the field. You can download his e-book guide "Learning Chinese" for free here: http://www.bestlearningchinese.com/article