Chinese Pinyin is the romanization of the Chinese "written sound". Romanization approximates Mandarin pronunciation with Western spellings and includes a tone mark to signify the pitch of a word.
Just like alphabet A - Z to English, Pinyin provides a phonetic alphabet for Chinese and is taught from Grade 1 in Chinese elementary schools. It is a fundamental tool used for learning the spelling of Chinese characters throughout Chinese language study.
Pinyin is used by most modern Chinese dictionaries to denote pronunciation of characters. It is also an efficient input method in Chinese computer software, which is natively supported by Microsoft Windows OS.
After mastering Pinyin, you can easily read Chinese books with Pinyin marked, learn Chinese characters by looking in the dictionary, or input Chinese characters into your computer, it will take your Chinese study to a higher level.
25 out of 26 English alphabet letters are used in Pinyin. Letter 'v' is not used, while letter ' ü ' is added to represent the vowel sound of 'yu'.
Pinyin includes consonants and vowel letters.
1. Consonant letters
There are 20 consonant letters use in Mandarin (three consonants are represented by combinations of two letters - 'zh', 'ch' and 'sh'), they are:
b, p, m, f, d, t, n, l, g, k, h, j, q, x, z, c, s, zh, ch, sh, r, y, w
2. Vowel letters
There are 6 vowel letters used in Mandarin:
a, o, e, i, u, ü
3. Syllables
Syllables are composed by consonants, vowels and tone.
The consonant that begins a syllable is initial (listen to the pronunciation in mp3 format online at http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com/chinese-pinyin-initials.html) , they can be:
b, p, m, f, d, t, n, l, g, k, h, j, q, x, z, c, s, zh, ch, sh, r, y, w
The rest parts after the initial are finals. Final ( listen to the pronunciation in mp3 format online at http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com/chinese-pinyin-finals.html ) can be a single vowel, a combination of vowels, or combination of vowels and nasals 'n' or 'ng':
There are 6 simple finals which are single vowels, they are : a, o, e, i, u, ü .
The others are compound finals, they are:
ai, ao, ou, ei, ia, ie, iao, iou, ua, uo, uai, uei, üe,
an, ang, ong, en, eng, in, ing, ian, iang, iong, uen, ueng, uan, uang, ün, üan
The combination of 21 initials and 33 finals in Mandarin romanization (there are five more finals, but they share the same symbols as other finals) form about 420 different sounds.
A word consists of initial + final + tone. In some cases, the initial can be omitted.
Although most of the sounds are generally close to how they are used and pronounced in English, some don't follow English letters exactly and are pronounced differently.
Pay extra attention to the differences and listen closely to each Chinese sound, it takes practices to pronounce correctly.
Rosie From Learn Chinese Language Online (http://www.learn-chinese-language-online.com)
The goal of Learn Chinese Language Online (LCLO) is to reduce the Mandarin Learning curve, promote and introduce the most efficient way to grasp the broad foundation of Chinese language.
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Friday, September 18, 2009
Teaching English in Mexico: A Decent Living?
What's more disappointing than a person who makes a promise he can't keep? A person who makes a promise that is a lie. Many promises to make a "decent living" teaching English in Mexico are just that-a lie.
If you do a phrase search on Google, "teach English in Mexico," you will get almost 900,000 hits. Some of these sites are filled with tantalizingly appealing phrases like,
"For only a few dollars a week you can have_____in Mexico".
"First-class bus travel to such and such a place is only____".
All are allurements trying to sell their how-to book, tapes, seminars, or placement service for teaching English abroad.They give the impression that you will be able to make enough money to live a life of luxury and ease with all that money you will make teaching English in Mexico.
We've met many young women who come to Guanajuato with the hope and dream of getting a teaching job making a bundle. The word "shock" is putting it mildly when they find out what their salaries will be in some of these private schools. A good pay scale would be less than $3.00 an hour. I know of some schools that pay even less than that amount.
Can you imagine how many hours you would have to work to make ends meet? Minimum wage is about $400.00 USD a month. Granted, many Mexicans live on that. But could you-an American? Could you downscale to living on so little?
Four types who come to Mexico to teach English are:
1) Someone who wants a new adventure-something different.
2) Someone who wants to build a resume, no matter the salary.
3) Someone who wants to earn a little traveling money.
4) Someone who thinks they can earn a decent living.Groups 1 through 3 don't care what the dollar sign is in their salary. They have other sources of income like savings or parents who help support them while they are in Mexico. These are the most transient. Here today, promising their employers a year contract, and gone tomorrow. Some employers will not hire these "floaters." Schools would love to hire those with ties to the community but they are rare.
Group 4, people who think they can make a living, do not accept the reality that you can rarely make a living at teaching English in Mexico. They are like those who go to Hollywood with the delusion of becoming an actor, "Oh, it's a long shot, but maybe I can do it."
In an informal e-mail survey I took of Mexican schools that offer ESL classes, the overwhelming majority agreed that it is rare for anyone to make a living at teaching English in Mexico. One called it "an unrealistic expectation" to believe otherwise.
"...the pay is very low and it is difficult to imagine how one could live on it."
Another source told me that unless the teacher had signed a contract with a large established organization before departure to the country, it was unlikely that a good salary would be waiting for them. Countries like Japan or China offer a competitive salary with benefits.
Mexico does not.
Most of the available jobs are with small private schools that pay little.
Some told me that those who do not fulfill their teaching commitments no longer surprise them. They've grown accustomed to this unethical practice by North Americans.
Some have come to Mexico and made a living teaching ESL. But, that is all they can do-work until they drop. They usually have to sign on to teach with at least three schools to get enough hours to earn enough to pay for cost-of-living expenses. There is little time to anything else.
A life of luxury, excitement, and adventure? Hardly. But they keep coming, filled with the delusion that perhaps they can make it work.
Sad.
Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico. His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country, can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241
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If you do a phrase search on Google, "teach English in Mexico," you will get almost 900,000 hits. Some of these sites are filled with tantalizingly appealing phrases like,
"For only a few dollars a week you can have_____in Mexico".
"First-class bus travel to such and such a place is only____".
All are allurements trying to sell their how-to book, tapes, seminars, or placement service for teaching English abroad.They give the impression that you will be able to make enough money to live a life of luxury and ease with all that money you will make teaching English in Mexico.
We've met many young women who come to Guanajuato with the hope and dream of getting a teaching job making a bundle. The word "shock" is putting it mildly when they find out what their salaries will be in some of these private schools. A good pay scale would be less than $3.00 an hour. I know of some schools that pay even less than that amount.
Can you imagine how many hours you would have to work to make ends meet? Minimum wage is about $400.00 USD a month. Granted, many Mexicans live on that. But could you-an American? Could you downscale to living on so little?
Four types who come to Mexico to teach English are:
1) Someone who wants a new adventure-something different.
2) Someone who wants to build a resume, no matter the salary.
3) Someone who wants to earn a little traveling money.
4) Someone who thinks they can earn a decent living.Groups 1 through 3 don't care what the dollar sign is in their salary. They have other sources of income like savings or parents who help support them while they are in Mexico. These are the most transient. Here today, promising their employers a year contract, and gone tomorrow. Some employers will not hire these "floaters." Schools would love to hire those with ties to the community but they are rare.
Group 4, people who think they can make a living, do not accept the reality that you can rarely make a living at teaching English in Mexico. They are like those who go to Hollywood with the delusion of becoming an actor, "Oh, it's a long shot, but maybe I can do it."
In an informal e-mail survey I took of Mexican schools that offer ESL classes, the overwhelming majority agreed that it is rare for anyone to make a living at teaching English in Mexico. One called it "an unrealistic expectation" to believe otherwise.
"...the pay is very low and it is difficult to imagine how one could live on it."
Another source told me that unless the teacher had signed a contract with a large established organization before departure to the country, it was unlikely that a good salary would be waiting for them. Countries like Japan or China offer a competitive salary with benefits.
Mexico does not.
Most of the available jobs are with small private schools that pay little.
Some told me that those who do not fulfill their teaching commitments no longer surprise them. They've grown accustomed to this unethical practice by North Americans.
Some have come to Mexico and made a living teaching ESL. But, that is all they can do-work until they drop. They usually have to sign on to teach with at least three schools to get enough hours to earn enough to pay for cost-of-living expenses. There is little time to anything else.
A life of luxury, excitement, and adventure? Hardly. But they keep coming, filled with the delusion that perhaps they can make it work.
Sad.
Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico. His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country, can be seen at http://www.lulu.com/content/126241
________________________________________
MORE RESOURCES:
RELATED ARTICLES
________________________________________
Learn Korean: Part 2 - Social Status in Culture
Part 1 of this series covered the language and language families in general for the Asian languages. Part 2 will cover the social conduct that is seen throughout Asian countries.
________________________________________
Whats In A Word? More Than You Realize
What's in a word?Apparently more than we might want.For others, the ability to express yourself in the most meaningful way.
________________________________________
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There is a lot of talk about making English the official language of the USA. That would stop the need to spend so much money printing out things like drivers license, tax, voter registration and other official forms in so many languages.
________________________________________
GROUSE ... GROUSE ... GROUSE!!!
I realize that we here in the United States consider ourselves at the top rung of the educational ladder, if only for the fact that so many foreign language students are breaking their necks to come here to both study and live English.But, on second glance, we should not deceive ourselves.
________________________________________
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There are more than 39 million Hispanics live in the United States making it the fifth largest Spanish-speaking nation in the world. It is estimated that within five years, only Mexico will have more Spanish-speakers than the U.
________________________________________
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________________________________________
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________________________________________
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Imagine a child sitting in front of a desk, his head in his hands, and mumbling various lists of words over and over. Does this child remind you of your own experience? If yes, I bet that "list of words" does not sound appealing to you.
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So, you have always been fascinated by Asian culture have you? Maybe you are someone who loves the martial arts; kung fu, tae-kwon-do, or karate. Perhaps you are interested in the cool oriental stores and like to buy many things from them to decorate your house.
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________________________________________
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Relationship: Here is a word that is used to qualify, justify and honey coat just about every nefarious, sleazy or reprehensible union between almost anybody and anything. Recently on an edition of the Jerry Springer show a guest was about to be interviewed who was getting it on with a very close relative.
________________________________________
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Imagine the following scenario: You wake up one morning and instead of speaking English, everyone around you--including your family and friends--is speaking Hungarian. This is a problem because you don't speak Hungarian and you don't have a clue what they're saying.
________________________________________
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________________________________________
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The employment situation can be quite uncertain for newcomers to Greece and therefore many people choose to try teaching English as a foreign language, on a full or part-time basis. It can bring in a good income whether it is your preferred career choice, or you wish to do it short-term until another career choice pans out.
________________________________________
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________________________________________
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Our "mind power" is largely in the way we use our words, and limited by our vocabulary. Words, and the concepts they express, are different in each language, and there are differing common expressions.
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Nothing can be more frustrating than to be in France and not been able to speak their language. For, I remember the days when I was among people chanting around in a language totally alien to me, and me, trying to bring a smile in my face while shaking my head from north to south doing as if I am getting everything what they are speaking about, and waiting impatiently for my French wife to do the translation - and I can't deny, that that was not the most comfortable period of my life.
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