Product Description
Designed to meet the bilingual needs of the traveling businessperson, tourist, and student. The language lessons cover many common situations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Good Introduction to Chinese
There is an audio tape that goes with this book. It is sold separately and you should get it to help you with pronounciation.

Chinese text is written in pinyin and simplified Chinese characters, with appropriate text in English.

You are also guided through the basic grammar.

If you can't find the recording for this book, then you may be better off getting Colloquial Chinese (the new version is easier, the older version is harder, but more thorough).

This is a very basic book and you can go through it relatively fast, without getting stuck along the way. Highy recommended for beginners.

Some other program to help you with pronounciation of Chinese are Pimsleur's programs and to help you write Chinese characters - Easy Chinese Tutor CD.

Good Introduction to Chinese
There is an audio tape that goes with this book.It is sold separately and you should get it to help you with pronounciation.

This is a very basic book and you can go through it relatively fast, without getting stuck along the way.

Highy recommended for beginners.

Some other program to help you with pronounciation of Chinese are Pimsleur's programs and to help you write Chinese characters - Easy Chinese Tutor CD.

Good Grammar, No Pronunciation
For the complete novice, this is an understandable approach to Chinese grammar, but the lack of a pronunciation guide (which would take only a couple of pages, as in "Chinese in 10 Minutes a Day") is a serious lack - maybe the audio tape would remedy this.There is a good discussion of pronouncing the tones, but nothing about how to pronounce the consonants and vowels.For this reason, it's not a stand-alone guide; except for this (and I think it's a big "except"), it seems thorough and comprehensible.

Structure and background, a great intro
The material is on practical daily life but despite the blurbs it is not a phrasebook; it is organized into ten lessons but it seems to have about a first semester's worth of material.The book's strength is that the author explains grammar and structure (and even 'Worfian' aspects of the mindset of Chinese speakers!) along the way to depths you wouldn't expect to find in a beginner's book.The author is a linguist and the reader gets the benefit.This is a great, authoritative (but accessible) linguistic and cultural introduction for those new to and curious about Chinese.

Not good enough without a teacher
This book wont help you to learn speak chinese at all if you dont have a teacher who can tell you how to pronounce the words. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Beyond Beautiful
This is one of those rare books that is not only interesting and beautiful to look at, but it's binding makes it beautiful to hold as well. A real treasure.

History of Chinese Characters
This is simply a beautiful book. It is beautifully written and beautifully produced. I shows great insight into the history of Chinese characters and their connection with the history and culture of China. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in China. ... Read more

Product Description
Cutting-edge in its approach and international in its authorship, this fourth monograph in a series sponsored by the Chinese Language Teachers Association features eight research studies that explore a variety of themes, topics, and perspectives important to a variety of stakeholders in the Chinese language learning community. Employing a wide range of research methodologies, the volume provides data from actual Chinese language learners and will be of value to both theoreticians and practitioners alike. [in English & Chinese] ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Review of service
The book was delivered timely and in good condition.

J

Great product
This is our third Language 30 CD.Easy to use and understand.
Prompt shipping.All around great. ... Read more

Product Description
Studying Chinese law from a linguistic and communicative perspective, this book examines meaning and language in Chinese law. It investigates key notions and concepts of law, the rule of law and rights and their evolutionary meanings, examines the linguistic usage and textual features and more. Cao from Griffith University, Qld. ... Read more

Product Description
This linguistic analysis of the Chinese language suggests the ancient Chinese were well aware of the God of Abraham. Readers will discover the possibility that the Chinese were a remnant of the Tower of Babel dispersion. The authors start with the observance of some astonishing points of correspondence between certain characters in the Chinese language and elements of the Genesis account of man's early beginnings. They go on to analyze dozens of the ideographic pictures that make up words in the Chinese language. The evidence they compile supports the thesis that the ancient picture writing of the Chinese language embodies memories of man's earliest days. The characters when broken down into component parts, reflect elements of the story of God and man recorded in the early chapters of Genesis. Man and woman, the garden, the institution of marriage, the temptaton and fall, death, Noah's flood, the tower of Babel - they are all there in the tiny drawings and strokes that make up the Chinese characters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Fascinating look into the origin of Chinese characters!
Fascinating look into the origin of Chinese characters! It is an eye opening book that provides possible bridges for conversations with Chinese to the Biblical worldview.Intriguing!My favorite character is "Yi" which means righteousness composed of a "lamb" and "self" or "person" under the lamb.

Total Nonsense
The "etymologies" of Chinese characters proposed in this book to "prove" a connection between the creation story in Genesis and the initial creation of Chinese writing are for the most part totally false.The authors clearly know very little about the origin and etymology of Chinese characters.The content in this book pertaining to the etymologies of Chinese characters is totally worthless.

I highly recomend this book.
This book gives great insight into the Chinese language and how the characters tell the story about God. Great evidence to show they once believed in the One, True God.

Outstanding
This book is very revealing and even though it was written over 30 years ago the information is relavent today. It is very thought provoking for the skeptic and confirming for those who believe.Take the time to check it out and you will be amazed

Tao of Chinese & English !
It was a fun book to read upon the authors endeavor in rendering the reflection in a list of Chinese characters with Genesis and related chapters in Hebrew Bible.

They picked a fewChinese characterlike `forbidden' composed of a forest and a notice - God's warning in Eden; boat, a floating vessel with eight mouths - in Noah's Ark.All in the lists is a beautiful allegation through the rosy lens of Chinese cultural background Christians who have the agenda to sell and convert.It reminded another Chinese Christian Yuan Zhiming, who, having been baptized, researched vigorously in Chinese Classics.In his book, Bible vs Lao Tzu (in Chinese), he claimed the holy man in Tao Te Ching referred to Jesus, the carpenter and heavenly king.

It is interesting to find Tao of Yin and Yang in Christian Bible with a few quotes:
1. Sermon on the Mount (Mark 5:3-12)
2. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant (Matthew 20:27)
3. He that loveth his life shall lost it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal (John 12:25)
4. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools (Roman 1:22)
5. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good (Roman 12:21)
6. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.There is natural body, and there is a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:44)
7. For if we have been planted together in the LIKENESS of his DEATH, we shall be also in the LIKENESS of his RESURRECTION (Roman 6:5)

Similarly, the English language is operated by the Tao of Yin and Yang with a few examples below:
1. cult, true cult is culture
2. excessive sucks will lead to SUCCESS
3. to live upside down is EVIL
4. to still find lie in BE(LIE)F
5. words can turn into SWORD
6. aid can become RAID
7.cash, sin, no, warning: CASINO ( a sin & no no place)
7. FAMILY - code word for FATHER AND MOTHER I LOVE YOU (family composed of yin and yang)

How to spell relief, freedom, salvation and enlightenment, God, Jesus, Tao?

... Read more

Product Description
BERLITZ INTERMEDIATE MANDARIN CHINESE

Advance your Mandarin Chinese today!


The perfect follow-up course to Basic Mandarin Chinese, Berlitz Intermediate Mandarin Chinese helps language-learners take their language skills to the next level and get comfortable in conversational situations. Featuring everyday language presented in the context of high-interest topics, Intermediate Mandarin Chinese consists of six easy-to follow units on three audio CDs and includes a full-color course book. Includes a free downloadable audio script and a free Berlitz lesson discount coupon good at any participating Berlitz language center, worldwide.


What Do I Get?

*Course book

**Variety of language-building activities

**Culture and language tips

**Pronunciation activities

**Easy-to-understand grammar explanations

**Review exercises

**Cumulative tests

*3 Audio CDs with native speakers


What Makes It So Effective?

*Listen to native speakers and engaging, real life conversations

*Gain international language skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking with ease and confidence

*Short effective lessons so you ll never feel overwhelmed

*Compatible with your iPod® or MP3 devices
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not much help
This purchase turned out to be a big disappointment.First of all, if you have some background in Chinese, you would be familiar with their characters by now.But no, the book is 90% written in pinyin.If you are not that good, then this tape is useless.It goes way too fast.And there is no explanationas to what the people are saying.So it's like dead memory.I do not recommend this producet at all. ... Read more

Product Description
Fourmont was the first scholar in France to deal with Chinese matters. He started his career in the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres as an Hebraist, but he left this discipline and turned to Chinese in 1711. At that time he met Arcadio Huang, a young French-speaking Chinese man in the Bibliotheque Nationale. Fourmont seized the opportunity to be introduced to Chinese. Huang taught him the pronunciation of the Chinese syllables, and quite particularly, he introduced him to the 214 radicals. Fourmont's first book on the Chinese language, the Meditationes Sinicae, came out in 1737. His second work, Linguae Sinarum Mandarinicae Hieroglyphae, in 1742. Both these works are analyzed in detail in the present monograph. The presentation of the Chinese language in these publications was based on the Latin Grammar.

One of the most fascinating points of Fourmont's studies was the way he dealt with the Chinese radicals. In the dictionaries, the Chinese characters are arranged according to a number of simple characters that enter obligatorily into more complex characters. In the course of the centuries the number of radicals varied from 60 to 600, but since 1615 it was settled at 214. This system of 214 radicals, which Fourmont saw in the dictionaries of the Bibliotheque Nationale, and which Huang taught him, was known to very few scholars in Europe. Fourmont's greatest feat was having 80,000 fine Chinese characters engraved in Paris for his many proposed dictionaries. He must have visited his engravers each day for many years to inspect and correct their work. The petits chinois, as these engravings were called, are still on display today at the Imprimerie Nationale in Paris. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Work of a Life Time Presented in a Cutting Edge Fashion
The age of Globalization may be in the 21st century but it certainly had its beginning in the 17th century, at the least, as far as the interaction between China and the West.Prof. Leung has synthesized a life time of interest and research into a clear and concise narrative that unveils the beginning of the interactions between the Empires of China and France.It all begin with a Frenchman willing to learn and a Chinese willing to teach.We (in our contemporary times) certainly have something to learn from their interactions.A fascinating book and a must read.

I certainly do hope the Leuven Press will print more of this volume since the going rate is now $157...

-A brash young Sinologist ... Read more

Product Description
Chinese for Children is an elementary textbook designed especially for pre-school age children abroad to learn Chinese. This set of books will enable children to acquire a basic knowledge of the Chinese language (pronunciation, a 340-character vocabulary and some basic sentence patterns), and thus prepare them for future study of the Chinese language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

We love both the books and tapes.
I teach Chinese. I have chosen these books as text books for my students after making research in text books for teaching Chinese abroad. My students are from different age groups. Some are young, others adults. They are mainly from American families. I love these text books. The tapes are a plus in helping students pronounce Chinese words correctly after each lesson. They are very necessary. My students enjoy my lessons and they don't feel so difficult in learning Chinese with the text books. I recommend these text books to anyone who wants to learn Chinese seriously but in a fun way.

We love these books
Wehave all 3 books plus the tapes, and we really like them. Book one mainly focusses on teaching the sounds of Chinese, plus the 4 basic tones, so there are not many Chinese characters, and it mainly uses Pinyin romanization. Book two introduces the Chinese chracters, but uses Pinyin for the reading selections. Book three switches to using Chinese characters for the readind exercises, and has more complicated sentences. The books are colourful, well illustrated, and feature sentences that our 3 children actually might want to say! The tapes are great since the female teacher says the sentences (giving me an adult woman to copy), and then her student repeats the sentences and words, giving our kids a "kid voice" to copy. We have other books and tapes, but these are far and above the rest in terms of our enjoyment!

It is ok
We like it however it was a bit too fast for us. A lot packed in one book. We are absolute beginners so Wendy Lin's books was a bit more realistic for us. It may be more helpful for those who already speak Chinese at home with their parents and their parents can help them. Otherwise it was a bit over our heads.
The books are in color. The tapes are all in Chinese except for some instructions. So you basically have to have the book in front of you to practice and learn.
I like the sentences and phrases. They are all relevant to most children. THe tone exercises are helpful to learn pinyin.
Basic listen and copy.
Somehow I have missplaced the first book and now need to purchase that one separately which I don't think you can.
Nice if they had a workbook or teacher's manual with it.

chinese for children 3 books and tapes
These books and tapes are well put together, the books are colourful and the text is well put together. My daughters have learned a great deal, and this item makes a valuable teaching tool. These books and tapes are great. ... Read more

Product Description

These innovative DVDs provide a lively study resource for beginning students of Chinese, using real-world communication and familiar situations. Based on Margaret Mian Yan and Jennifer Li-chia Liu's popular textbooks Interactions I and II: A Cognitive Approach to Beginning Chinese, the Chinese in Action DVDs can be used alongside the texts or as stand-alone study tools. Twenty live-action videos present dialogues on everyday themes and cross-cultural communication. The four central characters -- a mainland Chinese, a Taiwanese, a Chinese American, and a non-Chinese American -- will be familiar to students using Interactions. The flexibility of the DVD format makes it possible for the same materials to be used in the classroom or for individual study, with a DVD player or on a personal computer. Users can watch the videos without subtitles or with Chinese subtitles, moving easily from main menus to specific lessons. This classroom-tested approach makes learning Chinese an interactive, cognitive process.

2-DVD set

Product Description
This title is suitable for children of ages 2 to 12 years. It contains a book & aCD. It offers a 45-minute CD and 20-page colouring book that includes all lyrics and translations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Disorganized book, nice audio.
I got this hoping it'd help me improve my Mandarin since I only know Cantonese Chinese. It was a great disappointment.

The audio portion is lovely, but the book that accompanies it is poorly organized. It does not contain all the lyrics in Chinese characters, and you need to flip back and forth in the book to get the "additional lyrics" in pinyin. The English translations are in the back of the book, so you cannot cross-reference meanings easily either.

The pictures and vocabulary words in between each singing section are cute and useful, but I would not recommend this CD and book set to anyone wanting to learn Mandarin Chinese.

Teach Me Chinese (Paperback and Audio CD): A Musical Journey Through the Day
i am a native Mandarin speaker and have a BA in English. i've been a Mandarin instructor for adults and children for the past 12 years.

Positive: CD comes with book inlcuding lyrics in SOME of the songs. Book's illustration has many pictures along with the Pin yin for the songs. kids can use the pics in the pages for coloring.

Negative: Some of the songs are wrongly translated... like "The More we get Together Song".That's why previous comments mentioned how the songs when translated into Mandarin, do not rhyme.Lyrics are not printed for ALL the songs on the CD.

Other comments:
I wonder why are there English songs in the CD too? I understand why they have the songs in English then translated into Mandarin with the same tune. But some songs are only in English.

I want to add that some previous comments mentioned the "high pitch" voice of the female singer.As a native Mandarin speaker, i feel that is normal how children songs are sung in Mainland China.Its a folksy style which is very common... No, that's not how Mandarin is spoken (high pitch/ squeeky etc) But if you compare with nursery rhymes in English, you will notice a distinct difference in them too - they are usually sung with a certain accent or tone.We do not speak English like the way they were sang in songs.

the idea of using the tune of English nursery songs is a good because it may encourage children of non-native Mandarin background to feel familar and hence interested to learn the songs.Unfortunately, in this case, it was a poor attempt or it has not been proofed?

Eg. the song "Are you sleepng" - there is a chinese version which i learnt as a kid. the song is called "San zhi lao hu" translated as "3 tigers". instead of using san zhi lao hu's lyrics to the song, the translator translate word for word "Are you sleeping" from English to Mandarin which resulted in forcing syllables to cramp into the original notes.

I would have to modify many parts of the book to suit learning.

I have limited resources where i teach - cant use a dvd player either. so i bought this, based on previous reviews and whats available.

would i recommend this?Only if you have no other better alternatives.

Easy listening
My daughter will take Mandarin in school, so we wanted some exposure and got it with this set.

Annoying but Effective
My 2 1/2 year old loves it.She asks to listen to this CD every day, instead of her old favorites.The first week or two she complained that she didn't like the Chinese parts, but now she likes it all.She walks around the house singing phrases in Chinese to herself.She counts to ten in Mandarin with no accent, like a native Mandarin speaker, according to a Chinese friend.Misses the last star because the voice on the tape is so obnoxiously sickly cutesy I can barely leave it on.

Ouch, My Ears!
English part on this CD is awesome - both the background music and the voices sound professionally done.The problem with Chinese is not that the vocalists are bad - for the most part they sound decent - but no matter how good voice you may have if you keep on trying to squish 5 - 10 syllables into a beat of music that can accommodate harmoniously only one or two - it's not going to work.

The music on this CD was created to accommodate English verses.When these English verses got translated to Chinese, the number of Chinese syllables that has to fit into the same music constantly comes out as being either not enough or too much.

it makes me wonder if musicians who were involved in creating these songs didn't have ears to hear how bad the combination sounds, or they didn't care, or thought that kids for whom it was made, would either not notice or care.

This recording could've been done beautifully if instead of using popular western music to accompany Chinese verses, they picked perhaps some Chinese music.

(...) ... Read more

Product Description
Each Oxford Beginner's Bilingual Dictionary is designed to offer English speaking adult learners a comprehensive, straightforward introduction to foreign languages, covering all the vocabulary needed for the first years of study, along with notes on grammar and usage and guidance on the culture where the language is spoken.
These easy-to-use references break from standard dictionary design. Clear entries with examples showing how the language works in context make it quick and simple to find the translation you're looking for, and the bold, color layout makes the dictionary easy to navigate, allowing you to get to grips with the language fast. All main translations are preceded by an equals sign so that they are instantly identifiable, and all parts of the entry are spelled out in full, avoiding confusing jargon and abbreviations. Grammar and usage notes throughout the text warn of possible translation pitfalls, and thousands of example phrases show how the language is used in real life.
At the center of each dictionary is a section devoted to useful information on the country, countries, or regions where the language is spoken. This includes background on lifestyles and culture, tips on etiquette and interaction, and a phrasefinder that provides handy phrases for use when traveling abroad. The dictionary also includes a section on core vocabulary--all the words you absolutely must know at a beginner's level, whether you are a student, traveler, or business person.
The Oxford Beginner's Bilingual Dictionary is the perfect tool for adult language learners who need basic vocabulary at their fingertips fast. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Oxford Chinese Dictionary
I bought this book because I recently began learning Mandarin. It is a great addition to the personal tutoring and Rosetta Stone software that I am using. I really love the way it is designed. It is easy to use and really helps you understand how to pronounce the words correctly, as well as understanding how to read Chinese characters. I love it and I strongly encourage anyone who has an interest in learning Chinese to buy it.

Great Book for Beginners
This is a great book/dictionary for someone learning Chinese. It has phrases that are helpful to learn the grammar and rules of Chinese. Highly recommended to own.

not for beginners
print is too small for one thing.Definitions do not give any clue how to pronounce words.

What I expected
I need to communicate in Chinese every now and then. I am not interested in learning achinese character. This book is what needed.By using Pin-yin symbols, it allows me to find my phrase of need without learning Chinese characters

A Genuine Beginner's Viewpoint
A truly nice fresh approach. Excellent use of color.
It isn't simply a dictionary. In the English-Chinese section there are many useful tables and teaching aids.
For example:
under "expression", at the end of the "E" words, is a page and a half of "Useful everyday expressions".
under "have" is a whole page on how English expressions using the word "have" correspond with similar Chinese expressions
under "measure" there is a page long table of length and weight measurements

Often there are many examples of usage. Just after the table on measurements we have the word "meet". Several example usages are given.
e.g.
"she met him on the street"
"have you met tom?"
"can we meet next week"
"can this meet your requirements"
etc.

I also has a well presented index and an appendix called "Learning and lifestyle kit" on subjects like "Dictionary Know How" - Chinese characters don't have an alphabetical order like the one I am accustomed to, so how does one arrange them in sequence? Very helpful and nicely presented.

All I want, is to be able to communicate in Chinese. The finer points of fancy grammatical constructs and terminology are for a different category of learner.
What a really neat (in both colloquial and traditional senses of the word) balance this publication achieves.
... Read more

Product Description

With Pimsleur Language Programs you don't just study a language, you learn it -- the same way you mastered English! And because the technique relies on interactive spoken language training, the Pimsleur Language Programs are totally audio -- no book is needed!

The Pimsleur programs provide a method of self-practice with an expert teacher and native speakers in lessons specially designed to work with the way the mind naturally acquires language information. The various components of language -- vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar -- are all learned together without rote memorization and drills. Using a unique method of memory recall developed by renowned linguist, Dr. Paul Pimsleur, the programs teach listeners to combine words and phrases to express themselves the way native speakers do. By listening and responding to thirty minute recorded lessons, students easily and effectively achieve spoken proficiency.

No other language program or school is as quick, convenient, and effective as the Pimsleur Language Programs.

The Comprehensive Program is the ultimate in spoken language learning. For those who want to become proficient in the language of their choice, the Comprehensive programs go beyond the Basic Programs to offer spoken-language fluency. Using the same simple method of interactive self-practice with native speakers, these comprehensive programs provide a complete language learning course. The Comprehensive Program is available in a wide variety of languages and runs through three levels (thirty lessons each) in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish. At the end of a full Comprehensive Program listeners will be conducting complete conversations and be well on their way to mastering the language. The Comprehensive Programs are all available on cassettes and are also on CD in the six languages in which we offer the Basic Program on CD. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (63)

Pimsleur Mandarin
Pimsleur is the most comprehensive and easiest method I've used for learning Mandarin.This is an excellent choice for a beginner to purchase. I've used 5 different methods, and Pimsleur is definitely the best.

Very strongly recommended!!!
When I found out that my son needed to learn Mandarin as part of his new school's curriculum, I was certain that he would be overwhelmed by it. I thought that if I learned the language in advance, it would make it easier for him to learn and I could help him. I looked at a number of different online and self-taught courses before settling on the Pimsleur courses. I could not have made a better choice.

The Pimsleur Mandarin I-III A and B courses bring you along slowly but steadily. I spent a great deal of time working through the CD's, but it didn't feel like work. I enjoyed this method and felt that it gave me a very solid foundation to increase my learning. The course is easy!! Anyone can learn it. The vocabulary and grammar really do stick with you easily and it is not difficult at all. I had no previous exposure to Mandarin whatsoever, yet after only a few weeks I had a good basic conversation within my grasp. After several months, I felt very confident that I could be understood by native speakers. I found a parent at his school who is a native speaker and tried out what I had learned, and she commented that she could understand me well and that the Pimsleur method's teaching of pronunciation was very good. I was pretty proud of these comments and they are a testament to how good this study method really is.

I would encourage anyone who is contemplating learning Mandarin or any language to try Pimsleur's methods. They are fun, easy, and give you a very strong foundation for learning. The instructors voices are pleasant, slow, and clear. The pace is perfect, not too fast or slow. I felt very comfortable working through the CD's.

My son's class has been difficult for him. But I have found it easy to tutor him with the knowledge that I'd gained from this method. It is fun to learn a new language. I will continue to learn Mandarin, not just for my son's benefit, but for mine as well.

it was fun to learn, but am I the only one that wonders about the choice of content?
I listened to the first 8 discs and learned about 70 words, but I found it helped to go against the instruction of Pimsleur and write out what I heard.I only did so after listening to each lesson at least twice or so.

I found it effective (although I haven't tested it on anyone who speaks it) and enjoyed learning some basics, but have suspicions on what they assume the listener would like to learn.I will put in a direct quote from unit 8 and you can draw your own conclusion.From the beginning of lesson 1 it tells you frequently to imagine you have met a young woman on the street, and this continues that premise.

Woman: I would like to drink some beer.
Man: I too would like to.
M: what would you like to do?
W: I would like to drink something.
M: where would you like to go to drink something? To my place?
W: I would not like to go to your place.To the hotel.

Pimsleur, I would rather not learn how to say such things.

Good program
Good product. Needs an additional visual learning method.Great for learning during your commute.

Speaking and listening(language and TONES), immediately!
After trying some other (library) methods of learning Mandarin, and getting nowhere, this program had me speaking the language (modestly, no doubt) and practicing those, difficult for everyone, TONES (speaking and HEARING them). Now, that I've finished the first part and am taking a class, I find I am much more comfortable (and having a lot more fun) then those starting from scratch. The young ones catch up fast (I am 60,) but I am 'cruisin' while they're working hard.
There is this 'Beijing/Taiwan accent' thing that, I think, is resolved once one starts a class and gets, it is hoped, proper training. Yes, you'll need Pin Yin, but it's a lot easier to learn after using this program! That brings us to reading and writing. You guessed it. Starting here, with only listening and speaking practice, makes starting reading and writing a lot less intimidating. Good Luck ... Read more

Product Description

This new edition of Chinese: An Essential Grammar is an up-to-date and concise reference guide to modern Chinese grammar.

Jargon free, it presents an accessible description of the language, focusing on the real patterns of use today. This Grammar aims to serve as a reference source for the learner and user of Chinese, irrespective of level, setting out the complexities of the language in short, readable sections.

It is ideal either for independent study or for students in schools, colleges, universities and adult classes of all types.

Features include:

• a new chapter on paragraph development
• Chinese characters, as well as the pinyin romanization, alongside all examples
• literal and colloquial translations in English to illustrate language points
• detailed contents list and index for easy access to information
• a glossary of grammatical terms.

Customer Reviews (6)

A Great Grammar, but the Kindle Edition is Horribly Edited
The type of person who is reading this is typically a novice student of Chinese, and therefore probably needs to know the tones and pronunciation of words. This is the problem: roughly half of all the pinyin in the entire book is either without a tone marker, or, more dangerously, with incorrect tone markers. Considering how important tones are to Chinese, this is baffling oversight.

I had read this grammar a few years ago and loved it, no problems. But when I got it for my kindle as a reference here in China, it seemed edited by monkeys. So perhaps if you're looking to buy this, don't, unless your chinese is already excellent and you don't need the pinyin. Wait until someone realizes how glaringly incorrect the pinyin is and edits it. Also the characters are quite fuzzy and unfocused. I don't know how one makes a kindle book, but I imagine it's scanned in, which would account for these errors.

And perhaps Rimmington should say "prepositions," which is what he means, rather than invent the word "coverb." It needlessly confuses, e.g. replacing the "verbs" with "actionwords." But I suppose that's more an issue with "A Comprehensive Grammar," which unfortunately doesn't exist for Kindle.

But other than those easily correctable issues, its an excellent book for what it is.

Really needs the characters
This book seems to be targeted between the basic and intermediate grammars and the comprehensive grammar.

I really wouldn't recommend it on the basis of the lack of characters.Nor would I recommend studying spoken Chinese without simultaneously studying the characters.As students of Chinese we should be aiming to be able to function *without* the pinyin.

That's not to say that the comprehensive grammar is perfect - I've got a short errata in the reviews of that book.But it really has all the information you need.The benefit of the basic and intermediate grammars is that they have exercises (complete with answer keys), whereas the comprehensive grammar does not.
UPDATE: A new edition actually includes the characters.Updates like this can be annoying for those who buy just before the new one comes out.I got in a bit too early with my Fast Finder from Tuttle Publishers.A terrible mistake on the thumbnail index was fixed (which caused me to cut off one of the tabs) and an index was added at the back of the book.NOT an encouragement to go to Tuttle for language learning material.Routledge, on the other hand, does publish books with some mistakes (see my review of Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar) but not as bad as that mentioned.

I feel cheated!
This book is good, BUT having recently purchased it from Amazon for my impending Chinese studies, I was really annoyed to see that a better grammar book by the same author and publisher - A COMPREHENSIVE Grammar is already available. Note the date of my review here and especially the year. As of this time, Amazon states that the Comprehensive Grammar is "Not yet released". If it is not yet released, then how could I have browed through a copy at a book store in Japan only last Saturday? It is also available through Amazon UK with a long wait. Admittedly, I checked the date of publishing in the Comprehensive Grammar and it said "First Published 2004"! I am in a time-warp or something? What is Routledge playing at? The Comrehensive Grammar is considerably more substantial than this work so I recommend that you resist the temptation to buy and put the money towards the Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar - the book that is "not yet published", requires a 4 to 6 week wait if you order through AmazonUK, but is already sitting on a bookshelf in Maruzen in Nagoya just waiting to be snapped up!

Strongly recommended
I strongly recommend this book as a main grammar book in the learning of Chinese.This is a watered-down beginner-lower intermediate version of the superlative "Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar" and covers the basics.It's just a pity that it is rather an expensive purchase.

The authors were lecturers at the University of Leeds in the UK but have since retired.

A little more..
So far this is the only decent Mandarin grammar book I have encountered.To add to the above review, this book also has the advantage of having both word-for-word-literal and natural translations, so that you can see the exact structure of the sentence, as well as the more natural meaning. The small "dictionary" at the end of the book is not really intended as a dictionary, but rather as a helpful list of all the words used in the examples, along with their corresponding characters. One of the drawbacks of this book is that there are no chinese characters except in the reference at the end.Maybe in a future addition they could add characters?The main difference between this book and the authors other two books (Basic Chinese and Intermediate Chinese) is that the other two are meant more as workbooks, with grammar lessons followed by exercises. Also, the other two books use chinese characters throughout with parallel pinyin.This book would make a good companion to the other two.. they're all somewhat expensive though!But there are really no other options for easy to understand, though thourough, grammars. ... Read more

Product Description
Learning a new language is fun! These three books explore a child's world, teaching them how to say the things they see in a new language. This set provides a foundation for building language fluency, an understanding of other cultures, and lots of fun! Each dictionary includes: how to use dictionary section - notes about the language - phonetic spellings - colours and numbers translation - notes to parents and teachers - read more section. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Learning Chinese with fun
My son (2yrs.) enjoys looking at it and listening to me. You need to know Pinyin, the Chinese Phonetics, to pronounce the words correctly. ... Read more

Product Description
This book, with enclosed audio MP3, presents the first of a two-part intensive course that introduces Mandarin Chinese to beginning students. Forty lessons, each followed by review exercises, start by teaching greetings and expressions for getting acquainted, then go on to teach fundamentals of Chinese grammar and approximately 800 words and expressions commonly used in everyday life and activities. The authors emphasize conversational proficiency, integrating verbal communication skill with instruction in the fundamentals of grammar. The audio MP3 complements the text and trains students to pronounce words and phrases correctly and to understand what they hear. Students who complete both parts of this course will attain the ability to speak and understand 301 basic conversational sentences that serve a wide array of communication needs. Volume 2 is available separately. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

save your money!
This book is not worth trying to read. I am at least a level three chinese speaker. I lived in Wuxi City, Jiangsu Province, China for a year and a half. I was completely emerced in the culture and had to speak chinese 90% of the time. This "learning" tool was clearly written by Chinese scholars who were too highly educated and wanted to impress their peers. It is overly complicated. Try the Ultimate Mandarin Chinese series. It was my bible while in China. I haven't found anything better. Good Luck!

dont give up
After reading the two posted reviews, I decided to try this course.I am glad that i did.I have completed the first three chapters and I feel confident that I will complete the twenty lessons.The lessons are not long and boring, which makes learning the material more enjoyable. I would recommend to have a dictionary available. The substitution drills have some words that you have to look up.I also rate this course a five star.

Excellent! Very useful for conversation
I love this book! In learning languages quickly in the past, I have found that this kind of approach works well -- master a number of useful, basic sentences and the situational dialogues that use them.

The MP3 recordings included in these volumes are very well done, neither too slow nor too fast -- just right for beginners.

The books do not emphasize writing, so this would not be the book to get if you want to learn to write. Chinese is the only language that I would recommend NOT studying conversation and writing in the same course. The reason is that writing is such a difficult undertaking that it slows down dramatically learning actual conversation. I believe wholeheartedly that one should learn the characters, but from a different course specifically oriented towards that purpose.

One absolutely essential key to learning conversation is adequate vocabulary. For example, "Integrated Chinese", the textbook popular with colleges and universities, only presents 350 vocabulary words for the first year -- not adequate for much conversation. No doubt the learning of the written characters at the same time slows down the pace.But these two books cover 800 words -- far more useful.

The book bills itself as "the most popular Chinese textbook in the world". The previous incarnation of this book must be "Conversational Chinese 301", a book developed at the well-known Beijing Language and Culture University, a learning institution dedicated to teaching Chinese to non-Chinese.

Since my 2nd semester Chinese class, using "Integrated Chinese", was canceled at my college for this semester, I am using "Mandarin Chinese Learning Through Conversation" to gain basic conversational skill, which will put me at an advantage when the college class reconvenes next semester.I am studying this book with a study partner, a tactic which has really enhanced the learning.

Best I've found so far!
I've recently undertaken the momentous task of learning Mandarin Chinese and am not new to language learning.I am more or less at a high intermediate/advanced level in Spanish and a high beginner in German and Japanese.I've used all kind of sources and have an extensive language learning collection and the approach used in this series (There are 2 volumes) reminds of the more effective approaches I've encountered such as with the "Basic Berlitz" but better. Now, what this series does that others seem to fail at is give you steadily graded approach.The first listen has I think maybe 10 words and some grammar. You start by seeing a dialogue that has audio with it. Then there is maybe some cultural or grammar pointers/ more dialogue, practice etc..as stated in the summary but no translation, which forces you to actually think in the language and form your own sentences! Practically everything is given with the English, pinyin, and Chinese characters. In the back is a list of the words and grammar used so it's not like you won't know what the words mean but it gives you a good jump start at not translating from English to Chinese which is just a crutch.Now you won't get tons of vocabulary, maybe 400 words or so and 800 with both but the words you do know, you will know WELL. The lessons build on each other but unlike other series doesn't try to cram a lot towards the end.This series is likea gradually increasing incline in knowledge that pushes you but never to the point of overwhelming. On that note, this book assumes you are familiar with certain grammatical terms such as "modal particle" and will have pronunciations as list by international standards so you may need some sort of grammar dictionary but even if you didn't know certain terms it wouldn't really hinder you with this series too much. ... Read more

Product Description
"Chinese Grammar Made Easy" presents instructors with innovative and classroom-tested techniques for teaching 150 fundamental grammar points. Its communicative, meaning-based approach helps teachers to engage students by bringing grammar into a real-life context. Clear, concise explanations and a variety of learning activities are included to reinforce each grammar point and provide structured practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

author for chinese for everyone: for all ages and learning styles
this book is designed for teachers like me who try to find ways to simplify Chinese grammar. I found this book inspiring. as a writer of Chinese for everyone ( for all ages and learning styles, sold on Amazon.com) I would recommend teachers and students to have this wonderful teaching method. It is simple to read and the explanations are clear. I really enjoy using it with my textbook chinese for everyone, Ap test, and etc. an excellent and smart book

marie laure r de shazer
author of Chinese for everyone for all ages and learning styles( amazon.com)

Not for beginners, but for Teachers of Chinese as a Foreign Language
This book is written primarily for teachers, not students of Chinese. The blurbs mention this fact, but do not emphasize it. Consequently, many people may buy this book looking for a study aid, but will be very disappointed by the fact they will not be able to use it at all. Other than the introductory passages in English explaining the purpose and methodology used, there are NO, I repeat NO, English explanations of the 150 grammatical points explained in this book. There are copious explanations and illustrations in Chinese, meant for native Chinese teachers, or for non-native teachers with an excellent grounding in grammar, but nothing to help the beginner or low intermediate student.

Also, be warned the book is NOT a textbook, but a source book of ideas and examples for Chinese teachers who are faced with explaining the 150 or so grammatical items covered to students struggling to understand. This is not to say the book isn't useful. In fact, it's wonderful. I gave it five stars. But the bar is set pretty high if you are a beginner, or even if you are a second or third year student who has studied only in the US. If you are a second or third year student in a full-time program in China, you will be used to less English explanation and fewer translated examples. However, there are many easier-to-use books that cover some of the same territory, but with English explanations, and translated/pinyin-ed examples.

To repeat what I said above, I rated it five stars because it has a wealth of stuff on particular Chinese grammar points that you won't find anywhere else, in comparable levels of detail, except maybe in some of the grammar summaries in HSK study material (usually all in Chinese, too). This book covers a good number of really useful intermediate and advanced grammar points, making it extremely helpful, especially if your Chinese is at an appropriate level.

And for native Chinese teachers, I think it helps relatively inexperienced teachers who might not have given any thought to how others may view the Chinese language, a way to see things through the eyes of non-native learners. It groups and summarizes, giving teachers some hints on how to teach Chinese, or particular points in Chinese grammar, to more advanced students.

In short: Excellent for teachers, and the more intrepid students among us. Not for beginners or casual students of the language.

For serious beginners looking for some English explanations and lots of good examples to supplement their textbook, try Claudia Ross's Schaum's Outline (yeah, you heard me right, Schaum's Outline) of Chinese Grammar. This book is a supplement-type textbook and workbook in one volume. Very succint and complete for first, and even second year, students.

Or, perhaps in a bit too much detail for the first book, but excellent as the second, Claudia Ross and Jing-heng Sheng Ma, Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar. This one consists of one volume that provides a bit more extensive explanations of the basics of Chinese grammar (not in a textbook style, but more like a grammatical reference), followed by a 'how to say what you want in any situation' (Invitations, requests, and refusals; Expressing conditions; Talking about movement, directions, and means of transportation) segment. This volume has almost 400 pages of good solid information and advice. There is a companion workbook, sold separately, to help you master all this stuff. But remember this is not a textbook; and the sheer volume of material provided may drown you in detail. But if you are a serious student of Chinese, there are few other books available that put all of this in one place for you, so you will need this one eventually.

For intermediate students and above, two extremely useful books: first, try Jiaying Howard, A Student's Handbook of Chinese Function Words; a mini-dictionary with two examples each, in both simplified and traditional characters, translated into English and pin yin-ed, of the conjunctions, prepositions, and adverbs that hold a Chinese sentence together, and lift it above the elementary level.

Also, for lots and lots (and lots) of excellent detail, Stanley L. Mickel, Dictionary for Readers of Modern Chinese Prose. Good advice, complete explanations, etc., on how to parse a Chinese sentence for the meaning hidden inside. Not for the faint of heart.

Serious beginners (and even low intermedite students) can skip these last two, as the stuff in them is for the really intermediate/advanced stages of your study of Chinese, when you start to try to read real Chinese prose. The first two (Ross, and Ross and Ma) are a much better use of your money.
... Read more

Product Description
This popular introduction to Mandarin Chinese is now accompanied by 2 audio CDs covering each of the ten lessons with a special section devoted to the Pinyin dialect. Each lesson uses dialogues to teach the basics of grammar, vocabulary, everyday speech, and the written language. Exercises reinforce the material covered in the dialogues, and each lesson ends with a 'Cultural Insights' section that offers a deeper view into the Chinese people. Their way of thinking and the constants of their daily life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Review of the new *2nd Edition*, Oct 2010
I had already studied the previous edition but I bought this second edition hoping that they had re-produced the audio, and they have. The new speakers ("featuring professional actors from Beijing") and the audio quality are now excellent, making it more pleasant and more convenient to use for periodic review, and a better match for his Volume 2.

The font is much larger and bolder (good for me). The number of pages went from 173 to 326 but the wording of the texts looks the same (so the lessons haven't changed- also good for me).

It now includes writing practice sheets, in the book. You would probably want to scan these out.

At least two of the cultural essays have been rewritten, in one case to make it more practical, and in another case to bring it up to date.

I had two other very well known and excellent works covering similar subject matter (basic conversation), but Yong Ho was the one I liked best and chose to use.

(One of the other reviews, the one currently given as "most helpful critical review", is dated 2005 but refers to a second edition. That must be a mistake. This second edition is just out, Oct 2010.)

Good product but slowpork shipping
The product is good for Chinese learning beginners. But it take very long time to receive them. I asked and paid for "two-day shipping", after 9 days I checked the website showing me that "not shipped yet"!!!! Really do not understand what the "two-day shipping" means. I called Amazon and was told that "two-day shipping" means after shipping starts then you will get it within 2 days. How rediculous it is!

got it for my chinese class
I like it because it is easy to study.but the chinese characters are too small in print so my teacher kept needing to writing it out for us since we have no clue.

Beginners' Chinese
This book is best used in a classroom situation. I purchased for independent home study. The speed of the language on the CDs is too fast to understand clearly. The CDs are Chinese only, they are not your typical: speak/repeat format. Not recommened for personal use. Definitely need a tutor or instructor.

I read the other reviews and decided to try it
I saw the other reviews of this book and decided to try it on.
My conclusion: I wish I had started with this book all those years ago when I first decided to learn Chinese.

Why?:
+ the grammar is so clearly explained
+ practical vocabulary for daily use (as opposed to college and business)
+ varied exercises that covers all angles of learning: sentence making, translations from English-to-Chinese and Chinese-to-English, grammar etc.
+ the editing is sleek and uncluttered, it feels professional
+ fascinating cultural readings

Don't let the small size of this book fool you, it is a serious book for serious students.
It covers around 300 characters, which is what most first-semester courses in Chinese would cover.

The author is also an anthropologist so you get information on the cultural aspects of Chinese - when to use certain words, and when not to use them, the historical backgrounds of certain expressions etc.
This is gold for the newbie amateur sinologist.

The audio-material is good.
One cd covers: pronunciation of vocabulary, phrases, and dialogues. The other cd covers pronunciation of pinyin ( the romanized script ).
Yong Ho ( I assume ) reads the vocabulary for each chapter, and a female reader joins him in reading the dialogues.
The dialogue readings are at normal speed.

For the asking price this book is really a bargain, it feels under-priced and under-valued. For this level of quality and, above all, effectiveness, I would have gladly paid alot more.

I have tried other material such as Colloquial Chinese, Teach Yourself Chinese, and a couple of other university textbooks, without really getting anywhere - besides the first few chapters.
They all lacked something: badly explained grammar, too few excercises, impractical excercises etc...the list is long.
But for me this little book has actually worked, I am finally getting somewhere "real" with my studies.
I feel that this book rescued my progress and gave me a reliable path towards my goals.

If you like this book you should continue with his second book Intermediate Chinese with Audio CD, followed by David and Helen in China: Simplified Character Edition: An Intermediate Course in Modern Chinese (in Two Parts with Audio CD) (Far Eastern Publications Series).

... Read more

Product Description
This is an ideal introduction to the Chinese language and culture for business people, students, and travelers. It sheds light on the character and personality of the Chinese by examining the meaning, historical significance, and use of more than 300 Chinese expressions. This practical guide will help readers anticipate Chinese behavior and avoid cultural faux pas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

WE CAN LEARN CHINESE CHARACTERS AND CULTURE
I give five because it is an excellent tool for students to understand Chinese characters and culture. I really love the book to use and as a author of Chinese for everyone, I found it inspiring to teach my students the characters and the culture. Sometimes the style of this book is sarccastic but not condescending. Dr Mente is knowledgeable and well versed in his domain, and all of his books are interesting and inspiring. I give five..

Marie Laure de Shazer
author of Chinese for everyone ( found on Amazon), and educator.

The Chinese have a word for it
Timely response, product was received and was as advertised. Would deAL WITH THIS VENDOR AGAIN. :-)

Very nice concept, BUT . . .
I purchase a lot of books on Chinese culture and language--sometimes indiscriminately.Which is how I acquired this one.

What first grabbed my eye was the idea of a hundred or so tidy topics, under a 1- or 2-character phrase (like "An"(1)/Peace)--each discussed for about a page and a half.Perfect, I thought, for a few minutes reading, just before bedtime!What's more, the author provided Chinese characters and pinyin.

But then I started going through it:Yes, there's some good information in convenient little bundles--but not without plenty of editorial overhead (as described by other reviewers).And for a book that centers its concept so much on the "Chinese word," it utterly falls down: The pinyin carries no tone notation; the phonetic spelling is even less useful.And still more egregious, the Chinese words are not always accurately translated or displayed with the correct pinyin.

Free time is scarce.I bought this book for its mini-tutorials--but there's a hidden time-eater in ferreting out its inaccuracies.

arrogant, conceited, and condescending
The author may be knowledgeable about the topics in this book, but the text at times comes across as arrogant, conceited, and condescending.An example from the bottom of page 23: "But the Chinese way of `fuzzy' or ethnocentric thinking should not be regarded as a deficiency or handicap that makes it possible for people to take advantage of them.Their successes in the various sciences are proof of their ability to think and behave logically when they are free to do so."Needless to say I didn't read the next page or the rest of the book.However, I'm glad that I'm not the first reader to have this impression of this book.

Flawed - but interesting & useful read
The lack of pinyin is a serious flaw for Chinese learners; with pinyin you could look up the characters in the Wenlin dictionary.

Most of what I read rings true even though the author's perspective appears tainted. If you can read through that bias it can help you better understand the Chinese when you are on the ground there. ... Read more