Hitting the "Chinese wall"...need encouragement

[nath]

Hi all,

 

I've lived in China for nearly 4 years, and have been studying Chinese for nearly all of that time. I've come far..from not being able to say "nihao" when I arrived to pretty much passing HSK 5 (well, not passing, but failing by 2 points).

 

Anyway, since I began working for my current employer (let's just say a big broadcaster on the mainland), my urge to learn Chinese has waned. My collegues speak English to me, and will only speak Chinese to me when I push them. Then they still revert to English anyway.

 

I've also bumped into a number of VERY critical Chinese people recently...criticising my tones (not THAT bad according to my teacher and fiance, but could improve). This has hurt my confidence, as I'm understood by 90% of people I meet. I've so selfconscious now though that my tones are almost bound to be incorrect when I speak because I'm so nervous.

 

My teacher (a good guy, experienced and enjoys teaching) has had a rough patch in his life, and is divorcing his wife. I don't know what to ask him to teach me anymore, as I don't know what to do with my Chinese. He also doesn't know what to teach me, and the books I've seen recently are so dry and unuseful.

 

Not to mention my fiance is studying for her IELTS...so I think it's best we use English so that she can practice ahead of returning back to my country later this year.

 

I guess I just need some encouragment. Anyone else been in a similar boat?

[yueni]

Take a break from the focused studying and find something in Chinese that you enjoy and want to have fun with. For example, read about a topic you're interested in in Chinese. Learn a new skill or hobby in Chinese. Find an interesting book and/or author and read things in Chinese. Watch a Chinese TV show. Listen to a Chinese band and learn their lyrics.

 

From what you're saying, you're basically at an advanced enough level that you can handle actual content with your language skills. So, stop focusing on the language itself. As you explore the new book/hobby/skill in Chinese, you will naturally learn new sentence structures and new words that are directly related to whatever it is you've decided to learn.

 

For instance, if you decide to learn photography, you'll naturally pick up information about aperture, exposure, and so on in Chinese. And you can probably find forums with people discussing photography, and you can start taking part in their discussions and using your Chinese to interact with them.

[H.Beno]

Good Morning,

 

GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!!!! :clap 

 

There is Hundreds of foreigners in the mainland who are not understood at all! I think you reached a very interesting level you don't need to give up anymore, because you are chinese foreign speakers now. We have to accept that mistakes are and will remain part of the chinese speaking, even chinese do a lot of tones mistakes but no one really cares.

 

I agree completely with Yueni, do find some interesting chinese materials and start living the chinese mindset life. That way all the people around you will focus more on exchangind ideas with you, give inputs and that way you will improve.

 

Being nervous is killer number one I am from Morocco, where my first language is Arabic, second French and I as you can see today I speak english and chinese. How I could achieve that, just by not caring about mistakes.

 

加油 !!

[renzhe]

I've also bumped into a number of VERY critical Chinese people recently...criticising my tones

Look at it this way: the fact that they are criticising your tones means that they take your Chinese skills seriously.

In the beginning, everybody gets told that their Chinese is awesome and amazing. Congratulate yourself -- you are out of that stage.

[Bigdumogre]

Great advise already in here. Also maybe join a club and talk to people that way. Maybe go back in your studies and make sure you get the tones down

[roddy]

Also, don't discard that info - our teachers and loved ones can often be gentle on us, and are more used to us. Maybe spend some time with your tutor asking not 'is this good enough', but 'how could this be better' and see if there's something to be done there. The fact you say they're not THAT bad, and that 90% of people understand you (1 in 10 interactions fail somehow? Not great) make me think there is. 

[Lu]

I've also bumped into a number of VERY critical Chinese people recently...criticising my tones

This means your Chinese is decent. Anyone can get compliments on their amazing Chinese with a 你好. It's when they stop complimenting you and start criticizing that you know you're on the right track. Cherish those people (and ask for specifics: how are your tones wrong and how can you improve them? Anything else that can be improved about your Chinese?)

[eion_padraig]

Then after they've pointed out your mistakes, start criticizing those people every time they switch "he" with "she" and every time their subject-verb agreement is off. Laugh at them with their emphasis is off in a word with multi-syllables and you have to guess the word from context. Let he who is without language mistakes cast the first stone.

 

Yueni's advice about hobbies and taking a break is a great idea too. (It's more productive than my suggestion for sure)

[Tianjin42]

Hi Nath,

 

First of all – don’t panic, that motivation comes in waves and given the timescale you have been learning, phases of this nature are not abnormal. As has already been stated, welcome criticism – I know a good many learners who seek teachers that will correct their tones. 

 

Regarding the general malaise, it’s difficult to say but it might be time for a break. No matter how much work I do, if I am in a place where I don’t want it, then the efficiency is so low that I resent it and then will start on a downward spiral. Do remember how far you have come and try to learn to enjoy learning again. To communicate in Mandarin is a wonderful skill.

 

A period of time with no pressure and no need to study can be beneficial. That could be a few days, or longer if required. The key is that you come back refreshed and willing. You’ve got to want it otherwise you won’t get far.

 

When you go outside of a Chinese environment and speak Chinese again (for example with a Chinese speaker when in your home country) you will realise what progress you have made and that in itself will spur you on further. For now, don’t do too much damage by pushing yourself when you shouldn’t be. Be disciplined but be realistic and play long-term. 

[TheWind]

You almost passed HSK 5. You're doing better than most of the people on this website. 

 

In concerns to your teacher, I would suggest find a new one. From what I understand he/she has taught you everything thing they could. A new teacher could teach you new things though be it a new relationship

 

Best!

[nath]

Thanks for all the comments so far..I wasn't expecting so much feedback, so thank you for taking the time to respond. I really like the hobby idea, and I'm quite at home using Chinese sites (v recent slang aside). I think that's the key- learn stuff you WILL use over and again, and that interests you. A while back I spent a lot of time learning legal terms...but this just went. I just never had a chance to talk about people going to court in detail.

 

I guess what's got me is my colleagues at work. They are all English graduates who've spent years using the language in a work environment...I just can't compete with my (mostly) part-time 4 years of study. Listening wise I understand 90% of what they say, but as soon as I'm in the convo they switch to English. This is just a habit I suppose, as nearly all the foreigners in my office can't speak Chinese, but it still makes me think 'what's the point'. I posted on here a while ago about my nerves when speaking to a Chinese person whose English I perceive to be better than my Chinese. I don't think I've truly got over this. 

 

I've got my wedding to my Chinese fiance coming up where I'm determined to give a speech in Mandarin. Perhaps this is where I draw my inspiration from...

[renzhe]

That is the curse of intermediate and advanced learners in all languages. Communication will tend towards the language which makes it easier, and the ensuing language battles are legendary. It annoys me too, but it is a fact of life.

The good news is that it will stop once your Chinese is truly great.

The bad news is that it is very hard for Chinese to get to this level.

In the meantime, surround yourself with regular language partners and keep working on it.

[ZhangKaiRong]

Keep working on your Chinese, you seem to be on a good level already!

 

Another thing you can consider: I know that your gf is preparing for her IELTS exam, but you can talk to her about your determination, and you can stick to a schedule like speaking a day only in Chinese and on the other day in English. My gf is also Chinese, and although we speak Chinese between us, she would like to learn my native language as well (she learned it before in classroom environment as well, but never really used it for professional purposes, as everybody talks to her in English), so we started to apply this routine, and she is getting better and better every day in terms of speaking. It can work on the other way around, I'm sure.

[Flickserve]

Firstly, the HSK is not a be all and end all. I have no intention of taking it myself

Secondly, even Chinese mainland people's tones and pronunciation can improve!

Since you have stagnated a bit, the hobby suggestion is a great idea. My hobby is badminton. I decided to have a coach and he spoke no English. Asides from learning the proper techniques, I learnt the Chinese terms for sports related stuff because he spoke no English.

Work should also be a great learning experience depending on your seniority. The lower the rank you are, the more Chinese you have to speak.

**edit**

... got my wedding to my Chinese fiance coming up where I'm determined to give a speech in Mandarin. Perhaps this is where I draw my inspiration from...

You can learn vocabulary from the wedding arrangements!

Just how good are your tones, grammar, speed of speech and intonation? If those others are off, people just go into auto speak English