Chinese Made Easy was a project inspired by the ‘Three Language Flavour Project’ of the Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria. The central aim of the project is to make Chinese easy for non-native speakers of the language and most especially to bring the language to them in their local language.
This work translates Chinese into English and then into Yoruba, it's the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria and Africa as a whole. For language to be easily disseminated it has to be absorbed in a form in which the learner can interpret and understand the contents of the language. This principle guided the development of the contents of this work.
While this work is useful for those who are keen on the Chinese language, this work also bridges the gap for Chinese citizens who seek to understand and have knowledge of the Yoruba language. It is a piece of works that would help younger learners and adults learn the Chinese language with ease.
Table of Contents
Chinese Made Easy
Introducing Chinese Language to Yoruba Speakers
Introduction
Lesson 1: Introduction to Chinese
ẸKỌ KINNI: ÌFIHÀN SÍ ÈDÈ CHINESE
Lesson 2: Phonetics
ẸKÒ KÈJÌ: FÓNE ̣TÍÌKÌ.
Lesson 3 – Numerals & Birthdays
ẸKỌ KẸTA – ÒÙNKÀ & ỌDÚN
Lesson 4 – Surname, First Name
ẸKỌ KẸRIN: ORÚKỌ ÌDÍLÉ, ORÚKỌ ÀKỌỌ́KỌ ́
Lesson 5 – Country & Nationalities
ẸKỌ-KARÙN:ORÍLÉ-ÈDÈ
Lesson 6: Year, Month, Date, Day
ẸKỌ-Ẹ̀FÀ: ỌDÚN, OṢÙ, Ọ̀SẸ ̀, ỌJỌ ́
Lesson 7: Time
ẸKỌ KẸJẸ: ASIKO
Lesson 8: Public Places
ẸKỌ KẸJỌ: IBI GBANGBA
Lesson 9: Daily Necessities
ẸKỌ KẸWA: ÀWON OHUN ÈLÒ OJOJÚMỌ́
Lesson 10– Buying things & Prices
ẸKỌ KẸWA: RÍRA NǸKAN, OWÓ ỌJÀ
Lesson 11 – Wines & Drinks
ẸKỌ KẸJILÁ- ỌTÍ,ỌTÍ ÈSO ÀJÀRÀ
Lesson 12: Food
ẸKỌ KẸJILÁ: ÓÚNJẸ
Lesson 13 – Family and Profession
ẸKỌ KẸTALÁ: ÌDÌLÉ ATI IṢẸ ́
Lesson 14: Languages and Learning
ẸKỌ KERINLA: ÈDÈ, KÌKỌ ́
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this work is to facilitate the learning of the Chinese language for non-native speakers, specifically by bridging the gap between Chinese and the Yoruba language through direct translation and explanatory guidance.
- Contrastive linguistic analysis between Chinese and Yoruba phonological systems.
- Practical daily conversation patterns, including greetings, time-telling, and shopping.
- Vocabulary acquisition for household items, food, family members, and professional roles.
- Instruction on Chinese grammar, including measure words and structural particles.
- Cultural context integration for effective language use in social and business domains.
Excerpt from the Book
CONVERSATION 1: WHAT TIME IS IT?
Jǐ diǎn le? What time is it?
Xiàn zài chà yī kè bā diǎn. It’s quarter to eight.
Měi tiān zǎo shang nǐ jǐ diǎn qǐ chuáng? What time to do you get up in the morning?
Wǒ liù diǎn bàn qǐ chuáng. I wake up at half past six.
Nǐ shàng wǔ shén me shí hou shàng kè? What time do you have class in the morning?
Wǒ men shàng wǔ bā diǎn kāi shǐ shàng kè. Class begins at 8.00 am.
Summary of Chapters
Lesson 1: Introduction to Chinese: This chapter introduces basic Chinese phonetic alphabets, the Pinyin transcription system, and fundamental greeting vocabulary.
Lesson 2: Phonetics: The chapter focuses on sound discrimination, retroflex finals, and essential vocabulary for daily courtesies.
Lesson 3 – Numerals & Birthdays: This section teaches numerals, counting methods, and how to express dates and personal information like birthdays.
Lesson 4 – Surname, First Name: Covers the standard Chinese cultural approach to personal introductions using surnames and given names.
Lesson 5 – Country & Nationalities: Provides vocabulary for travel, geographical locations, and identifying nationalities.
Lesson 6: Year, Month, Date, Day: Offers a comprehensive overview of the calendar, including days of the week and months.
Lesson 7: Time: Focuses on telling time and expressions related to daily routines and schedules.
Lesson 8: Public Places: Introduces dialogue patterns useful for navigating public locations and making appointments.
Lesson 9: Daily Necessities: Teaches vocabulary related to everyday household items and common objects used by students.
Lesson 10– Buying things & Prices: Covers practical shopping language, including asking for prices and quantities.
Lesson 11 – Wines & Drinks: Explores expressions related to beverages, tea culture, and specialty drinks.
Lesson 12: Food: Focuses on dining vocabulary, ordering food, and discussing food preferences.
Lesson 13 – Family and Profession: Teaches terms for family structures and various professional roles and workplaces.
Lesson 14: Languages and Learning: Covers linguistic terminology and expressions related to the academic process of learning a foreign language.
Keywords
Chinese language, Yoruba speakers, Pinyin, Mandarin, language learning, phonetics, daily conversation, culture, vocabulary, grammar, translation, greetings, time expressions, shopping, professional terminology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main purpose of this book?
The book aims to make Mandarin Chinese accessible to Yoruba speakers by providing a direct learning path that leverages their native language proficiency instead of relying solely on English.
What core topics does the book cover?
It covers foundational topics such as phonetics, daily greetings, telling time, shopping, dining etiquette, family structures, and professional vocabulary.
Which scientific method does the author employ?
The work employs contrastive linguistics, comparing Chinese phonological and orthographic systems with those of the Yoruba language to assist bilingual learners.
Who is the target audience for this publication?
The book is designed for both young learners and adults in Nigeria, particularly Yoruba speakers, who are interested in acquiring Chinese for business or educational purposes.
How are the Chinese, English, and Yoruba texts distinguished?
The book uses specific formatting: bold Times New Roman for Chinese, Tahoma for Yoruba, and standard Times New Roman for English.
What specific grammar aspects are highlighted?
The book explains the use of structural particles like 'de', the application of measure words, and the construction of interrogative sentences.
How does the book address business culture in China?
Lessons on professional life, public places, and transactional language (like buying items) provide context for business communication.
How are the tone descriptions helpful for beginners?
The book includes a breakdown of the four pitched tones and the neutral tone, which is critical for correctly pronouncing Mandarin Chinese.
- Quote paper
- Banwo Adetoro Olaniyi (Author), 2016, Chinese Made Easy. Introducing Chinese Language to Yoruba Speakers, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/338907
