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Efficiently Learning Mandarin
Learning Mandarin Chinese can seem a bit difficult if one is coming from an English background. In some ways, it is a radically different language. However, part of that difficulty may also stem from a learning method that does not properly take those differences into account, or one that attempts to "shoehorn" Chinese into English speaking patterns in an attempt to make it "easy". A lot of language learning materials designed for English-speakers seem to suffer from those problems.
With languages that share a common root, that approach makes sense and can help one to learn them quickly. For example, the Latin roots of English words can help one to rapidly understand "Romance Languages" that also share a Latin background (such as Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and French). But if one attempts to apply a similar kind of reasoning to languages like Japanese or Mandarin, it can lead to a lot of confusion and frustration as one seeks out similarities to English that are not actually there!
In order to learn Mandarin together, we will separate that task into a series of articles and study tools. These will act as "phases" within our learning process. Each of these phases has specific goals that are limited in scope, and they gradually build upon one another when we go through them in order. By approaching it in this manner, we hope to make it simple to learn while still carefully acknowledging important differences. It will still take some effort to review it all though!
Ultimately, we aim for both "fluency" (i.e.: the capability of hearing and speaking) and "literacy" (i.e.: the capability of reading and writing). Hopefully, we will achieve both. Some of these methods might seem strange at first (e.g.: we will actually begin with the writing system before tackling pronunication). Please have patience for it.
[Important Note: We will be focusing on "Simplified" Chinese characters and "Common Speech" pronunciation as used within the PRC. This is different from the "Traditional" Chinese characters and "National Language" pronunciation used within Taiwan. If you know one, you will probably have a pretty good idea of what is conveyed through the other though. It is similar to the relationship between American and British English.]
Phase 1: Introduction To The Writing System
• Basic Information On Chinese Characters
• Gaining Familarity With Stroke Order & Radicals
Phase 2: Introduction To Pronunciation
• The Sounds of Mandarin Chinese
Phase 3: Writing & Reading Characters
• Hints In Meaning
• Connecting Characters To Their Pronunciation
Phase 4: Solidifying Our Knowledge
• Gaining A Basic Vocabulary
• Building Sentences Through Grammar Patterns