HiyaChinese’s Post

Why are Chinese retroflex sounds hard for English speakers: “You’re saying 学 (xué) wrong. It sounds like 水 (shuǐ).” A learner told me he received that feedback from a native Chinese speaker. This is a common challenge for learners. Mandarin pronunciation is tricky. Especially with retroflex sounds like the “sh” in 水. So this is what I told him: “When I say 水 I curl my tongue upwards into the top of my palate. (retroflex sound) When I say 学 my tongue is closer to the bottom row of my teeth. (Non-retroflex sound)” Why does this help? First, we need to understand retroflex sounds (sh, zh, ch, r). Retroflex sounds are a specific group of sounds produced by curling the tongue towards the roof of the mouth, near the hard palate (hence the name retroflex). These sounds are common in Mandarin but are challenging since they don't have direct equivalents in English. Retroflex sounds include: 1. sh (shuǐ, 水): Similar to the English "sh" in "shoe," but pronounced with the tongue curled back. 2. zh (zhī, 织): Similar to the English "j" in "judge," but with the tongue curled back. 3. ch (chī, 吃): Similar to the English "ch" in "churro," but with the tongue curled back. 4. r (rì, 日): Similar to the English "r" in "run," but pronounced with the tongue curled back and the tip touching the roof of the mouth. Some learners can pick up Mandarin tones and pronunciation easily by just listening. But many learners need to do more than just listen. They need to “see” the difference. Visualizing the tongue positions helps them to “see” the difference. Visualizing tongue positions also helps to deconstruct a complex task, making it easier to learn. We already do this when learning Chinese characters by breaking them down into components and radicals. It’s the same thing but instead of characters, we are breaking down sounds into their tongue positions. Here are some practical tips to try it yourself: 1. Use a Mirror: Practice in front of a mirror to observe and adjust your tongue positions. 2. Record Yourself: Listen to recordings of your pronunciation and compare them with native speakers. 3. Get Feedback: Pronunciation and tones can become blind spots for many learners because it’s hard to hear the difference initially. This is why it’s important to get feedback from native speakers or learners who have nailed down pronunciation. Tried this before? I send daily tips & guides to a small group of learners to help them speak Mandarin Chinese with confidence. Join here: www.danyopang.com

🌟 Embracing Slang: Why Learning Informal English is Crucial 🌟 Hello LinkedIn community! 👋 Today, let's dive into the importance of mastering slang in English. 📚 In our globalized world, understanding slang isn't just about fitting in socially—it's about effective communication and cultural fluency. Here’s why: 1️⃣ Connectivity: Slang bridges gaps and fosters connections across diverse communities. It helps you relate to peers, understand pop culture, and engage authentically. 2️⃣ Versatility: Learning slang enhances your language skills beyond formal settings. It prepares you for casual conversations, informal emails, and everyday interactions where slang is common. 3️⃣ Cultural Insight: Slang offers insights into cultural nuances and trends. It reflects societal shifts, humor, and evolving expressions—essential for staying current and culturally aware. 4️⃣ Career Edge: Proficiency in slang can set you apart professionally. It demonstrates adaptability, enhances networking abilities, and boosts your ability to communicate effectively in diverse environments. Embracing slang isn't just about words; it's about embracing the vibrancy and diversity of language. Let's celebrate its role in enriching our communication skills and fostering deeper connections. Curious about slang language? Read this blog and join Oxinity!🚀 #SlangEnglish #LanguageLearning #CulturalFluency #ProfessionalDevelopment

Learning a language can change your personality ... According to the poll I sent out on LinkedIn last week, this is one of the best (yet most surprising) discoveries you've all found learning a foreign language. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐝𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐥: 🫒 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘧 𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩. With my bilingual buddies, if we digress into a topic that makes me very emotional in English, I switch into French and find that I am much, much less emotional. Pragmatic even. I'm unsure what this is, but I seem very cool, calm and collected when speaking French .. perhaps because the complicated grammar makes me really try to think carefully before I speak. 🫒 𝘐'𝘮 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯. My Mandarin was cultivated either speaking to Beijing taxi drivers (hence my thick accent 😂) or chatting to kids, teaching them English in the most creative, light-hearted way I could think of (alleviate that 非常大的压力). As such, I use far more idioms and sound effects when speaking Mandarin (perhaps it's also due to the fact that the language is very musical). 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬? --- 2 ways I can help you: 1/ Train your brain to think more creatively. Play Private Joke ® with your family and friends - invent words, explore language, and laugh together. 2/ I design Olea Createathon workshops, immersive offline experiences for schools and companies to centre language at the heart of human connection. Think ^ creativity = ^ resilience, ^ language capabilities, ^ 21st century readiness. #mfl #creativity #21stcenturyskills #learnfrench #learnmandarin #languages

How I improved my pronunciation by changing this one thing: For a long time, I was afraid to fully mimic native speakers - their mannerisms, accents and expressions. I felt like an imposter. It felt wrong. It felt inauthentic. So I unconsciously inhibited myself. I dialed it back a bit. But this was hurting my learning. I was building bad habits instead. I was self-sabotaging myself and I didn’t even know it. The truth was I was afraid of sounding like a native speaker because that meant that I was actually “trying”. That meant that I was putting skin in the game. That meant that I had something to lose if I made a mistake - my ego. I figured that if I didn't try too hard, it would be normal to make mistakes and not sound natural. But I was lying to myself. I was fed up with my bad pronunciation and tones. So I did the opposite. I exaggerated my tones. I exaggerated my pronunciation. I exaggerated my expressions and mannerisms. And then I exaggerated them even more. I tried to imagine myself as a native Mandarin speaker. And I pretended I was impersonating a native speaker - their accent, their facial expressions, their hand movements, etc. I put myself in their shoes. Surprisingly I noticed my tones and pronunciation improved during conversations. I call this the Exaggeration Method and I still use it to this day. Why does this work? First, by exaggerating everything, I was making everything conspicuous and thus, there was no way to avoid mistakes. Everything was out there for people to see. This forced me to go all in no trying to learn Chinese and not worry about making mistakes. Also, during real conversations we often get nervous and thus, our tones tend to break down. We forget to enunciate and we overlook things we study in practice. But when you exaggerate when you practice, you compensate for your nerves and your tones normalize back to a healthy baseline. Have you tried this before? I share daily tips and insights with a small group to help them learn conversational Chinese. Join below: www.danyopang.com 

   HOW TO LEARN FINNISH?  Many students think that Finnish is one of the hardest languages to learn after Japanese and Chinese and that it is impossible to learn it. However, this is not true. It is essential to develop a study plan and follow it. I started learning Finnish in July 2023 and have already achieved great results. In 9 months, I have completed three “Language and culture” courses in the university, and I plan to finish the fourth course by taking an RPL exam (Recognition of prior learning). Currently my level of Finnish is A2. It is difficult to learn Finnish without strong motivation. My goal is to be able to communicate fluently in Finnish and find the job. Here are 8 practical tips that will help you to master Finnish faster: Demystify Finnish: Rather than viewing Finnish as an incomprehensible language, recognize that millions of Finns use it daily for communication. 📚 Master Grammar: Thoroughly learn grammar rules and engage in regular exercises to reinforce your understanding. 📝 Practice with Examples: Create 10-15 examples for each grammatical rule studied to solidify comprehension. 💡 Use Quizlet to expand and practice your vocabulary. 📖 Engage with Simplified Literature and News: Start reading simplified literature (selkokieli kirjat) and news (selkouutiset) in Finnish to gradually acclimate yourself to the language. 👁 Immerse Yourself: Listen to Finnish podcasts, music, and watch cartoons to immerse yourself in the language environment. 📲 Change Phone Language: Set the language on your phone to Finnish to reinforce daily exposure to the language. 👅 Enhance Speaking Skills: Develop your networking opportunities, attend speaking clubs, and engage in as much conversation as possible in Finnish. Remember the Finnish saying, "Harjoitus tekee mestarin" (Practice makes perfect). How do you learn Finnish?  Share your experiences in the comments. #finland #AdoptationinFinland #Finnishlanguage #socialmedia

✨️Improve Your English with Journaling! ⠀ Let me give you a few reasons to start journaling ⠀ 1️⃣ Journaling provides a stress-free environment to experiment with vocabulary, sentence structures, and idiomatic expressions, boosting your confidence in expressing thoughts fluently. ⠀ 2️⃣ Beyond language skills, journaling fosters a positive mindset. ⠀ 3️⃣ Flip through your journal to witness tangible evidence of your language development. It's like a photo album capturing snapshots, motivating you to keep pushing forward. ⠀ 4️⃣ Regularly expressing thoughts in English leads to satisfaction and confidence, making your language learning journey fulfilling. ⠀ 📌How to Start Your English Learning Journal: ⏺️Set aside a quiet moment in your day. ⏺️Choose a comfortable medium: notebook, computer, or a journaling app. ⏺️Begin with a simple prompt like, "How do you feel about your English today?" ⏺️Set a 5-minute timer to keep it manageable. ⏺️Focus on small, achievable goals. ⏺️Don't worry about perfection—this is a safe space for your thoughts to flow freely. ⏺️Start your journaling adventure today and witness the positive transformation in your English learning journey! 🌐✨ ❔️What are your thoughts? Would you like to start journaling? ______________________________ 👋I'm Iryna I help people speak English more confidently. Press🔔in my profile to receive my updates ⠀ #LanguageLearning #Journaling #EnglishSkills #PositiveMindset

Curious about boosting your Mandarin skills in no time? Today might be your turning point. Too often, language learners struggle with incorporating basic sentence patterns into daily conversation. The mistake? Overcomplicating their approach from the get-go. It doesn't have to be like that. There's a simpler, more effective route. Let's start with a versatile and essential pattern: "I like" (我喜歡 wǒ xǐhuān). This simple structure can seamlessly express your preferences, making your communication more natural and fluent. Check out these examples: - 我喜歡咖啡 (wǒ xǐhuān kāfēi - I like coffee) - 我喜歡音樂 (wǒ xǐhuān yīnyuè - I like music) - 我喜歡看電影 (wǒ xǐhuān kàn diànyǐng - I like watching movies) Why not give it a shot? Create your own sentences using 我喜歡 followed by something you enjoy. Remember, consistency is key—practice makes perfect. Commit to integrating these words and patterns into your daily routine. Thank you for learning with us today. Zàijiàn (再見)! #LearnMandarin #MandarinTips #LanguageLearning #ChinesePhrases #我喜歡 #DailyMandarin #MandarinBasics #ChineseLanguage #LanguageHacks #StudyChinese

🗣️ Clear Pronunciation 2's latest update brings fresh insights into teaching English intonation to speakers of tonal languages. Thai, for example, unlike English, uses tones to distinguish words, not emotions or grammar. This creates a notable challenge for Thai students mastering the nuances of English intonation. 👂 Speakers of tonal languages sometimes sound a little robotic because we are expecting their intonation to change according to the affective content of what they are saying – but they are not used to adding emotional information in this way. 🎧 Our approach in Clear Pronunciation 2 now emphasises understanding intonation first as a listener to improve production skills. Real-world examples highlight how intonation in English carries meanings that might be overlooked by tonal language speakers. 📘 For an in-depth look at these teaching strategies and an engaging way to learn Thai, check out this blog post.. #ESL #LanguageTeaching #ClearPronunciation #TonalLanguages #EnglishIntonation

I’ve recently come across a German song that went really viral and made me think about tongue twisters 🫠👅. As the name suggests, tongue twisters can really make your tongue twist. But if they are used cautiously, they can be integrated in a language teaching and learning plan. Why? 👉 These short phrases or sentences contain a combination of sounds that are difficult to say quickly and correctly. But, paradoxically, this is exactly their benefit. ✅ They help you improve articulation, as the sounds to be pronounced are a bit more difficult than that of “normal”, or rather, commonly used words, and also because in tongue twisters there is a combination of sounds. ☝️Tip: Think of tongue twisters as a workout for your mouth. Just like crunches for your abs, tongue twisters help strengthen your jaw muscles. In time this will make you feel more confident when speaking a language! ✅ They help you develop fluency, as they make you become more and more comfortable with the sound and the rhythm of a sound or of a particular word. ☝️Tip: Start reading a tongue twister slowly, search for the words you don’t know and grab the meaning of the whole tongue twister. Once the meaning is clear, try to pronounce them faster and faster until your tongue does not twist anymore! ✅ They enhance your vocabulary, as tongue twisters contain new words, maybe words that are not so commonly or frequently used in an everyday conversation. ☝️Tip: Expanding your vocabulary is always useful, it improves your correct use of language. Last but not least, tongue twisters can shed a curiosity light on a (new) language and help both the student and the teacher having fun during the lesson! The result? The lesson is not boring at all and the student is more willing to learn 🎯! Do you also believe in the power of tongue twisters? P.S.: this post was inspired by an article published on The Guardian about the German song “Barbaras Rhabarberbar” by artist and performer Bodo Wartke (link to the article and the song in the first comment) · · · #interpreter #translator #italianlanguage #englishlanguage #germanlanguage #frenchlanguage #1nt #xl8 #xl8r #t9n #t9y #tonguetwisters #teaching #learning #languageteaching #languagelearning