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Title: Beginner's Chinese by Yong Ho ISBN: 0-7818-0566-X Publisher: Hippocrene Books Pub. Date: January, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.57 (23 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: The best book to start learning Chinese with
Comment: As a high school interested in learning Chinese, I tried a variety of books to begin learning with. After buying three different instructional Chinese books (most which advocated learning Chinese in small, quick increments) I noticed that they did not focus at all on the grammar of the Chinese language, they simply taught common tourist phrases. This is not the case with Young Ho's "Beginner Chinese" book. This book focuses on forming sentences in Chinese from the get-go, and includes many explanations as to why things are done in Chinese. The book also includes a plethora of exercises to pracitce with, as well as an answer key for all them. Combine that with a glossary, and the reader is set to learn Chinese in no time. The only complaint I have is that the book doesn't really discuss the pronunciations of the Pinyin system; this however is a minor detail. Once again, I strongly recommend this book to be the starting block for all who are interested in actually learning Chinese, and not simply tourist phrases.
Rating: 5
Summary: Great! Fantastic!! Learning Course!!! Lives Up to Promise!
Comment: The book promises the following (and definitely lives up to it): "This book has been written for the adult learner who has no background in Chinese, and for travelers who want to take a quick course on Chinese. . . By the time the student finished this book, they will have learned about 90 basic sentence patterns, 300 characters, basic grammar, and basic communicative skills." Even with minimal practice and application this still proves true.
Yong Ho is an excellent author. This is the best introductory Chinese course, I've come across thus far. His logic in the introduction is correct. Language should be heard and spoken first before it is ever read. Does anyone ever stop to think about the children of this world? We would all be lost if we had to read a language first. How does one read without exposure sound process or vocabulary (audio)?
Fall of 2002, I took a course at the local community college and this book was recommended. I still thank my teacher for her insight in selecting this book. I've always been turned off by language courses, particularly in academia, that were geared more to structured academics as opposed to the beauty of learning a language (the oral/conversational aspects). I've seen people take intensive language courses and even get degrees but still couldn't get past basic introdcutory conversation. Another aspect of learning a language is learning the culture of the people so you can understand the how and why of thought/speech patterns. This book does this at the end of each chapter with the wonderful cultural insights under "Language Point." There is definitely plenty of repetition which is essential for any type of learning. The only criticism is that the characters are in the simplified format,used mostly on mainland. I will now move on to the Pimsleur series, another highly recommended course, I've seen the results for myself. However, I'm forever grateful to Yong Ho for his delightful book.
Rating: 5
Summary: Guide through confusion
Comment: The feature I liked the most about this book was that it explained the confusing sentance patterns and word order with great clarity, making my understanding of why the Chinese say the things the way they do very strong. The vocabulary was very substantial and useful, and many cultural notes provide the very essentials to Chinese culture in-depth, things which all students should know. This is one of the best self-study textbooks out there, and with this you'll be fortified with a good conversational knowledge.
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Title: Reading and Writing Chinese: A Guide to the Chinese Writing System by William McNaughton, Li Ying ISBN: 0804832064 Publisher: Charles E Tuttle Co Pub. Date: September, 1999 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Chinese in 10 Minutes a Day by Kristine K. Kershul ISBN: 0944502105 Publisher: Bilingual Books Pub. Date: January, 2002 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: Concise English-Chinese Chinese-English Dictionary by Martin H. Manser, Oxford ISBN: 0195911512 Publisher: Oxford Press Pub. Date: July, 1999 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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Title: Learn to Write Chinese Characters (Yale Language Series) by Johan Bjorksten ISBN: 0300057717 Publisher: Yale Univ Pr Pub. Date: October, 1994 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: The Starter Oxford Chinese Dictionary by Boping Yuan, Sally Church ISBN: 0198602588 Publisher: Oxford Press Pub. Date: 15 December, 2000 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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