User Comments - alwingate

Posted on: One-on-One Basketball

There are several curiosities here.  One is about the origin of the word.  Is this word coming from a literal translation of one on one as from the states US-where I first heard it.  If so, what is the convention for this to appear in a Mainland Chinese Dictionary?  Would I find it there?  

How do words ie characters get created?  is there an official board in existence which does look at new words, then ratify the adoption of them.  

Many English words are derivatives.  They are.  Look at the word microbe.  It comes from a latin derivation and many of our terms are derived from France, Greece, Germany etc.  Ever look up zeitgeist?  So, it is a curiosity but I am wondering how they-you know who they are- are keeping the language pure.

I remember in Gaulist France a drive began to keep their language pure and people who spoke other languages were snubbed by some.  Now, the French language is on a list as short as Bonaparte of important world languages.  Certainly Chinese and English dominate the planet in terms of number of people who speak the language.  Of course Chinese + Anything would be dominant also.

Posted on: Is it far?

thank you Jesus finally a lesson I can handle. Thank you Chinese got to the newbie lessons. Even though I am bordering on the elementary is always a joy to come back to a lesson in the newbie section that does not break your balls. Back in the kebab lesson was a joy killer. Thank you Chinese pod -- thank you thank you thank you -- Sincerely yours, A mind on a wire

Posted on: Is it far?

Maureen and has road a cruise owner in needing. A poem for Bazza.

Posted on: Is it far?

Amber? Why are the lessons now being outfitted with the pirate talk -- jar car are nar when we used to say nali and other such things. is this Beijin-huar? just curious.

Posted on: Is it far?

I would like to also add to the conversation about this new analytic format. There is more than this in the premium package and you will find that some of it is very useful. Since there used to be a seven day free trial you can without any risk sample with Chinese pot has to offer. And I have to say that these sections have improved greatly over the past few months. Can you mentioned in a brief advertisement that there were patterns and so on. In the expansion section I would consider that rather than pattern development and application of vocabulary placed in different contexts. Patterns are an interesting thing. You have stems and Stern's. What I would like to see is the development of collocation exercises and a section devoted to lexical chunks. They can be grouped in a section which is separate from vocabulary. I notice that on occasion a lexical chunk will sneak its way in to the vocabulary section. There is also an old model called Bloom's taxonomy of behavioral objectives. The taxonomy is shaped like a pier amid and the base of it is titled memory. Repeat and recall. And as you climb the ladder or the peer meant for that matter you get into application, analysis, synthesis etc. these are very interesting educational ideas and when they are performed by the masters they are a thing of beauty in education. Not me! The Masters they are the ones that brain teaching to life. Well that's enough out of me. We are forever learning and struggling against the forces of evil everyday in our own minds. Stay positive and please don't ever sell Chinese pod Ken.

Posted on: Is it far?

The lesson is a very simple one but two Newbie it is like listening to gibberish -- if the newbie is anything like I was. So I think the simple lessons are very useful for the beginning student. Please remember that what keeps people coming back is the perception of success. Fancy accents and cute background noise are fun. But they will dim very quickly if the student does not feel he is succeeding. The main objective of any teacher is this: how can I enhance the curriculum in order to make learning possible for my students. Once it becomes a business decision there is a disconnect. This disconnect can affect the quality of the learning experience. Just my $.02 worth.

Posted on: Is it far?

The format change from translation to analysis is not an annoyance for me. I am not sure what drives some of the changes in the techniques used to educate Chinese pod participants. The analytical approach is only different. I am not sure that it makes instruction more valuable compared to the shout we translate now face of the lesson. I'm always suspicious of analysis because it is like this: let's talk about being honest, figure it out bisect it. Then let's walk away from it -- a pile of parts. This is a technique used on Spanish pod. So I think I can detect the direction from which this is flowing. I will say this: my introduction to Chinese was through the free Chinese pot lessons. This was the front in the war to attract customers. Now some internal staff may feel like they are giving away too much in the lesson. And so they may reason this will drive people to a premium account. However the danger is in changing the advertisement for Chinese pod a risk is being run. Chinese pod free dialogs were an attraction and kept me coming back for more until I was ready to purchase premium content. So in the spirit of discussion of what is best for the learner it is an open question. What is best for the learner? Is it the analytic approach? Or is it the top-down approach. Since I am a premium member I lose nothing because the translations word for word are left out. as my mother used to say the proof is in the pudding. If this approach gets Chinese pod more customers then I am happy. I rely on Chinese pod for my language needs. I have a Spanish minor. I would place my ability in the intermediate range. However, after listening to a few lessons of Spanish Pod high was left with a feeling of disinterest. That coupled with my demanding schedule and my very poor performance in acquiring the Chinese language lefty saying no to the praxis pass even though it is the greatest deal in the world. Where can you take three separate language courses at that price? I could have signed up for the Praxis pass at the cost of nine dollars per month. Although I am not rich, that really is chump change. Now Ken. don't let these young people steer you wrong direction. Don't ever lose your personality because that personality is a driving force in the success of Chinese pod. I wish you all well. These are my honest comments. They may not come from an evolution in thinking. They may just be a knee-jerk reaction to change. But I would remember if I were you that it was a model you use at the very beginning which launched Chinese pod and made it a critical success. Another friend of mine said -- "if it works don't fix it." That is something to consider.

Posted on: Hungry Traveler: Xinjiang

So, one more point. Sorry for the typos. When the lessons become too frivolous or too much style and not substance; or go far astray from the main focus of the lesson then this "stuff" becomes a learning obstacle. I can give examples, but I am too tired....Azerdocmom...hmmm....interesting name.

Posted on: Hungry Traveler: Xinjiang

azerdocmom Thank you for your honest reply. You said even a high don't understand... I assume that you all are a teacher perhaps.Ken Speaks often of these principles in the session before and after the dialogue. They are very interesting to me since I teach English in Taiwan. So my question relates to this: what is the best way to bring someone from the newbie level to the elementary level at Chinese pod. after all, the most important thing to me is learning how to speak the Chinese language. Anything that helps me and helps others to learn the language is the central focus of the discussion of how best to proceed. Now, Chinese pod has a very talented and very bright individual who is a linguist. His expertise is most valuable I suspect in the behind the scenes preparation for lessons. But I make a distinction between a linguist and the teacher. I have taught many years. This happens when you don't die, don't get fired or quit your job. I have to say that during his 30 years I have taught with many teachers in its teen situation. So I have been exposed to some of the best teachers perhaps in the world. In Alaska, I taught with a lady who was awarded teacher of the year. I'm just saying this to give you some background. To me, Ken is a teacher. there is a fertility and spiciness and rainbows in his presentation. On the other hand a linguist can be quite boring delving into the minutiae of a language. There is a mind set for a person like this as well as can be very similarly the person who is a programmer and you can program with a computer language such as C. the point is this. Chinese thought has to be very careful in not creating a dusty environment. And I think if you will review some of the other offerings on the Internet which attempt to teach the Chinese language you will see a great difference in the tone of the lesson. Thank you for your kind response. And also thank you for being the good person willing to talk to an old coot.

Posted on: Hungry Traveler: Xinjiang

hcnerd, The dialogue that you call prattle is nothing more than an invitation into the real world, not the scripted word. And fast forward? Are you still using a cassette player??? And please, prattle is a negative word and is not appropriate to describe the setting. Context is extremely important in learning a language. A change would not be to me that dramatic a thing. However, a few seconds of setting the stage is a good thing. Now, go buy yourself an MP3 player.