MaineEdu/Original/README.TXT

File:  Readme.txt  Belongs with chinese.zip, (reader.db or reader2.db)



			A Chinese-English Database

=================
Beginning Chinese
=================

  When you first look at Chinese, the characters look different
but you can't seem to remember them. It is like trying to
remember all of the lines you made in a doodle. Some people
can remember the English meaning for a Chinese character but
not the Pinyin, while some can remember the Pinyin but not the
Chinese character -- my favorite is when I can remember the
Pinyin for a character but not the English meaning. In order to
get all three parts to hang together you have to study from
English to Character, English to Pinyin, Pinyin to Character,
Character to Pinyin, etc. 

  The second problem I found when starting Chinese was that
different dictionaries use different fonts (calligraphic styles,
such as Kai, Song, and Wei). When you have only studied one
form, it is difficult to readily recognize different forms of the
characters. When you only look at kaishu characters it limits
your ability to pick out the distinctive features of the
characters. 

  The distinctive features are those characteristics which are
necessary for the recognition and discrimination of characters
from other characters. In the Roman alphabet the fact that both
d and b have lines and half circles are common features, the
fact that one is on the left and one on the right is a distinctive
feature. It is also important that a certain amount of line appear
above the half circle -- but the amount may vary. When writing
Chinese characters there is also a great amount of variation
possible -- wait until you see Chinese handwriting! However,
as in the Roman alphabet, the variations have limitations. The
list of rules governing which lines can or cannot be shortened,
moved slightly, or be curved would be immense. The only
efficient way to pick it up is to begin reading different standard
fonts and expose yourself to different handwriting styles. 

  Another difficulty faced by English speakers learning Chinese
is called the 'measure word'. Measure words indicate units of
items; some can be easily translated (bei1 = cup, glass) while
others cannot be translated (zheng1 = unit of something flat
like a desk or mattress). Just to make life interesting there are
words which take multiple measure words -- those which are
colloquial and those which are seldom found outside of books!

  The introductory books I have read soft-pedal the measure
words by teaching only a few of the most common in the first
two years, but warn that if you don't use the correct one you
will not be considered literate; or worse, not be understood.

  I firmly believe that the measure words should be learned with
the noun. We learn le and la with French nouns and if you ask a
native speaker of Chinese what the measure word is for a noun
they say the word in a phrase "one (unit-measure word)
(noun)" "yi4 ben3 shu1" "yi4 zhan3 tai2deng1" [one (mw)
book; one (mw) table lamp. The sound of the phrase cues the
memory. 

==========================
How the database can help:
==========================

  In order to help myself with these three problems, I began a
database of Chinese vocabulary. I can switch fonts periodically,
randomize words, print out study sheets, and add sentences to
put vocabulary into context. It is a working model. I am
constantly adding words and elaborating the thing. There are
typos left, I am sure. There is one nice feature that may make
up for the typos -- I have added measure words for many of the
nouns. I have not yet found a reference work which does this; I
badger my Chinese friends and collect them as I read. 

  This database is based on the Simplified character version of
the Reader Series: Books I and II from Beijing Language
Institute. It comes in two forms; 

1) Chinese.zip 
    -- just the vocabulary from Reader I and II 
2) Chinese2.zip 
    -- with extra words and phrases. In this form the
    component single syllable words are included for many of
    the compound words. I found it easier to remember
    vocabulary in this way and to figure out the meaning of
    new words.

===================================================================
Use it freely for personal or educational applications --
it may not be used in any other program or commercial
product without permission.
===================================================================

 I would be delighted to have some help picking out errors. Just
drop me some e-mail at the address shown below. 

=================================
The database includes fields for: 
=================================

English keyword 
    single word reference for sorting
English definition 
Chinese Character 
Pinyin without tone 
    (this field is handy for searching by pinyin without
    entering the tone marks)
Chinese Pinyin with real tone marks 
Chinese Pinyin with number tones 
Measure word pinyin with number tones 
Measure word Chinese character, 
Known 
    (this field is designed to place an "x" on those words you
    know well so you can exclude them from further review.
    When you use the form, click on this field and the
    character will turn to black on white. If you hit F9 you can
    then put x in the field to indicate that you know it. Then
    with a slight knowledge of Paradox, you can filter those
    words.)
Book 
Chapter
    (The field allows you to sort list by the main vocabulary
    and exclude the supplementary vocabulary.)
Chapter First Seen 
    (In the Reader, words occur in text or supplemental lists
    before they are found in the regular vocabulary. This field
    allows you to include them in your chapter lists.)

==========================
To use it you should have:
==========================

  I.Paradox 4.5 or better (I am currently using Paradox 5) I
    have tried using dBase V for Windows and could not get
    support for the Chinese characters. I found Paradox to
    have built-in support for several Chinese systems and have
    not tried any other databases. If you find that it works with
    other databases, let me know. 
 II.TwinBridge 3.1 or 4.0 or some other Chinese system. (I
    have set the font on the Chinese characters to JSong which
    comes with the standard TwinBridge package -- if you
    have another Chinese system you will have to change the
    font in the Chinese Character field and in the Measure
    Word field.) 
III.Arial MT -- This is optional, but lets you see and print the
    tone marks (there is also a numbered pinyin field if you
    don't have it) -- Arial MT is a Chinese Pinyin TTFont
    which is available through Cheng and T'sui (a mail-order
    house in Boston for Asian language books: Phone
    617-426-6074). The font was designed to be used with
    any Windows program and costs about $15 -- well worth
    it whether you are a student or teacher. 
 IV.Probably some patience. 
  V.Chinese.zip (download it below)

In the Chinese.zip you will find:

    reader.db 
       The database (unzips to 2.5 megs or 3.1 megs for reader2.db) 
    reader.rsl 
       Prints out vocabulary -- four words per page. The
       page is designed to be a tri-fold so that you can view
       English, Character, or Pinyin and test your
       knowledge of the other two. There are four words per
       page so they can be shuffled to minimize context --
       or cut into floppy index cards. 
    reader.fsl 
       The form is a handy way to review vocabulary on the
       computer. 
    reader.tv 
       A Paradox file. 
    reader.fam 
       A Paradox file. 
    readme.htm and readme.txt
       This file. 

       Copy these files into your working directory for
       Paradox, start TwinBridge, and open the database in
       Paradox. 

================
Acknowledgements
================

Liu Yu Rong, Shou Danni, and Feng Xie of Beijing
Polytechnic University and Wang Hong Fang of Farmington
have all helped to either proof-read or add measure words to
the database.

Paradox is a trademark of Borland International.
http://www.borland.com

TwinBridge 3.5 and Chinese Partner 4.0 are products of the
TwinBridge Software Corporation http://www.twinbridge.com





Comments to: 	Marilyn Shea, Department of Psychology
		University of Maine at Farmington, 
		Farmington, ME 04938
		
		mshea@maine.maine.edu
		http:// zinnia.umfacad.maine.edu/~mshea/China/china.html

		Last update: MAY 1996
		copywrite -- Marilyn Shea 1996