Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Chinese Wonderland Board Game App
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Chinese Wonderland App
Sometime near the beginning of the school year I discovered that the company that produces Chinese Wonderland, the textbook the children used in Level 1 Mandarin, makes apps for use on the iPhone and iPad. I purchased Level 1, traditional Chinese, and used it sporadically with Cilla throughout the year. It follows the same curriculum as the textbook and offers supplementary practice with the same vocabulary and structures (so there's nothing really new here, though the dialogues are somewhat different from those presented in the textbook). It's fairly well-done, but we didn't use it often, mostly because there wasn't much to do with each chapter (You can finish a chapter in 5 minutes), and so, with an already busy schedule and other Chinese homework to complete, we simply fell out of the habit of doing it.
This week, however, I've revisited it and I now see it as a nice tool for reviewing during the summer so that we do not lose all the progress we've gained. What I like is that it's the same stuff the children have learned but in a format they haven't yet seen, so it seems fresh. I also like that the vocabulary is presented in a sentence and you can make substitutions with other vocabulary in the sentence (You can change one of the words in the sentence and hear it read to you). I thought the textbook could have done a better job of encouraging the children to make new sentences by inserting different vocabulary into basic sentence structures, so it was nice to see this feature on the app.
Other notes and tips:
This week, however, I've revisited it and I now see it as a nice tool for reviewing during the summer so that we do not lose all the progress we've gained. What I like is that it's the same stuff the children have learned but in a format they haven't yet seen, so it seems fresh. I also like that the vocabulary is presented in a sentence and you can make substitutions with other vocabulary in the sentence (You can change one of the words in the sentence and hear it read to you). I thought the textbook could have done a better job of encouraging the children to make new sentences by inserting different vocabulary into basic sentence structures, so it was nice to see this feature on the app.
Other notes and tips:
- I bought the app for $2.99, but as with many apps, the price can fluctuate. I have since seen it for $.99.
- Encourage your learner to sometimes try to read aloud the words and sentences before listening to them. After listening, say the word or sentence again for more pronunciation practice.
- The app allows you to see characters, pinyin, and English together. Although this can certainly be helpful at times, it is important for the children to be able to read the Chinese characters without seeing the pinyin and to be able to understand the meaning without seeing the English. It would be nice if there were a way to hide the pinyin, English, and characters, but there doesn't seem to be. In some places, you can scroll down slowly so as not to reveal the pinyin or Engish translation until you're ready; in other places, hiding this info is more difficult.
- Encourage your student to read the Chinese characters first whenever possible. If she doesn't know the sound the character makes, then have her look at the pinyin and read that if she is able. Likewise, avoid looking at the English translation unless your child really does not know what something means. Requiring an English translation at every turn can sometimes impede the flow of the Chinese ( and it really isn't as necessary as we are trained to think it is) , so sometimes let things go without asking for one.
- You can certainly let your little learner loose to do the app on her own, but there are certain benefits to sitting down to do it with her from time to time. That way you can make sure she gets the maximum benefit from it.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Liǎng zhī lǎohǔ
The Two Tigers song was introduced to the children all the way back at the beginning of the school year and was performed at the DFES Mandarin graduation. Originating in Taiwan, Liǎng zhī lǎohǔ is sung to the tune of the French song Frère Jacques. Here are the pinyin and English lyrics and a cartoon clip of the song. Note that some versions of the song seem to use "eyes," while others use "ears." Students should be able to swap out one word for another since they have learned both words in class.For extra practice: Can you sing the song by replacing the Mandarin words for eyes/ears and tail with the Mandarin words for other body parts like hand, foot, shoulders, knees, head, toes....?
Liǎng zhī lǎohǔ,
Liǎng zhī lǎohǔ,#
Pǎo de kuài,
Pǎo de kuài,
Yī zhī méiyǒu yǎnjīng,
Yī zhī méiyǒu wěibā,
Zhēn qíguài,
Zhēn qíguài.
Two Tigers, Two Tigers, Run so fast, Run so fast, One has no eyes, One has no tail, So strange, So strange.
Pángxiè: Crab Rhyme!
A while back, the students learned a rhyme with gestures about a crab. After some research, I discovered that this rhyme makes a surprise appearance in the movie "Shanghai Noon," with Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson. The rhyme has been changed up a bit there and the scene is not particularly suitable for children, so I used the pinyin and character information a helpful youtube commenter provided to hunt down some other versions of it. Below are several clips of the crab rhyme. The middle clip is a group of adults performing the short rhyme with the gestures. The first is a short soundtrack which includes the crab rhyme, followed by the same rhyme set to a tune. Finally, the third video showcases some young children in adorable crab costumes dancing to the rhyme and some music. The pinyin and English translations are below.
páng xiè yī yā zhǎo bā gè，
liǎng tóu jiān jiān，zhè mó dà de gè，
yǎn yī jǐ yā，bó yī suō，
pá yā pá yā guò shā hé。
螃蟹一呀，爪八個，
兩頭尖尖，這麼大的個，
眼一擠呀，脖一縮，
爬呀爬呀過沙河。
One crab with eight feet and pointed horns - what a big crab
Blinking eyes, shrinking head,
crawling, crawling everywhere.
páng xiè yī yā zhǎo bā gè，
liǎng tóu jiān jiān，zhè mó dà de gè，
yǎn yī jǐ yā，bó yī suō，
pá yā pá yā guò shā hé。
螃蟹一呀，爪八個，
兩頭尖尖，這麼大的個，
眼一擠呀，脖一縮，
爬呀爬呀過沙河。
One crab with eight feet and pointed horns - what a big crab
Blinking eyes, shrinking head,
crawling, crawling everywhere.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Lantern Videos
Since the children were given sky lanterns at their graduation from the Mandarin program, I thought they might like to see them in action. Here are some videos related to Chinese sky lanterns. The first shows a spectacular scene in Taiwan during a lantern festival. Set to beautiful music, the release of hundreds of lanterns is a mesmerizing sight that seems almost other-worldly. I have also added a video in the link bar at the side that shows you how to light and send off your own sky lantern if you decide you want to do this.
The second video below is a clip from the movie "Tangled," translated into Mandarin. It is the famous scene in the boat where Rapunzel and Flynn watch the lanterns floating gracefully up into the sky. There is a little bit of dialogue and Rapunzel's beautiful song "I see the light," both in Mandarin. To see the lyrics while you listen, hit the closed caption icon and click on "Chinese Traditional Pinyin." You can also find the Pinyin repeated, along with an English translation of the song below.
This song is of special significance to Cilla because she learned Rapunzel's part in French a few years ago, simply by watching a video of it and singing the song with me at the kitchen table repeatedly over a period of a few weeks. Though Rapunzel's song is more complex than some of the other Mandarin songs the children have learned, so much can be gained by simply imitating the sounds and rhythm of the language. Enjoy!
I see the light
Rapunzel
All those days watching from the windows
All those years outside looking in
All that time never even knowing
Just how blind I've been
Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight
Now I'm here, suddenly I see
Standing here, it's all so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be
And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you
Eugene (Flynn)
All those days chasing down a daydream
All those years living in a blur
All that time never truly seeing
Things, the way they were
Now she's here shining in the starlight
Now she's here, suddenly I know
If she's here it's crystal clear
I'm where I'm meant to go
Rapunzel & Eugene (Flynn)
And at last I see the light
Eugene (Flynn)
And it's like the fog is lifted
Rapunzel & Eugene (Flynn)
And at last I see the light
Rapunzel
And it's like the sky is new
Rapunzel & Eugene (Flynn)
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once, everything is different
Now that I see you, now that I see you
Pinyin:
Měi yītiān dúzì zhàn zài chuāng biān
měi yī nián tiàowàngzhe yuǎn chù
měi yīkè cónglái dōu bù zhīdào
wǒ yǒu duō mángmù
kàn kàn wǒ zhùlì zài xīngkōng xià
hǎo ràng wǒ jǐn shǒu zài yǎndǐ
zhè yīqiè rúcǐ qīngxī
wǒ Rèn qīng wǒ zìjǐ
zhōngyú wǒ kěyǐ míngbái
jiù hǎoxiàng shì míwù piāosàn qù
zhōngyú wǒ kěyǐ míngbái
xiàng yǎnqián shǎn liàng yèkōng
rúcǐ wēnnuǎn ér zhēnshí
yīqiè sìhū yǐjīng gǎibiàn
chànà jiān yīqiè biàn dé bùtóng
yīnwèi wǒ yǒu nǐ
Měi yītiān zhuīzhe zhè bái rì mèng
měi yī nián huāngdàn guòrìzi
měi yīkè wǒ cónglái bu céng yǒu
guò kàn qīng yīqiè
kànkàn tā zài yèkōng xià shǎnyào
zhǐyǒu tā zài wǒ de yǎndǐ
yīnwèi tā wǒ de cúnzài
yǒule Xīn de yìyì
zhōngyú wǒ kěyǐ míngbái
jiù hǎoxiàng shì míwù piāosàn qù
zhōngyú wǒ kěyǐ míngbái
xiàng yǎnqián shǎn liàng yèkōng
rúcǐ wēnnuǎn ér zhēnshí
yīqiè sìhū yǐjīng gǎibiàn
zhè yīkè yīqiè biàn dé bùtóng
yīnwèi wǒ yǒu nǐ
yīnwèi Wǒ yǒu nǐ
The second video below is a clip from the movie "Tangled," translated into Mandarin. It is the famous scene in the boat where Rapunzel and Flynn watch the lanterns floating gracefully up into the sky. There is a little bit of dialogue and Rapunzel's beautiful song "I see the light," both in Mandarin. To see the lyrics while you listen, hit the closed caption icon and click on "Chinese Traditional Pinyin." You can also find the Pinyin repeated, along with an English translation of the song below.
This song is of special significance to Cilla because she learned Rapunzel's part in French a few years ago, simply by watching a video of it and singing the song with me at the kitchen table repeatedly over a period of a few weeks. Though Rapunzel's song is more complex than some of the other Mandarin songs the children have learned, so much can be gained by simply imitating the sounds and rhythm of the language. Enjoy!
I see the light
Rapunzel
All those days watching from the windows
All those years outside looking in
All that time never even knowing
Just how blind I've been
Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight
Now I'm here, suddenly I see
Standing here, it's all so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be
And at last I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once everything looks different
Now that I see you
Eugene (Flynn)
All those days chasing down a daydream
All those years living in a blur
All that time never truly seeing
Things, the way they were
Now she's here shining in the starlight
Now she's here, suddenly I know
If she's here it's crystal clear
I'm where I'm meant to go
Rapunzel & Eugene (Flynn)
And at last I see the light
Eugene (Flynn)
And it's like the fog is lifted
Rapunzel & Eugene (Flynn)
And at last I see the light
Rapunzel
And it's like the sky is new
Rapunzel & Eugene (Flynn)
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted
All at once, everything is different
Now that I see you, now that I see you
Pinyin:
Měi yītiān dúzì zhàn zài chuāng biān
měi yī nián tiàowàngzhe yuǎn chù
měi yīkè cónglái dōu bù zhīdào
wǒ yǒu duō mángmù
kàn kàn wǒ zhùlì zài xīngkōng xià
hǎo ràng wǒ jǐn shǒu zài yǎndǐ
zhè yīqiè rúcǐ qīngxī
wǒ Rèn qīng wǒ zìjǐ
zhōngyú wǒ kěyǐ míngbái
jiù hǎoxiàng shì míwù piāosàn qù
zhōngyú wǒ kěyǐ míngbái
xiàng yǎnqián shǎn liàng yèkōng
rúcǐ wēnnuǎn ér zhēnshí
yīqiè sìhū yǐjīng gǎibiàn
chànà jiān yīqiè biàn dé bùtóng
yīnwèi wǒ yǒu nǐ
Měi yītiān zhuīzhe zhè bái rì mèng
měi yī nián huāngdàn guòrìzi
měi yīkè wǒ cónglái bu céng yǒu
guò kàn qīng yīqiè
kànkàn tā zài yèkōng xià shǎnyào
zhǐyǒu tā zài wǒ de yǎndǐ
yīnwèi tā wǒ de cúnzài
yǒule Xīn de yìyì
zhōngyú wǒ kěyǐ míngbái
jiù hǎoxiàng shì míwù piāosàn qù
zhōngyú wǒ kěyǐ míngbái
xiàng yǎnqián shǎn liàng yèkōng
rúcǐ wēnnuǎn ér zhēnshí
yīqiè sìhū yǐjīng gǎibiàn
zhè yīkè yīqiè biàn dé bùtóng
yīnwèi wǒ yǒu nǐ
yīnwèi Wǒ yǒu nǐ
Lanterns in Chinese Culture
The children's graduation performance was fun to watch and a great way to end a year of Mandarin! Each student received a Chinese lantern as a parting gift, so it might be time to learn a bit more about lanterns in Chinese culture and history...
Chinese red lanterns have a long history, and they have become a well-known symbol of China Towns worldwide. They started out as a practicality and evolved into elaborate status symbols, literally riddled with mystery.
Read more at http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/culture/paper-cut.htm
Sky Lanterns
From Asianskylanterns.com:
Sky lanterns are one of the most well-known festivity activities in the world. They hold much significance for people in Asian cultures and are said to impart good luck and prosperity. They are commonly used in weddings in many of the Asian countries.
Sky lanterns are an ancient tradition. They go all the way back to times of war when Chinese troops used them to signal to one another. They were useful for this, as they could be sent into the air, but did not remain there, falling back to the ground after just a few minutes in the air, just enough time to get the word out that all was well or was not well.
It was not until times of peace that commoners began to employ sky lanterns in everyday activities, using them as a means of sending wishes and prayers up into the sky towards the heavens where they might be heard better. It was thought that the longer the sky lantern floated in the air, the better luck the sender would have.
Sky Lanterns were thought to have other pleasant effects as well. Floating lanterns eased troubles by pleasing deities and keeping bad spirits away. It was also said that if these lanterns were offered to Buddhist monks they would receive wisdom and knowledge that they did not previously possess, as the light is said to be the light guiding people to the path of knowledge and righteousness. In addition, the sight of the many sky lanterns in the air is a way of bringing tranquility to any family activity or formal festivity, bringing people closer to one another and to the beauty of the heavens. A multitude of sky lanterns in the air is a visual representation of heavenly bodies and beings.
Sky lanterns come in all types of sizes from the very large to the very small or baby sized sky lanterns. They are used in celebrations of all types of things and are the central focus of many festivals. The Yipeng Lantern Festival celebrates the twelfth moon in the Buddhist Calendar, and sky lanterns are a great part of these festivities.
Chinese red lanterns have a long history, and they have become a well-known symbol of China Towns worldwide. They started out as a practicality and evolved into elaborate status symbols, literally riddled with mystery.
Read more at http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/culture/paper-cut.htm
Sky Lanterns
From Asianskylanterns.com:
Sky lanterns are one of the most well-known festivity activities in the world. They hold much significance for people in Asian cultures and are said to impart good luck and prosperity. They are commonly used in weddings in many of the Asian countries.
Sky lanterns are an ancient tradition. They go all the way back to times of war when Chinese troops used them to signal to one another. They were useful for this, as they could be sent into the air, but did not remain there, falling back to the ground after just a few minutes in the air, just enough time to get the word out that all was well or was not well.
It was not until times of peace that commoners began to employ sky lanterns in everyday activities, using them as a means of sending wishes and prayers up into the sky towards the heavens where they might be heard better. It was thought that the longer the sky lantern floated in the air, the better luck the sender would have.
Sky Lanterns were thought to have other pleasant effects as well. Floating lanterns eased troubles by pleasing deities and keeping bad spirits away. It was also said that if these lanterns were offered to Buddhist monks they would receive wisdom and knowledge that they did not previously possess, as the light is said to be the light guiding people to the path of knowledge and righteousness. In addition, the sight of the many sky lanterns in the air is a way of bringing tranquility to any family activity or formal festivity, bringing people closer to one another and to the beauty of the heavens. A multitude of sky lanterns in the air is a visual representation of heavenly bodies and beings.
Sky lanterns come in all types of sizes from the very large to the very small or baby sized sky lanterns. They are used in celebrations of all types of things and are the central focus of many festivals. The Yipeng Lantern Festival celebrates the twelfth moon in the Buddhist Calendar, and sky lanterns are a great part of these festivities.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Sing about eating in Mandarin!
This video clip and song from Basho really makes me want to check out their language materials. I'm very picky and rarely see anything I think is worth purchasing, but the method they use in this song looks promising. It's a long song with a catchy, made-up rhythm. What I like is that there is lots of repetition, food is presented in a grammatical context (I love to eat ....; I want to eat...), and several related variations of that grammatical context are presented (We want to eat, I want to eat). By the end of the song, you know how to say several related complete sentences and they stick in your brain. Yes, it's a bit long and repetitive, but you need every last repetition of it, and it never gets boring because of the rhythm. There are a few new words here for students (rice, noodles, vegetables, corn, we, hungry), but not many, so it should be very manageable for them; they should come away from the song with a stronger sense of how to use the verb "eat" in Mandarin, and with a couple of extra food words under their belt as well.
"Wǒ è le, I'm Hungry!" song lyrics from BASHO & friends:
ENGLISH:
Teacher, I am hungry!
What do you want to eat?
I want to eat rice x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat rice x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat vegetables x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat vegetables x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We love to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We want to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat apples x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat apples x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat fish x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat fish x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We love to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We want to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat noodles x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat noodles x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat corn x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat corn x 3
We love to eat!
/ I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We love to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We want to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat rice!
We want to eat rice!
I want to eat vegetables!
We want to eat vegetables!
I want to eat apples!
We want to eat apples!
I want to eat fish!
we want to eat fish!
I want to eat noodles!
We want to eat noodles!
I want to eat corn!
we want to eat corn!
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We love to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We want to eat ~ we love to eat
Mandarin:
Lǎoshī, wǒ è le!
Wǒ è le! ma? Nǐ yào chī shénme?
wǒ yào chī fàn x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī fàn x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī cài x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī cài x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī píng guǒ x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī píng guǒ x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī yú x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī yú x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī miàn x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī miàn x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī yùmǐ x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī yùmǐ x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī fàn!
wǒmen yào chī fàn!
wǒ yào chī cài!
wǒmen yào chī cài!
wǒ yào chī píng guǒ!
wǒmen yào chī píng guǒ!
wǒ yào chī yú!
wǒmen yào chī yú!
wǒ yào chī miàn!
wǒmen yào chī miàn!
wǒ yào chī yùmǐ!
wǒmen yào chī yùmǐ!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen ài chī ~ wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen ài chī ~ wǒmen ài chī
"Wǒ è le, I'm Hungry!" song lyrics from BASHO & friends:
ENGLISH:
Teacher, I am hungry!
What do you want to eat?
I want to eat rice x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat rice x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat vegetables x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat vegetables x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We love to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We want to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat apples x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat apples x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat fish x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat fish x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We love to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We want to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat noodles x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat noodles x 3
We love to eat!
I want to eat corn x 3
I love to eat!
We want to eat corn x 3
We love to eat!
/ I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We love to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We want to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat rice!
We want to eat rice!
I want to eat vegetables!
We want to eat vegetables!
I want to eat apples!
We want to eat apples!
I want to eat fish!
we want to eat fish!
I want to eat noodles!
We want to eat noodles!
I want to eat corn!
we want to eat corn!
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We love to eat ~ we love to eat
I want to eat ~ I love to eat!
We want to eat ~ we love to eat
Mandarin:
Lǎoshī, wǒ è le!
Wǒ è le! ma? Nǐ yào chī shénme?
wǒ yào chī fàn x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī fàn x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī cài x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī cài x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī píng guǒ x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī píng guǒ x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī yú x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī yú x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī miàn x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī miàn x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī yùmǐ x 3
wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī yùmǐ x 3
wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen yào chī ~ wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī fàn!
wǒmen yào chī fàn!
wǒ yào chī cài!
wǒmen yào chī cài!
wǒ yào chī píng guǒ!
wǒmen yào chī píng guǒ!
wǒ yào chī yú!
wǒmen yào chī yú!
wǒ yào chī miàn!
wǒmen yào chī miàn!
wǒ yào chī yùmǐ!
wǒmen yào chī yùmǐ!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen ài chī ~ wǒmen ài chī!
wǒ yào chī ~ wǒ ài chī!
wǒmen ài chī ~ wǒmen ài chī
Nǐ hē shén me? What do you want to drink?
The students have been learning how to talk about drinks. The video below reviews 3 of the drinks they have learned (milk, juice, and water) after a short review of basic greetings in Mandarin. "Jade" is encouraging and gentle, and although she uses almost entirely English and does not introduce these words within a grammatical context (something I look for when I evaluate language materials), I do believe this is an entertaining, short clip that is worth showing your child.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Mŭ qīn jié kuài lè!
Happy Mother's Day! While hunting for the song about mothers that the children learned in class a while back, I came across a lot of Chinese songs about mother. Mama Hao and Wo De Hao Mama are two that come up often on YouTube (and are also worth listening to). They are rather beautiful and sentimental, and looking at the translations of some of these songs reveals the special place that mothers hold in Chinese culture.
With only a loose English translation of the title I was looking for, I had a lot of difficulty finding the exact song the children learned in class, but I do believe I have finally found it. It is called "Tian Xia De Mama Dou Shi Yi Yang De." You can listen to the song and watch some clips of some girls and their beloved mother below.
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
bùguǎn fēng chuī yǔ dǎ bùwèn xīngqī huò lìjià
Wǒ de māma cónglái bù fàngjià gōngzuò wéile jiā
chúfáng shì tā de tiānxià shīzi tóu hái yǒu hóngshāoyā
yàngyàng tā dōu jīngtōng bù huì jiǎ tā shì wǒ māma
cóng xiǎo chángcháng áimà nà shì yīnwèi wǒ bù tīnghuà
bù yào yǐ wéi zhè shì zhǒng chéngfá tā zhǐyào wǒ zhǎngdà
māma Wǒ gǎnxiè nǐ méiyǒu bǎ Wǒ gēn dà máo bǐ
suīrán wǒ kǎoshì méiyǒu dé dì yī tā shuō zhǐyào nǐ jǐnle lì
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
bùguǎn tàiyáng shēng qǐ bùguǎn xīyáng tā yòu luò xī
wéi le wǒmen nǐ xīshēng le zìjǐ wǒ yǒngyuǎn búhuì wàngjì
jiānglái yǒu nàme yītiān wǒ bǎ tàiyáng gāogāo shēngqǐ
guà zài nǐ yǒngyuǎn mǎnzú de xiàoyì lǐ, māma wǒ ài nǐ~
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
la la la la la la la ….
la la la la la la la ….
All the moms in the world are all the same; oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
All the moms in the world are all the same; oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
No matter it is wind blowing or rain hitting, no matter it is a weekday or a vacation,
My mom never takes a vacation; for the home she works.
Kitchen is her world – lion head and also simmer-fried duck.
(note: Lion head is a Chinese dish which made of pork meatballs, while simmer-fried duck is also called soy sauce braised duck.)
She is skilled at everything and she doesn’t fake anything; she is my mom.
Since my childhood, I often got scolded; it is because I did not listen (to her words).
Don’t think this is one kind of punishment; she just wanted me to grow up.
Mom I thank you for not comparing me to Da Mao.
(Da Mao, literally means big fur, just a random nickname for a friend.)
Although I did not get first place on the testings. She said (it is OK) as long as you did your best.
All the moms in the world are all the same; oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
No matter the sun rises again (or) no matter the setting sun sets in the west again,
For us, you sacrifice yourself; I forever won’t forget.
In the future, there will be one day, I will raise the sun high.
Hang it in your forever satisfied smiles; Mom I love you.
All the moms in the world are all the same;oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
All the moms in the world are all the same;oh, all the moms in the world are all the same
All the moms in the world are all the same;oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
All the moms in the world are all the same;oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
bùguǎn fēng chuī yǔ dǎ bùwèn xīngqī huò lìjià
Wǒ de māma cónglái bù fàngjià gōngzuò wéile jiā
chúfáng shì tā de tiānxià shīzi tóu hái yǒu hóngshāoyā
yàngyàng tā dōu jīngtōng bù huì jiǎ tā shì wǒ māma
cóng xiǎo chángcháng áimà nà shì yīnwèi wǒ bù tīnghuà
bù yào yǐ wéi zhè shì zhǒng chéngfá tā zhǐyào wǒ zhǎngdà
māma Wǒ gǎnxiè nǐ méiyǒu bǎ Wǒ gēn dà máo bǐ
suīrán wǒ kǎoshì méiyǒu dé dì yī tā shuō zhǐyào nǐ jǐnle lì
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
bùguǎn tàiyáng shēng qǐ bùguǎn xīyáng tā yòu luò xī
wéi le wǒmen nǐ xīshēng le zìjǐ wǒ yǒngyuǎn búhuì wàngjì
jiānglái yǒu nàme yītiān wǒ bǎ tàiyáng gāogāo shēngqǐ
guà zài nǐ yǒngyuǎn mǎnzú de xiàoyì lǐ, māma wǒ ài nǐ~
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de ó ~ tiānxià de māma dōu shì yīyàng de
la la la la la la la ….
la la la la la la la ….
All the moms in the world are all the same; oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
All the moms in the world are all the same; oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
No matter it is wind blowing or rain hitting, no matter it is a weekday or a vacation,
My mom never takes a vacation; for the home she works.
Kitchen is her world – lion head and also simmer-fried duck.
(note: Lion head is a Chinese dish which made of pork meatballs, while simmer-fried duck is also called soy sauce braised duck.)
She is skilled at everything and she doesn’t fake anything; she is my mom.
Since my childhood, I often got scolded; it is because I did not listen (to her words).
Don’t think this is one kind of punishment; she just wanted me to grow up.
Mom I thank you for not comparing me to Da Mao.
(Da Mao, literally means big fur, just a random nickname for a friend.)
Although I did not get first place on the testings. She said (it is OK) as long as you did your best.
All the moms in the world are all the same; oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
No matter the sun rises again (or) no matter the setting sun sets in the west again,
For us, you sacrifice yourself; I forever won’t forget.
In the future, there will be one day, I will raise the sun high.
Hang it in your forever satisfied smiles; Mom I love you.
All the moms in the world are all the same;oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
All the moms in the world are all the same;oh, all the moms in the world are all the same
All the moms in the world are all the same;oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
All the moms in the world are all the same;oh, all the moms in the world are all the same.
Mò Li Huā
Here is a clip of children dancing to Mò Li Huā. It brings back memories of the Lunar New Year performance at DFES, only this one has some lovely fan and ribbon dancing. The jasmine flower song is sung many times during this performance in slighly different ways, so you will certainly come away from watching it with the words in your head!
Lyrics
hǎo yī duǒ mĕi lì de mò li huā
hăo yī duŏ mĕi lì de mò li huā
fēn fāng měi lì mǎn zhī yā
yòu xiāng yòu bái rén rén kuā
ràng wǒ lái jiāng nǐ zhāi xià
Sòng gěi biě rén jiā
mò li huā ya mò li huā
好一朵美麗的茉莉花
好一朵美麗的茉莉花
芬芳美麗滿枝椏
又香又白人人誇
讓我來將你摘下
送給別人家
茉莉花呀茉莉花
Literal Translation
What a beautiful jasmine flower
What a beautiful jasmine flower
Sweet-smelling, beautiful, stems full of buds
Fragrant and white, everyone praises
Let me pluck you down
Give to someone's family
Jasmine flower, oh jasmine flower
Poetic Translation
Flower of jasmine, so fair!
Flower of jasmine, so fair!
Budding and blooming here and there,
Pure and fragrant all declare.
Let me take you with tender care,
Your sweetness for all to share.
Jasmine fair, oh jasmine fair.
Lyrics
hǎo yī duǒ mĕi lì de mò li huā
hăo yī duŏ mĕi lì de mò li huā
fēn fāng měi lì mǎn zhī yā
yòu xiāng yòu bái rén rén kuā
ràng wǒ lái jiāng nǐ zhāi xià
Sòng gěi biě rén jiā
mò li huā ya mò li huā
好一朵美麗的茉莉花
好一朵美麗的茉莉花
芬芳美麗滿枝椏
又香又白人人誇
讓我來將你摘下
送給別人家
茉莉花呀茉莉花
Literal Translation
What a beautiful jasmine flower
What a beautiful jasmine flower
Sweet-smelling, beautiful, stems full of buds
Fragrant and white, everyone praises
Let me pluck you down
Give to someone's family
Jasmine flower, oh jasmine flower
Poetic Translation
Flower of jasmine, so fair!
Flower of jasmine, so fair!
Budding and blooming here and there,
Pure and fragrant all declare.
Let me take you with tender care,
Your sweetness for all to share.
Jasmine fair, oh jasmine fair.
Jasmine Flower Song in Chinese Culture
The children have been singing "Mo Li Hua," a famous song about the jasmine flower. The song has cultural significance and has played a part in some recent historical events, so I decided to learn a bit more about it. Below are some excerpts from Wikipedia that I found interesting:
Mo Li Hua From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mo Li Hua (Chinese: 茉莉花; pinyin: Mòlìhuā; literally "Jasmine Flower";[a]), is a popular Chinese folk song. The song dates to 18th century. In time, many regional variations were created, and the song gained popularity both in China and abroad.
It has been used during events such as 2004 Summer Olympics, 2008 Summer Olympics and 2010 Shanghai Expo opening ceremony, and controversially during the 2011 Chinese protests.
History and popularity
It was created during the Qianlong Emperor period of the Qing Dynasty (18th century). There are several regional versions of the song,the more well known one from the Jiangsu Province, and the other from Zhejiang Province. They have different lyrics and melody.
One version of the song describes a custom of giving Jasmine flowers, popular in the southern Yangtze delta region of China. Another, longer version describes the fear of plucking the flower. It has been played on ancient metal bells (bianzhong) and modern jade chimes. It uses the five note (pentatonic) scale developed in China and popular through Asia. The tune is one of xiaodiao ("short tunes"), popular in Chinese urban areas.In 1804 a British diplomat, John Barrow, noted that the tune seems to be one of the most popular songs in China.
The song became one of the first Chinese folk songs to become widely known outside China. In 1896 the song was used as temporary national anthem by the Qing Chinese officials in Europe. The melody has become well known among Western listeners as it was included by Giacomo Puccini in his opera Turandot (1926), where it is associated with 'Turandot's splendor'. It appeared in a 1934 Hollywood movie The Good Earth (Based on a novel by Pearl Buck) It has been adapted by many artists around the world, for example by Kenny G. In 1982 the song found a place on a UNESCO list of recommended songs. When China regained sovereignty of Macau and Hong Kong, in 1999 and 1997, respectively, this music was played in the ceremonies. The song was said to be a the favorite of China’s former leader, Jiang Zemin (it was at his request that the song was played during the transfer ceremony in Hong Kong). The tune was played during Central Committee of the Communist Party of China meetings.
This song was sung partially unaccompanied by a young Chinese girl, and partially accompanied by the music by Peking University students (whose version has been described as infused with a techno beat) and broadcast to the world at the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, to introduce the next Olympic Games site. An adaptation of the melody by Tan Dun and Wang Hesheng, chosen from more than 4,000 pieces, was played during the medal ceremonies at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. It was also performed at the 2010 Shanghai Expo opening ceremony by an orchestra with the pianist Lang Lang.
Zhao Dongming, head of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games's culture and ceremonies department, commented that "This piece of music reminds you of the gold medals for the Beijing Olympics, which are made of gold and jade". This piece of Tan Dun, an Academy Award winning Chinese contemporary classical composer, cited by China Daily in 2008, described it as "glorious, heartwarming and full of respect... an iconic piece... almost a cultural symbol of China" and "From Puccini to the Beijing Olympics, this melody is a gift from the Chinese people to the world's athletes". In 2009 Russian singer Vitas, during the Chinese premiere of his program Sleepless Night, at least has also performed Mo Li Hua (never included in digital download until then).
During the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests the song became associated with the Jasmine Revolution, as organisers instructed protesters to play Mo Li Hua on their cell phones as a form of antigovernment protest. The song was placed on authorities' list of online censored materials. Videos of the song, including at least one from an official event (a 2006 Kenyan students welcome for Chinese president Hu Jintao), were removed from Chinese websites, and searches for the song's name were blocked. The censorship attracted widespread attention and was difficult because of the popularity of the song and its association with Chinese culture and history. At least one new version of the song, mentioning fear of arrests, has been developed by the activists as a response.
Mo Li Hua From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mo Li Hua (Chinese: 茉莉花; pinyin: Mòlìhuā; literally "Jasmine Flower";[a]), is a popular Chinese folk song. The song dates to 18th century. In time, many regional variations were created, and the song gained popularity both in China and abroad.
It has been used during events such as 2004 Summer Olympics, 2008 Summer Olympics and 2010 Shanghai Expo opening ceremony, and controversially during the 2011 Chinese protests.
History and popularity
It was created during the Qianlong Emperor period of the Qing Dynasty (18th century). There are several regional versions of the song,the more well known one from the Jiangsu Province, and the other from Zhejiang Province. They have different lyrics and melody.
One version of the song describes a custom of giving Jasmine flowers, popular in the southern Yangtze delta region of China. Another, longer version describes the fear of plucking the flower. It has been played on ancient metal bells (bianzhong) and modern jade chimes. It uses the five note (pentatonic) scale developed in China and popular through Asia. The tune is one of xiaodiao ("short tunes"), popular in Chinese urban areas.In 1804 a British diplomat, John Barrow, noted that the tune seems to be one of the most popular songs in China.
The song became one of the first Chinese folk songs to become widely known outside China. In 1896 the song was used as temporary national anthem by the Qing Chinese officials in Europe. The melody has become well known among Western listeners as it was included by Giacomo Puccini in his opera Turandot (1926), where it is associated with 'Turandot's splendor'. It appeared in a 1934 Hollywood movie The Good Earth (Based on a novel by Pearl Buck) It has been adapted by many artists around the world, for example by Kenny G. In 1982 the song found a place on a UNESCO list of recommended songs. When China regained sovereignty of Macau and Hong Kong, in 1999 and 1997, respectively, this music was played in the ceremonies. The song was said to be a the favorite of China’s former leader, Jiang Zemin (it was at his request that the song was played during the transfer ceremony in Hong Kong). The tune was played during Central Committee of the Communist Party of China meetings.
This song was sung partially unaccompanied by a young Chinese girl, and partially accompanied by the music by Peking University students (whose version has been described as infused with a techno beat) and broadcast to the world at the closing ceremonies of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, to introduce the next Olympic Games site. An adaptation of the melody by Tan Dun and Wang Hesheng, chosen from more than 4,000 pieces, was played during the medal ceremonies at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. It was also performed at the 2010 Shanghai Expo opening ceremony by an orchestra with the pianist Lang Lang.
Zhao Dongming, head of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games's culture and ceremonies department, commented that "This piece of music reminds you of the gold medals for the Beijing Olympics, which are made of gold and jade". This piece of Tan Dun, an Academy Award winning Chinese contemporary classical composer, cited by China Daily in 2008, described it as "glorious, heartwarming and full of respect... an iconic piece... almost a cultural symbol of China" and "From Puccini to the Beijing Olympics, this melody is a gift from the Chinese people to the world's athletes". In 2009 Russian singer Vitas, during the Chinese premiere of his program Sleepless Night, at least has also performed Mo Li Hua (never included in digital download until then).
During the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests the song became associated with the Jasmine Revolution, as organisers instructed protesters to play Mo Li Hua on their cell phones as a form of antigovernment protest. The song was placed on authorities' list of online censored materials. Videos of the song, including at least one from an official event (a 2006 Kenyan students welcome for Chinese president Hu Jintao), were removed from Chinese websites, and searches for the song's name were blocked. The censorship attracted widespread attention and was difficult because of the popularity of the song and its association with Chinese culture and history. At least one new version of the song, mentioning fear of arrests, has been developed by the activists as a response.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Guā guā guā guā guā
On our walk to school, in the kitchen, in the car... I hear my daughter, and even my 2 year old, quacking in Mandarin. They are singing Chǒu xiǎo yā, a song the children learned a while back in class. Everyone knows how effective (and fun) it is to learn language through songs. But, getting to the point where you can sing all the words to a song in a foreign language takes quite a bit of repetition for most people, probably more than what the children can get just singing the song in class. So, I found the videos below to help my daughter learn all the words to Chǒu xiǎo yā. The first clip is the version the children should recognize from class. The second is an amusing clip, perhaps from a tv show, where a young man performs some silly gestures and dance moves to a jazzed-up version of the song. If you play the song often enough and maybe even try to sing it yourself, chances are your Mandarin learner will eventually learn all the words. Don't worry so much about your child mastering the meaning of all the words in the song; instead let your learner focus on the sounds and rhythm of the language in the song.
丑小鸭 chou xiao ya
The Ugly Duckling
呱呱呱呱呱
guā guā guā guā guā
Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack
丑小鸭，丑小鸭
chǒu xiǎo yā , chǒu xiǎo yā
Ugly little duckling, ugly little duckling
腿儿短短脚掌大
tuǐ ér duǎnduǎn jiǎo zhǎng dà
Legs are short and feet are big.
长长脖子扁嘴巴
chángcháng bózi Biǎn zuǐbā
(With) Long long neck and a flat mouth
走起路来摇摇摇
Zǒu qǐ lù lái yáo yáo yáo
When he is walking, he is always wobbling and swaying
爱到河边去玩耍
ài dào hébiān qù wánshuǎ
He loves to go to the riverside and play
喉咙虽小声音大
hóulóng suī xiǎoshēng yīn dà
Although her throat is little, his voice is big
可是只会呱呱呱
kěshì zhǐ huì guā guā guā
However, he can only quack, quack, quack
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Learning Mandarin is more colorful with Yánsè
The children have been learning about colors! If you want to give your Mandarin learner a fun review, watch the video clip below for a nice song presentation of the colors in Mandarin. You might also want to check out the other video clip for a different take on colors. In that clip, the word for balloon is introduced and the colors are presented in a simple phrase with the word balloon. Since it is always best for language learners to see how words combine together in the structure of a language, I think this is a good exercise. To help your learner even further, ask him/ her about the colors of objects you see around you. If your child doesn't respond enthusiastically in Mandarin, you can help them get excited about colors by watching the color song together.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Shuǐguǒ!
What is your favorite type of fruit? Ask your Mandarin learner this question and they should be able to tell you the Chinese name of at least one fruit. The children studying in the Mandarin class featured in the short video clip below (not our class) were asked to say which of several fruits was their favorite. Listen to their answers with your child and look at the votes tallied at the end of the "shuǐguǒ election." Encourage your Mandarin learner to say, "Wǒ xǐhuan ....." and fill in the blank with watermelon, apples, or strawberries.
Learn Pinyin with a song!
The students have been working on pinyin the past few weeks and learning the sounds of initials and finals. Here's a children's animated music video that teaches the sounds of Mandarin with their pinyin representation.
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