I'm just interested to know how many ways you have to learn a foreign language and how you got it started.
1. Where did you start from ?
(You can choose more than one items)
A. I learned myself by
1) podcasts
2) dictionary
3) apps on cell phones
4) softwares
5) real life talking with native speaking friends
6) textbooks
7) other tools
B. I learned in formal class
1) textbooks 2) additional materials offered by professional teachers
2. Which way do you prefer to, learning online or learning in language trainning school ?
3. What you think is the most efficient approach for a beginner / intermeidate / advanced?
4. What's your favourite and effective method to learn a foreign language ?
5. What kind of teaching style do you prefer ?
5. What kind of lessons do you prefer, formal lessons or informal lessons?
7. What lesson structure do you prefer, topic-based structure or grammar based(textbook- based) structure ?
8. What topic you like to talk about when you learn a language with someone ?
Plus : You can choose some of those questions to answer.
Yesterday evening I did shopping with my friend in Forever21 on Nanjing road. We are stopped by a couple of Spanish-look-like lovers who wanted to know how to say "Good morning" and "Thanks" in Chinese.
My friend was very interesting. She assumed most of people can speak a little foreign language like "good morning" and "thanks" before they head for that country. So she guessed they must be doing a street questionnaire to test how friendly and helpful people are in China.
I don't know if her funny guessing is true or not, but the only interesting thing i wondered is why they wanted to learn "good morning" rather than "good evening" IN THE EVENING ?
One thing I should have told them but forgot to tell is they can visit italki for more help.
Almost every nation has their preference or taboo to some certain numbers, and Chinese without exception have our special taste for numbers. The preference shows the taste and the taste tells culture. On this ground, the numbers are more of culture code.
What is Chinese number code?
Generally speaking, we prefer even numbers to odd numbers, and you will realize Chinese induldge in even numbers in almost every corner of life. Whenever you plan to give a gift and feel uncertain how many stuffs you better give (if you feel one is not enough), then things in pair will never get you wrong. Chinese people tend to send gifts in pair such as two bottles of liquor, two tickets of a concert, two boxes of chocolates, and never forget about the couplets. The only exception is number 4 which is regarded as an unlucky number becasue it sounds like "death"(sǐ) in Mandarin Chinese.
8 is the most popular number throughout China. One obvious reason people usually associate "8" (bā) with another character fā which means getting rich. So if you have a chance to bargin with a shop owner for something in China, cut down the price and leave an eight in will make this deal accepted easily. Most of the owner believe in this lucky number and seldom deny such a good price. You will see more examples like this in the deparment stores, supermarkets and outdoor makerts where a lot of prices have at least an eight in. 88, 188,128,158 ect.
You may say you never came to China and nor to say know the price in shops, but I'm sure you know must this example: 2008/08/08 8:08 pm (Beijing time). The openning ceremony time of Beijing Olympic Games. Five 8 in this explame show the 8 fever in China.
When talking about numbers in cultural context, we find a lot of interesting stuffs. What's the number code in your country?
