Comments on: The best tools to help you with your Chinese studies and translations http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/ Fili's world | A different look at Asia, China and Taiwan Sat, 30 Aug 2008 07:40:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Clark http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-72165 Clark Tue, 13 May 2008 06:47:53 +0000 http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-72165 Hi Fili, You may be interested in this site: www.nciku.com A online English/Chinese dictionary, it focuses on Chinese language learning English speakers, provide Chinese handwriting recognition and human voice pronunciation. Have a look, if good, add it to your site please, thanks. Reagards, Clark Hi Fili,

You may be interested in this site:

http://www.nciku.com

A online English/Chinese dictionary, it focuses on Chinese language learning English speakers, provide Chinese handwriting recognition and human voice pronunciation.

Have a look, if good, add it to your site please, thanks.

Reagards,
Clark

]]> By: laowai http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-704 laowai Wed, 20 Dec 2006 15:41:24 +0000 http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-704 I used it to learn Portuguese and found it very effective for learning grammar, vocab, and idioms. The main thing that RS does NOT teach well is conversational skills. I liked being able to work at my own pace but with constant feedback. For Chinese, RS has just done a translation of their existing material, which is not adequate for beginning students of Chinese. It is not realistic to expect people to guess new characters from context. You have to already know them, basically. And I found Level 2 too easy for advanced students. I asked RS if they planned to offer a Level 3 for Chinese and they were noncommittal. I used it to learn Portuguese and found it very effective for learning grammar, vocab, and idioms. The main thing that RS does NOT teach well is conversational skills. I liked being able to work at my own pace but with constant feedback.

For Chinese, RS has just done a translation of their existing material, which is not adequate for beginning students of Chinese. It is not realistic to expect people to guess new characters from context. You have to already know them, basically. And I found Level 2 too easy for advanced students. I asked RS if they planned to offer a Level 3 for Chinese and they were noncommittal.

]]> By: fiLi http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-695 fiLi Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:57:24 +0000 http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-695 Oh yeah, there are some wonderful websites out there, but that's another list... ;) I'll add MDBG to that one. Oh yeah, there are some wonderful websites out there, but that’s another list… ;) I’ll add MDBG to that one.

]]> By: fiLi http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-694 fiLi Wed, 20 Dec 2006 06:56:22 +0000 http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-694 I don't know. I found Rosetta Stone to be very annoying, and thought that while it might be a good method for kids, it would drive any adult insane. Since I didn't stick to it, I could hardly pass judgment, so I wonder - did it work for you? I don’t know. I found Rosetta Stone to be very annoying, and thought that while it might be a good method for kids, it would drive any adult insane. Since I didn’t stick to it, I could hardly pass judgment, so I wonder - did it work for you?

]]> By: laowai http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-693 laowai Wed, 20 Dec 2006 02:11:21 +0000 http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-693 For translation, have you used the <a href="http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php" rel="nofollow">MDBG</a> website? I get very frustrated with translation tools when I run up against bad or missing translations, and MDBG has the best online dictionary I have seen and it is constantly being improved. It is not useful for large translation work; it is bidirectional and best used for looking up a single phrase or character. For translation, have you used the MDBG website?

I get very frustrated with translation tools when I run up against bad or missing translations, and MDBG has the best online dictionary I have seen and it is constantly being improved.

It is not useful for large translation work; it is bidirectional and best used for looking up a single phrase or character.

]]> By: laowai http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-692 laowai Wed, 20 Dec 2006 01:52:57 +0000 http://www.filination.com/blog/2006/12/19/the-best-tools-to-help-you-with-your-chinese-studies-and-translations/#comment-692 <a href="http://www.rosettastone.com/en/individuals/languages/chinese" rel="nofollow">Rosetta Stone</a> is another web-based alternative to Wenlin for intermediate students. Online subscriptions start at $50 per month. The teaching approach is based on context-recognition. The lessons are like video games and can become addictive. The beauty of Chinese ideograms cannot be taught well by computers (yet), in my humble opinion, so I would definitely recommend a human being for beginning students. Rosetta Stone is another web-based alternative to Wenlin for intermediate students. Online subscriptions start at $50 per month. The teaching approach is based on context-recognition. The lessons are like video games and can become addictive. The beauty of Chinese ideograms cannot be taught well by computers (yet), in my humble opinion, so I would definitely recommend a human being for beginning students.

]]>