Why Learning To Write Chinese Is a Waste of Time: A Modest Proposal

Foreign Language Annals - Tập 41 Số 2 - Trang 237-251 - 2008
Joseph R. Allen1
1Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

Tóm tắt

Abstract: This article argues that for students of Chinese and Japanese, learning to write Chinese characters (hanzi/kanji) by hand from memory is an inefficient use of resources. Rather, beginning students should focus on character/word recognition (reading) and electronic writing. Although electronic technologies have diminished the usefulness of Chinese character handwriting, its cultural importance remains. This leads to a hegemony of hanzi/kanji through which the assumed primacy of the written language is reinforced. After reviewing these conditions, strategies are offered to integrate handwriting skills with the new electronic writing technologies, creating an efficient and culturally sensitive program of instruction in hanzi/kanji writing. The article concludes with suggestions for further research needed to explore the theses of the essay.

Từ khóa


Tài liệu tham khảo

10.1017/S0047404500015256

Björkstén J., 1996, Learn to write Chinese characters

Caley J., 2003, Reading East Asian writing: The limits of literary theory, 277

10.1515/9780824840303

Flaherty M., 1997, Cognitive processing of Chinese and related Asian languages, 389

Gramsci A., 1971, Selections from the prison notebooks of Antonio Gramsci

Kraus R., 1991, Brushes with power: Modern politics and the Chinese art of calligraphy, 10.1525/9780520910898

Lin A. M., 1997, Cognitive processing of Chinese and related Asian languages, 369

Liu Y., 2006, Integrated Chinese

Mitsutani O., 1977, An introduction to modern Japanese

Omaggio Hadley A., 2001, Teaching language in context

Saussy H., 2001, Great walls of discourse and other adventures in cultural China

Tsai C.(1996).Frequency and stroke counts of Chinese characters.Retrieved April 1 2007 fromhttp:technology.chtsai.orgcharfreq.

Tsung C., 1973, Is it necessary to require writing in learning characters, Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association, 8, 167

Walker G., 1984, Literacy and reading in a Chinese language program, Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association, 19, 67

Walker G., 1989, Intensive Chinese curriculum: The EASLI model, Journal of the Chinese Language Teachers Association, 24, 43

Thông tin
Thông tin xuất bản

Foreign Language Annals

Tập 41 Số 2

237-251

Thông tin tác giả