HUMA1030 Structure of the Chinese Language

Lecture: Venue: Instructor: Office: Office hours: E-mail: M: 13:30-14:50 F: 9:00-10:20 Rm. 2464 (Lifts 25-26) YIU Yuk-man Carine Rm. 2368 (Lifts 13-15) M:12:00-13:30; W: 16:30-18:00 yyiu@ust.hk

Course web: http://lmes2.ust.hk

HUMA1030 Structure of the Chinese Language

What does Chinese or the Chinese

Language mean or refer to? How would you describe the Chinese Language to a foreigner or what are the characteristics associated with the Chinese Language?

Characteristics of the Chinese Language

1. In writing, it is represented by characters rather than roman alphabet (except in the case when a romanization system, such as pinyin, is used) E.g. big, small E.g. vs. d, xio

Characteristics of the Chinese Language

2. It is a tone language Mandarin m m m m Cantonese si55 si35 si33 si21 si13 si22
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Characteristics of the Chinese Language

3. It is an isolating language: (a) one word/syllable in general expresses one meaning E.g. /fa55/ /si55/ E.g. fee /fi/relief /rI'lif/bikini /bI'kinI/