Re:A simple explanation of Chinese characters
by co_dh on Wednesday December 16, 2015 @09:11AM
(#10744317)
As a Chinese, I can tell you that there are only 3000 common Chinese characters. My nephew begin to read news paper at grade 4 ( 10 years old). I begin to read very complicate novels at 13. A good thing about Chinese character is: I can easily read laws if I want, because there is not much new vocabulary to read.
Tone is not a problem for baby. They can grasp it from day one when they start to speak.( I have 3 kids)
There is a lot logic inside Chinese characters.
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Re:A simple explanation of Chinese characters
by talideon on Thursday December 17, 2015 @07:39AM
(#10751097)
The problem with tone isn't so much that it's hard (not more so than, say, a voicing or aspiration contrast is), but that as people get older, it's harder to hear contrasts that don't exist in the languages you're familiar with.