| Vancouver Off-Topic / Current Events The off-topic forum for Vancouver, funnies, non-auto centered discussions, WORK SAFE. While the rules are more relaxed here, there are still rules. Please refer to sticky thread in this forum. |
 | | 
03-06-2012, 11:29 PM
|
#26 | | My dinner reheated before my turbo spooled
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1,720
Thanked 2,116 Times in 382 Posts
|
learn mandarin? 
__________________ Quote:
If we are not able to ask skeptical questions, to interrogate those who tell us that something is true; to be skeptical of those in authority, then we're up for grabs..
-Carl Sagan
| | 
|  | |
03-06-2012, 11:35 PM
|
#27 | | Banned By Establishment
Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Richmond
Posts: 12,484
Thanked 2,091 Times in 773 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by SkinnyPupp  Rosetta Stone looks good.. they have Swahili and Pashto but not Cantonese  | as a white person learning canto right now, this is the harder than greek. And greek is fucking hard (pluralization is all based on the word and every word is different not on adding an s to the end of words)
im probably gonna switch to mandarin. But judging on my career path right now, I think i'd be ok learning russian or slavic.
| |
| | |
03-06-2012, 11:36 PM
|
#28 | | xxx
Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: vancouver
Posts: 1,400
Thanked 777 Times in 247 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by SkinnyPupp I live in HK and my wife speaks it (hence why I want to learn it) so actually I think it would be doable. If I had taken the time to do actual lessons, I'd probably be fluent by now  Posted via RS Mobile | No offense but you've lived in HK for so long and yet you're still not fluent? | |
| | |
03-06-2012, 11:39 PM
|
#29 | | Banned By Establishment
Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Richmond
Posts: 12,484
Thanked 2,091 Times in 773 Posts
|
he's white you racist
| |
| | |
03-06-2012, 11:49 PM
|
#30 | | xxx
Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: vancouver
Posts: 1,400
Thanked 777 Times in 247 Posts
|
I know he's white what's your point?
| |
| | |
03-06-2012, 11:56 PM
|
#31 | | Hacked RS to become a mod
Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Sunny Hong Kong
Posts: 52,339
Thanked 23,816 Times in 8,190 Posts
|
Yes and my car has a giant vinyl sticker of the Canadian flag on it.  Posted via RS Mobile | |
| | |
03-06-2012, 11:58 PM
|
#32 | | Lomac owned my ass at least once
Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Vancouver
Posts: 6,259
Thanked 3,463 Times in 820 Posts
|
I had Rosetta Stone Mandarin and it was pretty solid, I slacked off though and I forgot stuff. The main thing is you need to practice with people, otherwise you're never going to learn.
| |
| | |
03-07-2012, 12:43 AM
|
#33 | | look at these diamonds, they shining
Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Vancouver
Posts: 2,800
Thanked 1,813 Times in 553 Posts
|
@ ppl who say cantonese is hard
yes i would imagine how fucking gay it would be to learn this as a second language without any experience in chinese. It's really hard to "learn" cantonese. With the way they teach you it in books and professionally, you'd pretty much learn to speak sentences that are basically mandarin sentences spoken out in the cantonese form. For those who don't understand wtf i'm talking, it means like the letters of our alphabet being spoken in another way. there are still 26 letters in the alphabet, A is still in the beginning of the alphabet, but instead of sounding like "A", you pronounce it differently.
Also if you were to learn cantonese straight from the book, when you speak canto to other cantonese people they'd think youre the biggest fob ever. that is because you don't speak the traditional canto (which is written in serious chinese newspapers), cantonese people speak SLANG cantonese. I doubt there are any professional courses or books which teach slang cantonese. The only real way to learn and master slang cantonese is to hang out with fucking hongers or watch TVB like a little honger you are.
| |
| | |
03-07-2012, 01:19 AM
|
#34 | | My homepage has been set to RS
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Deutschland
Posts: 2,402
Thanked 900 Times in 387 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by F30 I already have Pimsleur recordings, so I don't feel like spending the $$ on Rosetta Stone at this time. I am having high hopes that a combo of classes and Pimsleur will get me to a conversational "level". | Spend money? Lolz... 
__________________
FOR SALE: 14'' MR2 MK1 wheels with 90% rubber $130, FD RX7 Transmission $200, Hitch Mount Snowboard/Ski rack w/ THULE clamps, locks $200. PM me for details!
If this is still in my sig, it's still avail.
| |
| | |
03-07-2012, 02:23 AM
|
#35 | | My dinner reheated before my turbo spooled
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Vancouver
Posts: 1,720
Thanked 2,116 Times in 382 Posts
| 
does this actually work?
__________________ Quote:
If we are not able to ask skeptical questions, to interrogate those who tell us that something is true; to be skeptical of those in authority, then we're up for grabs..
-Carl Sagan
| | |
| | |
03-07-2012, 07:11 AM
|
#36 | | My homepage has been set to RS
Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Deutschland
Posts: 2,402
Thanked 900 Times in 387 Posts
|
Yes.
__________________
FOR SALE: 14'' MR2 MK1 wheels with 90% rubber $130, FD RX7 Transmission $200, Hitch Mount Snowboard/Ski rack w/ THULE clamps, locks $200. PM me for details!
If this is still in my sig, it's still avail.
| |
| | |
03-07-2012, 07:36 AM
|
#37 | | RabidMod
Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 6,113
Thanked 1,099 Times in 407 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Drow @ ppl who say cantonese is hard
yes i would imagine how fucking gay it would be to learn this as a second language without any experience in chinese. It's really hard to "learn" cantonese. With the way they teach you it in books and professionally, you'd pretty much learn to speak sentences that are basically mandarin sentences spoken out in the cantonese form. For those who don't understand wtf i'm talking, it means like the letters of our alphabet being spoken in another way. there are still 26 letters in the alphabet, A is still in the beginning of the alphabet, but instead of sounding like "A", you pronounce it differently.
Also if you were to learn cantonese straight from the book, when you speak canto to other cantonese people they'd think youre the biggest fob ever. that is because you don't speak the traditional canto (which is written in serious chinese newspapers), cantonese people speak SLANG cantonese. I doubt there are any professional courses or books which teach slang cantonese. The only real way to learn and master slang cantonese is to hang out with fucking hongers or watch TVB like a little honger you are. | Actually despite being failed I think you have a point here. Conversational Cantonese (what you'd actually want to learn) is entirely different from written Cantonese and that might be one of the reasons it doesn't show up in Rosetta Stone - it'd be kinda hard to teach. Cantonese is my first language and I speak it every day at home, but I'm still shit at it and get called out on it all the time =p
__________________
22 R1T | 03 S2K | 
| | |
03-07-2012, 07:53 AM
|
#38 | | My homepage has been set to RS
Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver
Posts: 2,308
Thanked 825 Times in 341 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by MajinHurricane as a white person learning canto right now, this is the harder than greek. And greek is fucking hard (pluralization is all based on the word and every word is different not on adding an s to the end of words)
im probably gonna switch to mandarin. But judging on my career path right now, I think i'd be ok learning russian or slavic. | russian? does your career path involve smuggling smoked fish? we must talk Posted via RS Mobile | |
| | |
03-07-2012, 08:57 AM
|
#39 | | Proud to be called a RS Regular!
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Coquitlam
Posts: 285
Thanked 137 Times in 46 Posts
|
There are many people out there who are probably interested in this topic. I'd appreciate keeping on topic to keep this thread helpful to others.
In turn, I'll try to post infrequent updates of my experiences. This morning I've registered for a course with Key Language and will start in two weeks time.
Thanks for all helpful comments!
__________________
2012 F30 328i Mineral Grey | Sport Line | Executive Package | Driver Assistance Package | Premium Package | Dakota Leather | Trim Highlight Finishers Coral Red | Head-Up Display | Sport Suspension
2013 F25 xDrive28i Space Gray Metallic | Technology pkg | Premium pkg | Executive pkg | Satin Aluminum Roof Rails | Lights pkg | Head-Up Display
'05 Nissan Altima SER Silver (sold)
'04 Acura MDX Touring Black (sold)
'98 Honda Civic SI coupe Silver (sold) | |
| | |
03-07-2012, 11:16 AM
|
#40 | | Diagonally parked in a parallel universe
Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Coquitlam
Posts: 1,476
Thanked 522 Times in 263 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by RabidRat Actually despite being failed I think you have a point here. Conversational Cantonese (what you'd actually want to learn) is entirely different from written Cantonese and that might be one of the reasons it doesn't show up in Rosetta Stone - it'd be kinda hard to teach. Cantonese is my first language and I speak it every day at home, but I'm still shit at it and get called out on it all the time =p | This can be said of any language though. I work with someone who's first language is french (France French not Quebec French) and she gets annoyed with what she calls the 'rigidness' of the way I speak french because it's book learned. ShTo her ear it sounds as artificial and forced as English would if someone was speaking like they were reading an Oxford dictionary all the time.
Listening to French radio and French TV taught me the cadence of the language and more comfortable word use better than a text book ever could - though though early learning experiences really helped me digest what I was listening to to begin with. That's why the Pimsleur method works better too for most people, because it focuses on a more natural audio learning method (though how casual it is depends on the source, some are very conversational while others are more formal).
__________________
~ Just another noob looking for a clue
| |
| | |
03-07-2012, 11:31 AM
|
#41 | | look at these diamonds, they shining
Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Vancouver
Posts: 2,800
Thanked 1,813 Times in 553 Posts
|
@ the people who failed my post above, care to elaborate where you disagree with my post?
Either
1) you dont agree with the difficulty i see in cantonese
Or
2) youre butthurt cuz i called you a honger
Come forward, bro
| |
| | |
03-07-2012, 12:18 PM
|
#42 | | NA1
Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: .
Posts: 4,659
Thanked 853 Times in 172 Posts
|
Ive been taking it at Langara every saturday with instructor Betty Tu. She is an awesome instructor. A lot of students transfer to her as her personality is more suited for beginners.
| |
| | |
03-07-2012, 05:40 PM
|
#43 | | Hacked RS to become a mod
Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Sunny Hong Kong
Posts: 52,339
Thanked 23,816 Times in 8,190 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by RabidRat Actually despite being failed I think you have a point here. Conversational Cantonese (what you'd actually want to learn) is entirely different from written Cantonese and that might be one of the reasons it doesn't show up in Rosetta Stone - it'd be kinda hard to teach. Cantonese is my first language and I speak it every day at home, but I'm still shit at it and get called out on it all the time =p | He made a good point actually, and like someone else said, it is like that for most languages. But Cantonese especially. The way he started calling down Hong Kong people like an ignorant cunt is why he earned his fails.
| |
| | |
03-09-2012, 06:32 PM
|
#44 | | look at these diamonds, they shining
Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Vancouver
Posts: 2,800
Thanked 1,813 Times in 553 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by SkinnyPupp He made a good point actually, and like someone else said, it is like that for most languages. But Cantonese especially. The way he started calling down Hong Kong people like an ignorant cunt is why he earned his fails. | im apologize if i said watching TVB makes you a little honger  | |
| | |
05-09-2012, 09:01 PM
|
#45 | | Proud to be called a RS Regular!
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Coquitlam
Posts: 285
Thanked 137 Times in 46 Posts
|
The Key Language course is almost over, just one more class left. I am very happy with the results, it certainly provided me with a foundation to keep building up both the grammar and vocabulary. I would recommend it to people who are considering learning Mandarin.
__________________
2012 F30 328i Mineral Grey | Sport Line | Executive Package | Driver Assistance Package | Premium Package | Dakota Leather | Trim Highlight Finishers Coral Red | Head-Up Display | Sport Suspension
2013 F25 xDrive28i Space Gray Metallic | Technology pkg | Premium pkg | Executive pkg | Satin Aluminum Roof Rails | Lights pkg | Head-Up Display
'05 Nissan Altima SER Silver (sold)
'04 Acura MDX Touring Black (sold)
'98 Honda Civic SI coupe Silver (sold) | |
| | |
05-09-2012, 09:08 PM
|
#46 | | Rs has made me the woman i am today!
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Richmond
Posts: 4,457
Thanked 2,259 Times in 439 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by F30 The Key Language course is almost over, just one more class left. I am very happy with the results, it certainly provided me with a foundation to keep building up both the grammar and vocabulary. I would recommend it to people who are considering learning Mandarin. | What is your ethnicity?
And can you give some more details on your results?
Also, do you have a forum where you can practice Mandarin?
| |
| | |
05-09-2012, 09:12 PM
|
#47 | | Proud to be called a RS Regular!
Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Coquitlam
Posts: 285
Thanked 137 Times in 46 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by mx703 What is your ethnicity?
And can you give some more details on your results?
Also, do you have a forum where you can practice Mandarin? | I'm a white guy  .
Results... hard to be specific, but I can order a drink at the restaurant, tell my girl that I miss her, welcome people to my home, describe my family, nationality etc. I've learned pinyin enough to be able to learn new words. From just once a week over 2 mo classes, that feels like a decent achievement.
__________________
2012 F30 328i Mineral Grey | Sport Line | Executive Package | Driver Assistance Package | Premium Package | Dakota Leather | Trim Highlight Finishers Coral Red | Head-Up Display | Sport Suspension
2013 F25 xDrive28i Space Gray Metallic | Technology pkg | Premium pkg | Executive pkg | Satin Aluminum Roof Rails | Lights pkg | Head-Up Display
'05 Nissan Altima SER Silver (sold)
'04 Acura MDX Touring Black (sold)
'98 Honda Civic SI coupe Silver (sold) | |
| | |
05-09-2012, 09:55 PM
|
#48 | | Rs has made me the woman i am today!
Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Richmond
Posts: 4,457
Thanked 2,259 Times in 439 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by F30 I'm a white guy .
Results... hard to be specific, but I can order a drink at the restaurant, tell my girl that I miss her, welcome people to my home, describe my family, nationality etc. I've learned pinyin enough to be able to learn new words. From just once a week over 2 mo classes, that feels like a decent achievement. | That's pretty impressive.
Congrats on the success.
| |
| | |
05-09-2012, 10:05 PM
|
#49 | | I subscribe to Revscene
Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Space
Posts: 1,990
Thanked 612 Times in 193 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by F30 The Key Language course is almost over, just one more class left. I am very happy with the results, it certainly provided me with a foundation to keep building up both the grammar and vocabulary. I would recommend it to people who are considering learning Mandarin. | I've heard nothing but good things about Key Language Training. I know the director personally and she comes from a background of teaching, and is very passionate about what she does. She's fluent in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, and French and has licenses to do Mandarin-English, Mandarin-French translations. Sometimes I catch glimpses of her or her teachers classes, and they are always very nice and friendly, and always keep things pretty casual so that you can learn things that you want (lol, i've actually seen a guy ask about what to say to flirt with girls- but it was one of those ABC types so probably not you). I know she even does corporate lessons targeted especially for businesses and/or real estate so that you can do better businesses in Vancouver. Definitely check them out if you are thinking of taking Mandarin classes.
| |
| | |
05-09-2012, 10:16 PM
|
#50 | | My homepage has been set to RS
Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Vancouver
Posts: 2,308
Thanked 825 Times in 341 Posts
| Quote:
Originally Posted by F30 I'm a white guy .
Results... hard to be specific, but I can order a drink at the restaurant, tell my girl that I miss her, welcome people to my home, describe my family, nationality etc. I've learned pinyin enough to be able to learn new words. From just once a week over 2 mo classes, that feels like a decent achievement. | how much did it cost??
| |
| | | |
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
| | |
All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:00 PM.
|
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
The banners on the left side and below do not show for registered users!
