Thursday, 30 June 2011

Learning Chinese Online

Chinese idioms, due to their rich and extensive history, are an important part of the Chinese language. China is one of the oldest civilizations known to humankind and a lot of the customs and traditions that have developed are reflected in the idiomatic parts of the Chinese language. The English meaning and correct usage of Chinese idioms can be conveniently discovered with the aid of an online Chinese-English idiom dictionary.
An online Chinese-English dictionary nicely complements the process of the learning Chinese. With such a tool you can get an accurate and fast translation of Chinese idioms in just a few clicks. In addition, because you can search the dictionary using English and Chinese, it is not necessary to remember the exact form of the Chinese idiom – you can search using English words from the meaning. Also, some online Chinese-English idiom dictionaries allow you to find the Chinese equivalent to well-known English idiomatic expressions. For example, wouldn’t it be great to find out the Chinese equivalent to the English expression “ When in Rome do as the Romans do ” by typing something as simple as “Rome” and not have to remember one or more of the characters in the Chinese word? .Well, with some dictionaries you can do just this.
Learning Chinese with the help of software tools
A person learning Chinese can get a lot of help from an online Chinese-English idiom dictionary. Such a tool not only provides direct English translations for Chinese idioms, but it may also provide usage examples in Chinese and English to help improve your understanding of how to use the Chinese idiom correctly. Furthermore, providing usage examples in English and Chinese allows students to compare the translations and improve their understanding of Chinese rules of grammar.
Even if you are learning Chinese in a classroom environment, online and offline software tools can facilitate the process. Software tools make it faster and easier to practice what you have learnt in class. Of course, if the software tool is specifically tailored to what you are learning in class, then it will be particularly useful. It will be even more useful if it is adapted for use on smartphones – then you can take it wherever you go and get in some more practice whenever you have a spare moment.
More generally, online software tools such as online idiom dictionaries allow you to extend your knowledge beyond the classroom subject matter. For example, you can enhance you understanding of Chinese culture by reading stories about the origin of famous Chinese idioms. Sometimes these stories have a counterpart in English and recognising this relationship can help reinforce the meaning of the Chinese idiom.
Talking Chinese-English Dictionary
A Talking Chinese-English Dictionary can be a particularly useful online tool as it not only provides translations of Chinese idioms, but it also helps you gain a more complete understanding of how to correctly pronounce various Chinese idioms. Spoken Chinese has many subtleties. One important one is the way that some characters change their tone when combined with other characters. Many Chinese idioms illustrate this characteristic. So, learning idioms helps improve one’s recognition of this aspect of the language. Also, listening to the pronunciation of idioms by a native speaker can help improve your ear for these subtle tone changes.
With time pressures forever on the increase, the need for tools that make our life easier and more efficient continues to grow. In the context of learning Chinese, a talking Chinese-English idiom dictionary certainly fits the bill. It is a valuable tool that can make your life easier and make your language learning experience more fruitful, whether you are taking classes or trying to get started on your own.

Tuesday, 21 June 2011

Online Dictionaries for Idioms and Phrasebooks

Online Idiom Dictionary
Until the introduction of internet, people used refer books like dictionaries and thesaurus. They used to be the best sources of information available to people. However, today, technology is playing a vital role in the education and learning process of growing children. While printed material have limitations like those that each book caters to specific information and may not necessarily be available with you at the time that you require it. While newer and updated versions of books like dictionaries keep emerging from time to time, printed material may not be useful for you in the end as soon as a newer version arrives; the significance of the older version deteriorates.
Online dictionaries are auto-updated and the same goes for an online idiom dictionary. As language is dynamic, the meanings and uses of words, phrases, and idioms keep changing, and evolving. Therefore, it is easier to update a new word or idiom in an online idiom dictionary. An online idiom dictionary is search oriented. The user can also browse in accordance with language.
An online idiom dictionary also helps you find an idiom that you may be looking for with the help of meanings, most commonly used, and so on. Online idiom dictionaries make searching for and understanding extremely simple by offering an organized collection of all the idioms in different languages. Moreover, the meaning of each idiom is explained in simple terms to help the reader have proper understanding of the same.
Phrasebooks
Phrasebooks are also of great help especially for people trying to get familiar with a new language. A phrasebook is a compilation of set phrases of a language indicating their translation, in index form and may be given in a question and answer format. For example, Mandarin phrasebook can help someone who may be moving to China temporarily or permanently. Tourists often seek help from Mandarin phrasebook to learn the basics of the language. Mandarin phrasebook is also available online where you can catch a glimpse of the most commonly used phrases that are compiled in a simple and easy to use manner.
The understanding of the basic phrases of a language helps people in having a conversation with the locals of a place or at least help them understand what as a foreigner you may be looking for. Be it directions, a place to eat or just saying thank you, you may feel handicapped while not being able to make others understand what you want or what you are looking for.
Therefore, in case you are an avid traveler to foreign locations, you can seek help numerous phrasebooks available, in every possible language, to have a convenient trip.