Studying Mandarin Chinese using listening-reading
Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:32 am
Hi,
I’ve been meaning to start studying Chinese on my own, would like to use the ‘listening-reading’ method and have got some questions related to this endeavour. I know I need to gather materials first (audio-books, text corresponding to the audio, translation, a pop-up dictionary, etc.), but I’ve been wondering how I should actually start. Should I do some preparation reading on /exercises in some aspects of the language before I actually start to listen-read Chinese texts?
How should I go about listening-reading my first novel in Chinese?
Some background information:
I’m a Polish native speaker. I speak some English and two Romance languages. I’m interested in simplified Mandarin Chinese. I’ve never studied the language seriously, although I deal with Chinese native speakers on a daily basis. I only know bits and pieces about the language (it’s got tones*, the characters are composed of radicals and can be transcribed in pinyin to facilitate pronunciation for Chinese students) -- basically I’d say I’m a true beginner in Chinese. So is it at all feasible for a tyro like my to learn Chinese using the listening-reading method? I’m a little worried about the fact that this language is so much different from all the other languages I’ve ever studied or dabbled with. For instance, at this point the characters seem like they may be a great obstacle to me.
Also, any advice from people who've already done a similar thing will be greatly appreciated.
*here I think I should do some exercises to learn to recognise the tones.
I’ve been meaning to start studying Chinese on my own, would like to use the ‘listening-reading’ method and have got some questions related to this endeavour. I know I need to gather materials first (audio-books, text corresponding to the audio, translation, a pop-up dictionary, etc.), but I’ve been wondering how I should actually start. Should I do some preparation reading on /exercises in some aspects of the language before I actually start to listen-read Chinese texts?
How should I go about listening-reading my first novel in Chinese?
Some background information:
I’m a Polish native speaker. I speak some English and two Romance languages. I’m interested in simplified Mandarin Chinese. I’ve never studied the language seriously, although I deal with Chinese native speakers on a daily basis. I only know bits and pieces about the language (it’s got tones*, the characters are composed of radicals and can be transcribed in pinyin to facilitate pronunciation for Chinese students) -- basically I’d say I’m a true beginner in Chinese. So is it at all feasible for a tyro like my to learn Chinese using the listening-reading method? I’m a little worried about the fact that this language is so much different from all the other languages I’ve ever studied or dabbled with. For instance, at this point the characters seem like they may be a great obstacle to me.
Also, any advice from people who've already done a similar thing will be greatly appreciated.
*here I think I should do some exercises to learn to recognise the tones.