Method of Study

[iMeng@Meng]

Now this thread might sound oh so familiar, but let me tell you guys that I am not a beginner speaker.

 

Ok, so yeah, I am an intermediate speaker of mandarin chinese and I can read a  WHOLE lot of hanzi, but I noticed while studying hanzi, my speech rate has been going down so I decided to do this.

 

Learn the most 2500 commonly used hanzi (pinyin only) So i can recognize and read them 

Learn hsk vocab using only pinyin (To boost speed) (I do have that resource)

 

Now I figure even though it might start slow,it will pick up later. What are your thoughts. (Because I do want to read, but speaking is more important to me)

[Wang7]

iMeng@Meng;

 

sounds like your plan is bullet proof, but wouldn't it be easier to get a language exchange partner?

[abhoriel]

I spent ages thinking about learning hanzi and then deciding to learn words, and then deciding to learn hanzi to learn the words.. I ended up knowing thousands of hanzi and words and being able to say almost nothing. I could read/write almost nothing too.

 

There's much more to learning Chinese than just the words and the hanzi. If you want to learn to do something, you have to practise doing it. If you want to learn to speak Chinese, speak Chinese

 

I would recommend reading something at your level. That way you really learn the definition of words and hanzi and how they work in their respective patterns

[Shelley]

I found myself knowing lots of words, characters and some grammar but being unable to speak in anything but short stubby sentences.

I dispared of making progress, then i discovered TPRS. See here http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/46693-any-experience-with-tprs/

 

This may seem too easy for you to start with but the same method can be used at different levels from what I understand.

 

I have tried it and really like it. It concentrates on speaking.

Go have a look at the little video.

[Eszter]

I think if you focus your learning on hanzi, it will make it very difficult to improve your speaking skills. I would recommend separating the efforts for the written and the spoken language. For speaking, you'll need tons of listening and of course you need to practice speaking too. Knowing independent characters is of course important, but being able to put them together in an appropriate form is a different skill. I agree with Shelley about trying TPRS, since it's so strongly focusing on comprehensible input and speaking. But any other way could be useful, as long as it helps you with this specific goal.

[imron]

Chinese is made up of words.  Focusing on individual characters will not help your speech.

 

If you want to learn to do something, you have to practise doing it. If you want to learn to speak Chinese, speak Chinese

I agree with this.  Improving your vocabulary through learning words and characters will provide some gains, but you'll get far larger gains practising speaking.

[Johnny20270]

I agree with this.  Improving your vocabulary through learning words and characters will provide some gains, but you'll get far larger gainspractising speaking.

 

 

This really is true. I have much more gains making silly conversation than reading books. Don't get me wrong. They go-hand in hand and synergy is noticeably strong. My new language partner is a retired lady who wants to go to Europe on a shopping and can barely speak English. She just wants someone to bounce her English sentences from: like "Do you have this is a larger size"? etc

 

Even though its a typical polite conversation that one usually has to an older person, my brain is racing to put together short basic sentences. I realized I was leaving out things like 吗 and 了 a lot, saying things in monotone and not keeping words together, i.e. saying everything like a set of individual characters

 

Just on the use of language partners .... I do think a language teacher is invaluable even to make conversation. They (well a good one anyway) drill you in speech patterns which in vital, especially when you have to use the 把 sentences a lot. I seem to always try say things and avoid use 把

[JustinJJ]

Just on the use of language partners .... I do think a language teacher is invaluable even to make conversation. 

 

 

Or find friends who speak English at a lower level than your Chinese. That means avoiding those with a tertiary education who spent years memorising lists for exams (or you will be a free English teacher) and hanging out with 服务员 until your speaking improves to the point where you are more fluent than others learning English.

[Johnny20270]

Or find friends who speak English at a lower level than your Chinese. That means avoiding those with a tertiary education who spent years memorising lists for exams (or you will be a free English teacher) and hanging out with 服务员 until your speaking improves to the point where you are more fluent than others learning English.

 

 

 

Yeah, my whole wechat is populated with people who have upper intermediate English. I will have to do a clean sweep of it as my day is becoming filled more and more with passing English conversations from Chinese girls who want to whinge about the job/boyfriends/life. Its getting tedious to be honest and wasting my time  Didn't come to China for this.

 

Actually I'll make a separate post on how to find a language partner! Sorry I'm monopolizing the op thread!