Methods matter greatly

Chinese language cannot always be learned by simple techniques of memorization, that it has more than 20,000 characters. Now our human memory consists of a parental memory and a parrot memory that operates for storing all the information within a considerable time. After that, the information fades away. Because many things do not process and enter the cognitive mind, it stays just in the temporary memory for a quick functioning.

Now, learners who are learning or being aspirant about learning Chinese or any other foreign language must not always follow the old classic technique of rote learning. There are many ways to understand the onstruction of hinese characters, but I suppose Rote learning is not the best way to do that.

Understanding the elements

However, as confusing as it can be, most of the characters do share a very similar writing style. To get a difference between them, it is thus essential to know that those characters have some unique styles of writing. The Chinese language course in Kolkata is really useful in knowing the learning strategies.

In Chinese, many characters are not like any letters of English, so they need some special attention. But I recommend, as I did for myself during my early years of learning Chinese is that you should first be better trained in Pinyin, an absurd phonetic system that employs the use of Roman characters to understand Chinese. You may also feel to write the Chinese language in Hànzì, but it is not easy to learn. Hey, I am not discouraging you, just telling you that learning Hànzì needs true dedication. I say all such hurdles can be overcome by being in the Chinese language course in Kolkata.

Pinyin: Mind the X factor

Most of the Chinese language characters are used without a proper reference to Pinyin, sorry about that. But again that doesn’t mean Pinyin is not important. The ancient structure of Pinyin is composed of mainly three parts; the first part is the initial consonant while the last part is the tone of speaking.

Let’s talk about Pinyin a bit. I repeat that Pinyin in itself is not another form of Chinese; it is just the writing style. Another thing, Chinese Pinyin is not at all related in any form of English. Here comes a personal advice, the Chinese language course in Kolkata can get you useful insights!

If learners find any similarity between the two characters, then it has to be purely on a coincidental approach. Any word starting with the letter Xi is pronounced as Shi instead of emphasizing on the X component. If the word begins with the characters of Xia, then it will be pronounced as Sha. Right? I have to disappoint you, that’s not even close!  The words have several distinct tones, which translate as Shā, or Shá, or Shà.

Voice alterations can change the words

So many forms, right? The tones vary with the words, they come to determine the accent or the pitch of writing and speaking the words.  So if someone says this Shā, he will be saying that as Shaaaaa.

Have you observed the tone? Doesn’t it change with the sound of the varying pitch? Entirely it will be different from the Shá, which is spelt and pronounced as Sho? Note that the tone is of the asking pattern, which again is very different in the tone of saying Shà, which is more like Shouu! involving something very surprising. Chinese words have a real bad habit of getting the users into trouble by having many confusing alliterations. The same word can be spoken and pronounced entirely differently. The Chinese language course in Kolkata will teach you all such fascinating things about the Chinese language.

Posted by Jack Smith