Ho ho, I wonder if people are having a nice discussion about dialects in language class. I can more or less imagine what they are saying.
Anyway, I do not agree with the various 'theories' that have been spoken of.
I am not going to bother going into the theories that will be taught in the language class but I shall just list some anecdotal 'evidence' of my own.
I found Mandarin hard and it was not because of dialects because I am hardly a dialect user. Neither did I dislike Mandarin because it was hard. In fact, I had very good teachers in primary school so I appreciated it although it was hard for me.
The husband was and still is a prolific dialect user. He had no problems with Mandarin. In fact, As in Mandarin were practically a way of life for him.
The boy was a prolific dialect user (rare for his age) in his early years. He did very well in Mandarin in lower primary. Today, he is a much less prolific dialect user (but still a dialect user and still rare for his age) and he is doing much less well in Mandarin.
So... what should we conclude about dialects and Mandarin?
I think Bear Hug will remind me not to be so politically incorrect. I can't help it lah. I really really prefer watching Cantonese shows in Cantonese.
Friday, March 20, 2009
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4 comments:
That's my theory too. I believe that being familiar with another Chinese language (to me, Hokkien, Teochew, etc are no less languages than Mandarin) helps in the learning of Mandarin. In the older days, it was mainly the Babas who had problems learning Mandarin because they either spoke Baba or English at home, and now the rest of the Chinese are having the same problem because like the Babas, now they too do not use any Chinese language at home. It is not Chinese "dialect" that's the problem, it's English!
Bear Hugs enjoys both Mandarin and English very much, as much as she enjoys listening to her grandparents, parents, relatives and friends etc. speak dialects or Malay or whatever language they enjoy speaking because Bear Hugs values COMMUNICATION in the Family and among her friends. So Bear Hugs was a paradox and may be forever a paradox if she is again what she was.
there's just a certain flavour that is lost once dialect shows are translated into mandarin. not authentic lah. even hokkien songs. and although little nonya was quite interesting to watch because of the lavish settings and costumes, i just can't help cringing everytime i hear the so called baba and nonya characters in the show speak in perfect mandarin! just so unnatural. x-tongfang
Yes, dears, I daresay I would have done better in Mandarin had I spoken dialect(s) prolifically when I was younger, ha ha.
Anyway, X-tongfang, you are the queen of Teochew AND you are good in both English and Mandarin. Bear Hugs, are you another Teochew queen, since you are also good in both?
BTW, X-tongfang, our friend P also commented on the Peranakans speaking Mandarin thing... hee hee...
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