his reference grammar provides, for the first time, a description of the grammar of Mandarin Chinese, the official spoken language of China and Taiwan, in functional terms, focusing on the role and meanings of word-level and sentence-level structures in actual conversations.
Mandarin Chinese is the official language in China, Taiwan and Singapore, and the language with the largest number of native speakers. In recent years, Mandarin usage has spread even further: it is now taught in most schools in Hong Kong, and with the influx of immigrants to the West from China and Taiwan, many parts of the world including Canada, the United States, Australia, and Europe have seen a steady increase in the number of speakers. Mandarin is not a homogeneous language; any grammar that tries to describe it needs to select one region as its focus. In this book, the focus will be on Mandarin as is spoken in its motherland of Northern China, especially the Chinese capital of Beijing. The book will begin by an introduction to the geographic characteristics, dialects and historical development of the language. This will be followed by Mandarin phonetics and phonology. Topics covered include the syllable, tones, the consonants, the vowels, the glides and, more importantly, how these interact to create the sound structure of the language. A description of the morphology will follow, addressing special features of the language in terms of compounding, reduplication, word stress, and disyllabicity. The remainder of the book will be devoted to Mandarin syntax. It will first outline the major parts of speech and the major types of phrases; then it will focus on some salient syntactic features, including the topic-comment structure, the serial-verb construction, and the de construction. The book will end with two sample texts, each accompanied by interlinear translation and free translation.
Basic Chinese introduces the essentials of Chinese syntax. Each of the 25 units deals with a particular grammatical point and provides associated exercises. Features include:
a clear, accessible format
many useful language examples
jargon-free explanations of grammar
ample drills and exercises
a full key to exercises.
All Chinese entries are presented in both Pinyin romanization and Chinese characters, and are accompanied, in most cases, by English translations to facilitate self-tuition as well as classroom teaching in both spoken and written Chinese.
Basic Chinese is designed for students new to the language. Together with its sister volume, Intermediate Chinese, it forms a compendium of the essentials of Chinese syntax.
Chinese: A Comprehensive Grammar is a complete reference guide to Chinese grammar. It presents a fresh and accessible description of the language, concentrating on the real patterns of use in modern Chinese. The Grammar is an essential reference source for the learner and user of Chinese, irrespective of level. It is ideal for use in schools, colleges, universities and adult classes of all types and will remain the standard reference work for years to come. The volume is organized to promote a thorough understanding of Chinese grammar. It offers a stimulating analysis of the complexities of the language, and provides full and clear explanations. Throughout, the emphasis is on Chinese as used by present-day native speakers.
An extensive index and numbered paragraphs provide readers with easy access to the information they require. Features include: * thorough and comprehensive coverage of the modern language * use of script and romanisation throughout * detailed treatment of common grammatical structures and parts of speech * extensive and wide-ranging use of examples * particular attention to areas of confusion and difficulty
This new edition of Chinese: An Essential Grammar is an up-to-date and concise reference guide to modern Chinese grammar.
Jargon free, it presents an accessible description of the language, focusing on the real patterns of use today. This Grammar aims to serve as a reference source for the learner and user of Chinese, irrespective of level, setting out the complexities of the language in short, readable sections.
It is ideal either for independent study or for students in schools, colleges, universities and adult classes of all types.
Fortunately for you, there's Schaum's Outlines. More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. You also get hundreds of examples, solved problems, and practice exercises to test your skills.
This Schaum's Outline gives you:
Practice problems with full explanations that reinforce knowledge
Coverage of the most up-to-date developments in your course field
In-depth review of practices and applications
Fully compatible with your classroom text, Schaum's highlights all the important facts you need to know. Use Schaum's to shorten your study time-and get your best test scores!
