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Do you want to learn some basics in Mandarin Chinese? The tracks presented here are designed to give you a taste of Mandarin Chinese language and culture. You’ll hear short conversations where people greet each other, introduce themselves and their families, describe where they come from and what they do for a living. You’ll hear them talk about sports, ask for directions, buy things, order food in a restaurant, invite someone to dinner – or simply share their experience of learning Chinese. You’ll also find a track to help you with pronunciation and the use of tones. Finally, there’s the chance to listen to interviews in English about Chinese-speaking cultures. Our guide to the language and culture of mainland China is Dr Kan Qian, who is chair of The Open University course: L197: Beginners’ Chinese
You can also download transcripts for all the tracks.
Track 22: Beginners Chinese interview: Tonal language
Interview in English: Discussion on how best to learn the tones.
© The Open University 2010
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Originally published: Friday, 4th June 2010
Copyright information
- Body text - Content : Copyright The Open University
- Audio/Video tracks: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 The Open University 2010
- Image 'Beginners’ Chinese' - Copyright: The Open University 2010
- Image 'Getting started with Chinese 1' - Copyright: Toa55/iStock / Getty Images Plus
- Image 'Tourist' - Copyright: Dreamstime
- Image 'The number two in Chinese' - The Open University under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
- Image 'Portales: beginners' Spanish' - Copyright: The Open University 2008
- Image 'Beginners’ German: Food and drink' - Copyright: © Rocky69/Getty Images
- Image 'how languages further your career image' - The Open University under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
- Image 'sharing a meal, France' - Copyright: BBC
- Image 'Could you be a Super Linguist?' - The Open University under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
- Image 'Comedian Henning Wehn performing at Machfest 2012' - Isabelle under CC-BY-NC-ND licence under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
- Image 'London Centre for languages and culture' - Copyright: Pembroke College Oxford
- Image 'Welsh language sign in the Andes' - Willposh under CC-BY-NC-ND licence under Creative-Commons license
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Publication details
-
Originally published: Friday, 4th June 2010
Copyright information
- Body text - Content: Copyright The Open University
- Audio/Video tracks: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 The Open University 2010
- Image 'Beginners’ Chinese' - Copyright: The Open University 2010
- Image 'Getting started with Chinese 1' - Copyright: Toa55/iStock / Getty Images Plus
- Image 'Tourist' - Copyright: Dreamstime
- Image 'The number two in Chinese' - The Open University under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
- Image 'Portales: beginners' Spanish' - Copyright: The Open University 2008
- Image 'Beginners’ German: Food and drink' - Copyright: © Rocky69/Getty Images
- Image 'how languages further your career image' - The Open University under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
- Image 'sharing a meal, France' - Copyright: BBC
- Image 'Could you be a Super Linguist?' - The Open University under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
- Image 'Comedian Henning Wehn performing at Machfest 2012' - Isabelle under CC-BY-NC-ND licence under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
- Image 'London Centre for languages and culture' - Copyright: Pembroke College Oxford
- Image 'Welsh language sign in the Andes' - Willposh under CC-BY-NC-ND licence under Creative-Commons license
- Image 'Why study languages?' - Copyright: Used with permission
- Image 'Broadway Market, hackney showing various ethic groups ' - Bob the Lomond under CC-BY-NC licence under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
- Image 'Beginners’ Italian: food and drink' - Copyright: © Robert Harding Picture Library Ltd/Alamy
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