Ottawa Mandarin SchoolAdult Class 2011-12

Week 01: September 17, 2011Instructor: Daniel C. Lee

Tones 聲調

Plans

1. Tones!• Activity

2. Introduce ourselves3. Overview of class4. Emphasize tones

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Tones

• Tones are as important as pronunciation

• 眼睛 Eyes 眼鏡 Glasses

• 視力 Sight 實力 Strength

• There are only 4 tones in Mandarin– Plus a light tone (5th)

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11st st tone istone is high high and and flatflat

4

Low

Pitch

Time

Ladies

Gentlemen

High

Just like singing and holding a note.

Frequently seen characters of 1st tone

• 今天 Present (old usage) + Day = Today

• 家 family

• 媽媽 mother

• 他 he 她 she 它 it

• 1st tone in pinyin is a flat line above the vowel

• No symbol is needed in zhuyin5

22ndnd tone goes tone goes UpUp

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High

LowTime

When emphasized, the 2nd tone keeps going up!

Pitch of 1st tone

Pitch

Think of the Canadian “eh?”

Frequently seen characters of 2nd tone

• 人 people 人家 people, others

• 國 country 國家 country

• 誰 who 誰家 who's family

• 2nd tone in pinyin is an upward stroke above the vowel

• Same in zhuyin

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33rdrd Tone is low, goes Down then UpTone is low, goes Down then Up

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High

Low

Pitch

Time

In normal (fast) dialogues, the 3rd tone is so short that it sounds flat

Pitch of 1st tone

Frequently seen characters of 3rd tone

• 我 I 我家 my family

• 你 you 你家 your family

• 好 good 好人 good person

• 3rd tone in pinyin is a check-mark above the vowel

• Same in zhuyin9

44thth Tone goes DownTone goes Down

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High

Low

Pitch

Time

Pitch of 3rd tone

Pitch of 1st tone

When emphasized, the 4th tone can start above the 1st tone and goes below the 3rd tone.

Think of swearing.

Frequently seen characters of 4th tone

• 是 be 我是 I am …

• 大 big 大家 every body

• 對 correct

• 4rd tone in pinyin is a downward-stroke above the vowel

• Same in zhuyin11

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High

Low

Pitch

Time

Light tone (5th tone) is in the middle and goes down

Pitch of third tone

Pitch of 1st tone

It can be viewed as a very short 4th tone

Frequently seen characters of 5th tone

• 的 possessive apostrophe

• 我的 my … 你的 yours…

• 他的 his… 她的 her …

• Light tone in pinyin does not require a symbol

• In Zhuyin, it is a little dot13

If you go to a speech contest

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High

Low

Pitch

Time

1st tone

2nd tone

3rd tone

4th tone

Whispering to close friend

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High

Low

Pitch

Time

1st tone

2nd tone

3rd tone

4th tone

Practices

• 1-2-3-4, One-Two-Three-Four• 1-1 1-2 1-3 1-4• 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4• 3-1 3-2 2*-3 3-4• 4-1 4-1 4-3 4-4

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• 1-1-1 1-1-2 1-1-3 1-1-4• 1-2-1 1-2-2 1-2-3 1-2-4• 1-3-1 1-3-2 1-2*-3 1-3-4• 1-4-1 1-4-2 1-4-3 1-4-4

• 2-1-1 2-1-2 2-1-3 2-1-4• 2-2-1 2-2-2 2-2-3 2-2-4• 2-3-1 2-3-2 2-2*-3 2-3-4• 2-4-1 2-4-2 2-4-3 2-4-4

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• 3-1-1 3-1-2 3-1-3 3-1-4• 3-2-1 3-2-2 3-2-3 3-2-4• 2*-3-1 2*-3-2 3-2*-3 2*-3-4• 3-4-1 3-4-2 3-4-3 3-4-4

• 4-1-1 4-1-2 4-1-3 4-1-4• 4-2-1 4-2-2 4-2-3 4-2-4• 4-3-1 4-3-2 4-2*-3 4-3-4• 4-4-1 4-4-2 4-4-3 4-4-4

• 1-4-3-2-1• 3-2-1-4-3• 1-2-3-1-3-1-3 (Do-Re-Me-Do-Me-Do-Me)

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Activity 1.1 Introduce yourself

• 大家好。 Hello everybody.

• 我是… I am…

• Response: 你好 ! How do you do!

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Additional information (opt.)

1. How long have you learned Chinese?2. Chinese heritage/background3. Specific wishes? (welcome to tell me later)

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Activity 1.2 Say a 3-tone comboand see if we can tell

• 3-2-1• 2-1-4• 4-3-2• 3-1-3• 1-3-1

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• 2-3-1• 2-4-2• 4-1-4• 4-2-4• 1-2-3

Class Overview• Material will be available online for download.

A printed copy will be provided (no colour though) in class.

http://maltzchineseclass.blogspot.com

If you missed a class, you can get the material here.

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Class Overview• Each week we will cover a specific topic

– Week 1: 4 Tones– Week 2: Vowels– Week 3: Consonants…

If you want a specific topic covered, please let me know!

Daniel’s email: dcl.maltz@gmail.com

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Class Overview

• Most topics will be independent of the official textbook (if required for class, I will tell you in advance).

• There will be a simple homework EVERY WEEK, followed by a simple quiz on the following week.

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• Native speakers emphasizes the tone of the keyword and let go the others

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Keyword in 1st tone lifts high

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High

Low

Pitch

Time

我說 I say… 我說 I SAY…

1st tone

1st tone

3rd tone 3rd tone

Keyword in 2nd tone extends

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High

Low

Pitch

Time

誰的 whose... 誰的 WHOSE…

2nd tone 2nd toneLight toneLight tone

Keyword in 3rd tone extends

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High

Low

Pitch

Time

你好 Hello 我好 I am good!

3rd tone

2nd tone

3rd tone

2nd tone

Keyword in 4th tone extends

2929

High

Low

Pitch

Time

他是 he is… 他是 he IS…

1st tone 1st tone

4th tone4th tone

Practices in one-two-three-fourRun 1: no emphasizeRun 2: emphasize the 1st wordRun 3: emphasize the 2nd word

• 1-1 1-2 1-3 1-4• 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4• 3-1 3-2 2*-3 3-4• 4-1 4-1 4-3 4-4

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• 1-1-1 1-1-2 1-1-3 1-1-4• 1-2-1 1-2-2 1-2-3 1-2-4• 1-3-1 1-3-2 1-2*-3 1-3-4• 1-4-1 1-4-2 1-4-3 1-4-4

• 2-1-1 2-1-2 2-1-3 2-1-4• 2-2-1 2-2-2 2-2-3 2-2-4• 2-3-1 2-3-2 2-2*-3 2-3-4• 2-4-1 2-4-2 2-4-3 2-4-4

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Run 1: no emphasizeRun 2: emphasize the 1st wordRun 3: emphasize the 2nd wordRun 4: emphasize the 3rd word

• 3-1-1 3-1-2 3-1-3 3-1-4• 3-2-1 3-2-2 3-2-3 3-2-4• 2*-3-1 2*-3-2 3-2*-3 2*-3-4• 3-4-1 3-4-2 3-4-3 3-4-4

• 4-1-1 4-1-2 4-1-3 4-1-4• 4-2-1 4-2-2 4-2-3 4-2-4• 4-3-1 4-3-2 4-2*-3 4-3-4• 4-4-1 4-4-2 4-4-3 4-4-4

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Run 1: no emphasizeRun 2: emphasize the 1st wordRun 3: emphasize the 2nd wordRun 4: emphasize the 3rd word

Homework

• Practice all 3-tone combos once every day with one-two-three-four

• Quiz next week – Listening– Must understand what your neighbor says!

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