Comments on: Lesson 002. Pronunciation Basics. Chinese Tones. http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/ Theme-based, progressive and easy to follow Mandarin Chinese Lessons. Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:03:24 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Caitlín http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-63822 Caitlín Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:47:06 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-63822 'These lessons are really fantastic, I love them. I was trying to pick up some mandarin from a cd but they only repeated words twice each time and didn\'t explain any of the individual meanings of words, or pronounciations, so these lessons are really great, feels like having my teacher in the room! Xie xie! ^^ ‘These lessons are really fantastic, I love them. I was trying to pick up some mandarin from a cd but they only repeated words twice each time and didn\’t explain any of the individual meanings of words, or pronounciations, so these lessons are really great, feels like having my teacher in the room! Xie xie! ^^

]]> By: David http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-49764 David Sat, 17 May 2008 03:53:35 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-49764 Hi Serge, I think it isn't very difficult for beginners to correctly utter the tones individually. The problems arise with multi-syllable words, and especially words that feature the 2nd and 3rd tone. If possible, could you please devise a lesson that focuses on this issue. Think about words like Mei3guo2, for example. Those are a nightmare for beginners. Please help us! Hi Serge,

I think it isn’t very difficult for beginners to correctly utter the tones individually. The problems arise with multi-syllable words, and especially words that feature the 2nd and 3rd tone. If possible, could you please devise a lesson that focuses on this issue. Think about words like Mei3guo2, for example. Those are a nightmare for beginners. Please help us!

]]> By: Fabio http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-31059 Fabio Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:21:14 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-31059 Ok, thanks, now I got it! let's go on with lesson 3 ;) Cheers Fabio Ok, thanks, now I got it! let’s go on with lesson 3 ;)

Cheers
Fabio

]]> By: Serge Melnyk http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-30906 Serge Melnyk Mon, 12 Nov 2007 06:37:43 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-30906 Good point and sorry, I don't read Italian:-) So, first ma1 is "mama", second ma2 means "hemp", third ma3="horse" and the last ma4 stands for "to scold" Best, Serge Good point and sorry, I don’t read Italian:-)

So, first ma1 is “mama”, second ma2 means “hemp”, third ma3=”horse” and the last ma4 stands for “to scold”

Best,

Serge

]]> By: Fabio http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-30806 Fabio Sun, 11 Nov 2007 13:06:37 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-30806 Hey Serge, thank for replying :) Yes I got that these stands for 4 different meanings, my question was about what these meanings are :) If I'm not wrong I know that one is horse, but I miss the other three. Sorry if my english is not so clear, my mother language is italian ;) Best2u ^_^ Fabio Hey Serge,
thank for replying :)

Yes I got that these stands for 4 different meanings, my question was about what these meanings are :)

If I’m not wrong I know that one is horse, but I miss the other three.

Sorry if my english is not so clear, my mother language is italian ;)

Best2u ^_^
Fabio

]]> By: Serge Melnyk http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-30673 Serge Melnyk Sat, 10 Nov 2007 18:19:06 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-30673 Hey Fabio, It's about the tones in which you pronounce the syllable 'ma'. It can be pronounced in four different tones (musical intonation). ma1, ma2, ma3, ma4, all four have completely different meanings. Best, Serge Hey Fabio,

It’s about the tones in which you pronounce the syllable ‘ma’. It can be pronounced in four different tones (musical intonation).
ma1, ma2, ma3, ma4, all four have completely different meanings.

Best,

Serge

]]> By: Fabio http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-30672 Fabio Sat, 10 Nov 2007 18:12:22 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-30672 Hi Serge, thank you very much for your podcast course, I've just began today an it seem very interesting ;) Just a curiosity question, after listening to the lesson the very first question in my brain was: what the "four ma" stands for? ;) Greetings from Italy! Fabio Hi Serge,
thank you very much for your podcast course, I’ve just began today an it seem very interesting ;)

Just a curiosity question, after listening to the lesson the very first question in my brain was:
what the “four ma” stands for? ;)

Greetings from Italy!
Fabio

]]> By: Serge Melnyk http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-2088 Serge Melnyk Thu, 21 Dec 2006 19:36:17 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-2088 I found the following in a book entitled, “Learning To Write Chinese Characters”, by Johan Bjorksten. It is the best description I have come across for native English speakers to understand the tone concept. Perhaps it will help you to help us. Thanks for everything. Dante 1st Tone The first tone is level, like the tone of the second syllable of tadaa! Someone whisking the drape off the new painting or announcing, with a flourish, the opening of the school play might say tadaa! 2nd Tone The second tone is rising, like the tone of the surprised question: What? 3rd Tone The third tone goes down and then up, just like the irritated and somewhat exaggerated tone used on “So” in the following context: “You haven’t given me any reason to do it.” “So? Do it anyway.” 4th Tone The fourth tone is a falling tone that sounds like the tone on hey in “Hey! You there!” I found the following in a book entitled, “Learning To Write Chinese
Characters”, by Johan Bjorksten. It is the best description I have come
across for native English speakers to understand the tone concept. Perhaps
it will help you to help us. Thanks for everything. Dante

1st Tone
The first tone is level, like the tone of the second syllable of tadaa!
Someone whisking the drape off the new painting or announcing, with a
flourish, the opening of the school play might say tadaa!

2nd Tone
The second tone is rising, like the tone of the surprised question: What?

3rd Tone
The third tone goes down and then up, just like the irritated and somewhat
exaggerated tone used on “So” in the following context: “You
haven’t given me any reason to do it.” “So? Do it anyway.”

4th Tone

The fourth tone is a falling tone that sounds like the tone on hey in
“Hey! You there!”

]]> By: Serge Melnyk http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-246 Serge Melnyk Sun, 30 Jul 2006 03:52:54 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-246 Dear Karen, Just keep your voice low when you pronounce third tone, try not to raise it, it's basically like a low version of the first tone( you can cut the raising part, which is similar to second tone and is confusing for you). For second tone, rise your voice immediately to the top, don't pause at the bottom, otherwise it will sound like third tone. Best, Serge Dear Karen,

Just keep your voice low when you pronounce third tone, try not to raise it, it’s basically like a low version of the first tone( you can cut the raising part, which is similar to second tone and is confusing for you). For second tone, rise your voice immediately to the top, don’t pause at the bottom, otherwise it will sound like third tone.

Best,
Serge

]]> By: Karen Cloud http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-245 Karen Cloud Sun, 30 Jul 2006 02:47:09 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-245 Hi, Serge! I am enjoying the lessons (especially the one with the song (lesson 26) -- I want to memorize it to sing to my daughter. Do you have any suggestions for practicing the difference between the second tone and the third? I will keep practicing, but I notice that I do not distinguish well between these two tones. Thanks! Karen Hi, Serge! I am enjoying the lessons (especially the one with the song (lesson 26) — I want to memorize it to sing to my daughter.

Do you have any suggestions for practicing the difference between the second tone and the third? I will keep practicing, but I notice that I do not distinguish well between these two tones.

Thanks!
Karen

]]> By: Jur http://www.melnyks.com/lesson-two-chinese-tones/#comment-69 Jur Mon, 29 May 2006 18:41:10 +0000 http://www.melnyks.com/?p=8#comment-69 Hi What a great idea! I live in the netherlands and could not get my hands on something like this. I 'll put a few lessons on a CD and try to learn in the car while commuting. Keep up the good work Thank you. Jur Hi

What a great idea! I live in the netherlands and could not get my hands on something like this.
I ‘ll put a few lessons on a CD and try to learn in the car while commuting.

Keep up the good work
Thank you.
Jur

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