Shanghai China Snippets Observations about living in Shanghai and China in general

July 17, 2006

Learn Chinese Sites

Filed under: Chinese Language,Chinese Multi Media — Shanghai @ 7:35 am

Linese.com is China’s attempt at the online learning experience. Launched a couple of days ago it’s time for a review.

Linese.com Review

Well that’s what I thought before, but I learned from a comment on the Peking Duck that it’s actually a private backed venture so I am not going to waste much time on it. It would have been much more fun if it would have been a government sponsored site though.

Basically the site is bad, navigation doesn’t work, links are dead, registration module ends up nowhere (today it does again) and Chinglish is the choice of language. There may be useful content but my attention span is about 3 seconds so it doesn’t work for me.

Maybe I am too harsh but the fact that they send out press releases while the site is not up to par is definite a no no. Check it out for yourself here

So where can you go in case you want to master Chinese.

Good sources for learning Chinese

I suggest, but it’s up to you of course, to read my review of Chinesepod and Serge’s Melnyck Learn Chinese podcasts. If you like to read annotated articles from the China daily you may like to try out NewsinChinese. Another option is to check out a whole bunch of learn chinese websites. In case you only want to translate some words try Chinese dictionaries which has listed the best ones available.

July 13, 2006

Learning Chinese Got Easier but HOW?

Filed under: Chinese Language — Shanghai @ 5:16 am

Who doesn’t want to learn [tag]Chinese[/tag] these days. I do, well, actually I still do despite that my level is still below sea level after a couple of years here.

[tag]China[/tag] launched a website a couple of days ago, called Linese, that aims to help learners of the [tag]Chinese language[/tag] in the whole wide world.

I intend to write a full review of this brilliant [tag]learning tool[/tag] as well as point you to sources that actually make sense if you are serious about [tag]learning Chinese[/tag]. This weekend it will be published.

As a teaser I’ll show you their presentation of an [tag]interactive lesson[/tag].
Linese learn chinese website

I almost canceled my big plan to write this planned review as the [tag]People’s Daily[/tag] made my hopes go up. Would it be really possible to be lazy and still learn chinese. And how exactly?

learn chinese the easy way

Sources: People’s Daily, Linese

June 6, 2006

Mandarin Chinese Podcasts Serge Melnyk Review

Filed under: Chinese Language — Shanghai @ 12:23 am

Previously I reviewed the website of Chinesepod which offers some great podcasts and tools to learn [tag]Chinese[/tag]. In my quest to find more sources for learning Chinese (more fun than actually learning it myself:) I recently found a new site that uses the podcast format for Mandarin learners.
Learn Chinese Audio

The Chinese podcasts of Serge Melnyk are a nice addition. Weekly new free Chinese lessons are posted and they seem to be aimed at the beginner. You have to pay to get the transcripts and worksheets.

Mandarin Chinese Podcasts with Serge Melnyk

February 27, 2006

Language Confusion

Filed under: Chinese Language — Shanghai @ 12:19 am

W. told me this amusing story yesterday about the babylonian effect that can occur between Chinese from the South and the North. Remember.

A Chinese guy from the south of China travels to the upper North of China for some business. Once arrived in the cold Northern town he feels hungry. Just opposite of the bus station where he was dropped off he sees a small dumpling restaurant. He gets in, takes a seat and right away the waitress is at this table asking him what he likes to eat.

Here the confusion starts. It’s all about tones, using the right tones in Chinese.

jiǎozi

Purchase Fake Chanel Shoes In Ireland
Buy Cheap Fake Chanel Online
Purchase Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Handbags In Canada
Cheap Designer Replica Chanel Shoes Online
Buy Discounted Chanel Online
Purchase Cheap Designer Replica Chanel Handbags Online
Purchase Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Handbags In Usa
Buy Cheap Designer Replica Chanel Bags Online In Canada
Designer Replica Chanel Online In Ireland
Purchase Chanel Shoes Online In Usa
Chanel Handbags Online
Buy Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Bags In Uk
Cheap Designer Replica Chanel Handbags Online In Usa
Buy Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Online In Uk
Designer Replica Chanel Shoes In Canada
Buy Chanel
Buy Fake Chanel Online In Australia
Cheap Designer Replica Chanel Bags In Canada
Buy Discounted Replica Chanel Handbags Online In Usa
Buy Cheap Replica Chanel Shoes Online In Usa
Buy Discounted Fake Chanel Shoes Online In Canada
Purchase Replica Chanel Shoes In Uk
Discounted Fake Chanel Handbags Online In Usa
Purchase Discounted Replica Chanel Handbags Online In Canada
Buy Chanel Bags Online In Usa
Buy Designer Replica Chanel In Ireland
Buy Cheap Fake Chanel Bags In Canada
Buy Cheap Fake Chanel Shoes Online In Canada
Cheap Chanel Bags
Purchase Cheap Chanel Shoes Online In Canada
Purchase Cheap Chanel Bags Online In Australia
Replica Chanel Bags In Usa
Buy Discounted Chanel Handbags Online In Ireland
Buy Chanel Shoes Online
Purchase Designer Replica Chanel Handbags In Australia
Cheap Fake Chanel Handbags
Fake Chanel Bags In Uk
Purchase Cheap Chanel Bags In Canada
Purchase Cheap Designer Replica Chanel In Uk
Purchase Cheap Replica Chanel Bags
Cheap Replica Chanel Shoes Online In Uk
Cheap Replica Chanel In Australia
Discounted Designer Replica Chanel In Australia
Purchase Discounted Replica Chanel Bags Online In Australia
Buy Fake Chanel Bags Online In Canada
Purchase Cheap Replica Chanel Handbags Online In Canada
Replica Chanel In Usa
Discounted Replica Chanel Bags In Australia
Cheap Chanel Handbags In Canada
Buy Cheap Chanel Shoes Online In Australia
Purchase Cheap Fake Chanel Bags Online In Ireland
Designer Replica Chanel In Uk
Purchase Replica Chanel Shoes Online In Canada
Designer Replica Chanel Bags
Cheap Fake Chanel Bags Online In Australia
Purchase Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Handbags Online In Canada
Cheap Fake Chanel In Usa
Buy Discounted Fake Chanel In Uk
Purchase Discounted Fake Chanel Shoes In Australia
Buy Cheap Replica Chanel Handbags Online
Discounted Replica Chanel Handbags Online In Uk
Purchase Replica Chanel Handbags
Buy Cheap Chanel In Australia
Cheap Replica Chanel Bags
Buy Cheap Fake Chanel In Usa
Discounted Fake Chanel Handbags In Usa
Purchase Fake Chanel Handbags Online
Buy Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Online In Usa
Purchase Discounted Replica Chanel Online In Australia
Purchase Cheap Replica Chanel
Purchase Fake Chanel Online In Ireland
Purchase Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Handbags In Ireland
Purchase Discounted Designer Replica Chanel In Canada
Discounted Chanel Bags Online In Canada
Buy Chanel Bags Online In Uk
Cheap Fake Chanel Bags In Uk
Discounted Chanel Handbags Online In Ireland
Purchase Cheap Replica Chanel Online In Usa
Discounted Replica Chanel Handbags
Discounted Replica Chanel Handbags In Australia
Purchase Cheap Fake Chanel Handbags In Ireland
Purchase Fake Chanel Bags In Australia
Buy Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Handbags Online In Usa
Purchase Discounted Fake Chanel Bags In Uk
Purchase Chanel Handbags Online In Canada
Purchase Discounted Chanel In Ireland
Discounted Replica Chanel Handbags Online In Canada
Replica Chanel Shoes Online In Uk
Buy Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Shoes
Cheap Fake Chanel Handbags In Australia
Buy Cheap Replica Chanel In Australia
Purchase Cheap Chanel Bags Online In Uk
Purchase Cheap Replica Chanel Shoes In Uk
Buy Replica Chanel Shoes Online In Canada
Buy Cheap Fake Chanel Handbags Online In Australia
Purchase Cheap Chanel Online In Usa
Purchase Cheap Replica Chanel Online In Ireland
Cheap Replica Chanel Handbags In Canada
Purchase Cheap Replica Chanel Shoes
Purchase Discounted Designer Replica Chanel Online In Canada
Purchase Cheap Fake Chanel Shoes In Usa

November 11, 2005

Learn Chinese | Chinesepod Review Update

Filed under: Chinese Language — Shanghai @ 12:27 am

Just updated my review on the [tag]Chinesepod podcast[/tag]. It’s a great tool to [tag]learn Chinese[/tag] but the premium features need a lot more work before I am willing to pay for them.

October 11, 2005

Learn Chinese Podcast | Teach Yourself

Filed under: Chinese Language — Shanghai @ 5:02 am

I contemplated some time ago to start a “[tag]Learn Chinese[/tag]” podcast. Basically as this would force me to actually study harder myself.

Well, my idea never materialized, at least not by me. Too busy doing unimportant things I guess:)

Yesterday I visited Chinesepod and these guys, actually a woman and a man to be exact, have done a great job. Already 17 many podcasts available so whoever wants to jump in the Learn Chinese hype, this is the moment.

I am very curious how they will evolve as after the basics it will get harder to create good intermediary casts. They are on their way though.

I downloaded all 17 lessons and if you see a laowai with a headphone walking in [tag]Shanghai[/tag] shouting out [tag]Chinese[/tag] words to nobody in particular it might be me.

You can find the podcasts here

Update:

I signed up for a free account to check out their premium features. As mentioned before the podcasts themselves are nice. I have listened to 20 of them by now and I really like the format of short, focused lessons. Compared to the [tag]Pimsleur[/tag] learn Chinese tapes, especially the fact that each lesson is only about 10 minutes is very useful.

The premium features are a bit disappointing though. Besides being able to download all the previous lessons there is something called “The learning centre”.

It consists of a word bank and a glossary. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. The glossary can be used to search for a word after which you can add it to your own word bank. This step you have to repeat for each addition. First the glossary, then add, you see your word bank and you have to click the glossary again to add more words. Too many clicks involved and too slow.

I actually expected a lot more of the premium features, also more innovative tools to learn Chinese. Hopefully they will be added later on but right now it is too thin to convince me to pay for it.

Update 2

Chinesepod reacted and I had yet another look at their website. Suddenly I noticed that each Blog/podcast post has two links on top of it where premium members can get access to the transcript of the lesson as well as some related exercises.

Even more, while I was adding one word at a time in the word bank I just now found out I can go the specific blog post, click transcript and then at the bottom add all the words of the lesson to the word bank. I guess it’s a matter of having a clearer user interface, adding this features to the Learning Center and the whole thing is a lot easier to handle.

I have to adjust a bit my opinion though. The overlooked features are not bad at all, especially for beginners. I would suggest getting a free account, try whether the premium features are useful for you and after that decide about payment.

Start with a one month subscription though, I would suggest. During that month, keep track how much time you are actually spending on learning Chinese. You wouldn’t be the first one starting enthusiastically and loosing interest after a while.

Chinesepod told me they are working on a new version of the website so once it’s there I’ll review it again.

Hopefully the [tag]Learning[/tag] Center will be extended with some new innovative tools.

March 17, 2005

Chinese Swear Words

Filed under: Chinese Language — Shanghai @ 4:16 pm

“Hey watch out, stupid melon” is something I always wanted to shout to [tag]Chinese drivers[/tag], cyclists and other traffic participants. It just
sounds weird though, saying it in English. Plus of course that they
won’t understand anyway. Just found a nice site that can help anyone integrate better in [tag]China[/tag] by learning some [tag]Chinese swear words[/tag]. Don’t believe me… Qin wode pigu!

Powered by WordPress