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2022/2023

Language III: Modern Chinese

Code: 101571 ECTS Credits: 12
Degree Type Year Semester
2500244 East Asian Studies OB 2 1
2500244 East Asian Studies OT 4 1

Contact

Name:
Xuehang Jin Wang
Email:
xuehang.jin@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
No
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Other comments on languages

Classes will be given in Spanish and Chinese.

Prerequisites

It is advisable to have passed the subjects Language I and II: Modern Chinese.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The purpose of this subject is to consolidate students’ basic linguistic knowledge of Chinese in order for them to correctly understand Chinese society and be able to communicate orally and in writing in Chinese. On successfully completing this subject, students will be able to: 

  • Understand information in short, simple written texts on topics related to their specific, immediate environment.
  • Write short, simple texts on topics related to their specific, immediate environment.
  • Recognise the basic phonological and lexical system and understand basic oral expressions related to their specific, immediate environment.
  • Use the phonological and lexical system correctly to produce basic oral expressions related to their specific, immediate environment.
  • Have developed good linguistic and cultural knowledge about modern Chinese.

Competences

    East Asian Studies
  • Developing self-learning strategies.
  • Ensuring the quality of one's own work.
  • Produce oral texts in one of the languages of East Asia.
  • Solving problems of intercultural communication.
  • Understand oral texts in one of the languages of East Asia.
  • Understand texts written in one of the languages of East Asia.
  • Write texts in one of the languages of East Asia.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply knowledge of lexis, morphosyntax, texts, rhetoric and linguistic variation.
  2. Apply strategies to produce oral texts for different contexts and for specific communicative purposes.
  3. Apply strategies to produce written texts for different contexts and for specific communicative purposes.
  4. Apply strategies to understand oral texts from various different contexts.
  5. Apply strategies to understand written texts from various different contexts.
  6. Deal with interferences between the working languages.
  7. Developing self-learning strategies.
  8. Ensuring the quality of one's own work.
  9. Produce oral texts for different contexts and for specific communicative purposes.
  10. Produce oral texts that are appropriate to the context and linguistically correct.
  11. Produce written texts for different contexts and for specific communicative purposes.
  12. Produce written texts that are appropriate to the context and linguistically correct.
  13. Solving problems of intercultural communication.
  14. Understand the communicative intent and the meaning of oral texts from various different contexts.
  15. Understand the communicative intent and the meaning of written texts from various different contexts.

Content

The subject's content can be divided into the following types:

Phonological and graphic:

  • application of the Pinyin transcription system in learning new vocabulary by writing;
  • consolidation of the basic principles of writing: character structure identification, decomposition into different components (semantic parts, phonetic parts); stroke order, number and type
  • recognition of characters in traditional Chinese
  • practice of typing Chinese in electronic devices

Lexical and morphological:

  • learning frequently used radicals
  • use and understanding of basic everyday vocabulary (around 300 new words)

 

Grammar (morphosyntactic level): 

  • the complement of degree
  • topic-comment sentences
  • uses of the particle 了
  • different kinds of comparisons
  • expression of the future with the auxiliaries 要 or 会
  • the progressive aspect
  • sequential sentences
  • time clauses with 以后 and 的 时候
  • expressing possession, existence, or location with 有
  • passive sentences with 被ç
  • emphatic sentences with 是 ... .... 的
  • the result complement

Communicative and sociocultural:

  • talking about daily routines
  • talking about the weather and the seasons
  • describing clothes
  • describing parts of a house
  • talking about the Chinese New Year
  • talking about transportation
  • expressing distances and giving directions
  • checking-in at a hotel
  • describing a room
  • talking about everyday life objects
  • understanding rules and signs

Encyclopaedic and instrumental:

  • basic general knowledgeabout the Chinese language
  • introduction to certain aspects of Chinese culture directly or indirectly related to the language mastering, such as festivals (e.g. Chinese New Year), Tang Dynasty poetry, or paper-cutting crafts

non-verbal communication (e.g. gifts)

Methodology

The formative activities are divided into directed activities, supervised activities,   autonomous activities and assessment activities.

Directed activities (90 h.): the teacher will explain the most important contents of each unit; students will practise reading out loud and do exercises in oral and written comprehension, as well as oral expression exercises. They will practise new grammar points and vocabulary, sight translation, revise material already covered, clarifying general doubts, etc. Class activities, therefore, will be varied and of different types (oral and written, individual and in groups). In some cases, they will be assessed (students will be assessed on whether they regularly prepare the tasks set by the teacher, as well as their dedication to the subject and the pace of their work).

Supervised activities (50 h.): these will include practising oral comprehension and expression, as well as the completion of exercises.

Autonomous activities (150 h.): will consist of practising calligraphy, studying the characters and vocabulary, preparing and revising texts and new grammar points, completing and self-checking  exercises (via the teaching web) and writing and oral tasks.

The student will need to devote approximately 50 hours’ study to each teaching unit, including the  supervised and autonomous activities (preparation, practice exercises and revision). This level of commitment is essential to ensure that students follow the subject satisfactorily and achieve the appropriate pace of work.

It is important that students attend class regularly, and essential that they consistently study new content in advance, carry out exercises and review previous content. It is assumed that they will do so in order to keep up with the pace of the subject. 

Assessment (28 hours) will comprise classroom exams and directed activities (teaching portfolio).

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Reading, oral and written comprehension tasks, written production and class activities. 90 3.6 1, 5, 4, 2, 15, 14, 7, 12, 10, 9, 6, 13, 8
Type: Supervised      
Oral and written comprehension exercises, text composition, correction of the exercises done and troubleshooting. 50 2 1, 5, 4, 2, 15, 14, 7, 12, 10, 9, 6, 13, 8
Type: Autonomous      
Reading, oral and written comprehension tasks, written production and class activities. 132 5.28 1, 5, 4, 2, 15, 14, 7, 12, 10, 9, 6, 13, 8

Assessment

Assessment is continuous. Students must provide evidence of their progress by completing tasks and tests. Task deadlines will be indicated in the course schedule on the first day of class.  

1. General assessment  

The subject’s (formative and summative) assessment activities will be as follows:  

1.1. Teaching portfolio (40%): each teaching unit will include vocabulary tests and oral and writtenl exercises. 

The teaching portfolio will represent 40% of the final mark, based on:  

  • vocabulary tests (20%).
  • short oral and written exercises (20%). 

1.2. Exams (60%): students will take two exams worth 60% of the final mark (30% each), the first in the middle of the semester (november) and the second at the end (January). 

Related matters

The above information on assessment, assessment activities and their weighting is merely a guide. The subject's lecturer will provide full information when teaching begins.

Review 

When publishing final marks prior to recording them on students' transcripts, the lecturer will provide written notification of a date and time for reviewing assessment activities. Students must arrange reviews by agreement with the lecturer.

Missed/failed assessment activities 

Students may retake assessment activities they have failed or compensate for any they have missed, provided that those they have actually performed account for a minimum of 66.6% (two thirds) of the subject's final mark and that they have a weighted average mark of at least 3.5. Under no circumstances may an assessment activity worth 100% of the final mark be retaken or compensated for.

The lecturer will inform students of the procedure involved, in writing, when publishing final marksprior to recording them on transcripts. The lecturer may set one assignment per failed or missed assessment activity or a single assignment to cover a number of such activities.

Classification as "not assessable" 

In the event of the assessment activities a student has performed accounting for just 25% or less of the subject's final mark, their work will be classified as "not assessable" on their transcript.

Misconduct in assessment activities 

Students who engage in misconduct (plagiarism, copying, personation, etc.) in an assessment activity will receive a mark of “0” for the activity in question. In the case of misconduct in more than one assessment activity, the students involved will be given a final mark of “0” for the subject.

Students may not retake assessment activities in which they are found to have engaged in misconduct. Plagiarism is considered to mean presenting all or part of an author's work, whether published in print or in digital format, as one's own, i.e. without citing it. Copying is considered to mean reproducing all or a substantial part of another student's work. In cases of copying in which it is impossible to determine which of two students has copied the work of the other, both will be penalised.  

More information:  http://www.uab.cat/web/study-abroad/undergraduate/academic-information/evaluation/what-is-it-about-1345670077352.html

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Exams 60% (30% x 2) 8 0.32 1, 5, 4, 2, 15, 14, 12, 10, 9, 6, 13, 8
Teaching portfolio 40% 20 0.8 1, 5, 4, 3, 2, 15, 14, 7, 12, 11, 10, 9, 6, 13, 8

Bibliography

Reference textbooks: 

-   Ding Anqi, Chen Xin, Jin Lili (2010) Discover China: Student's book Two + workbook. Oxford: Macmillan Education; Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.

Both the textbook and activity book are necessary. The rest of exercises, activities or information for the subject will be poted in the Moodle classroom at: https://cv2008.uab.cat/.

Reference works: 

-   (Liu Xun) ed. El Nuevo Libro de Chino Práctico . (I) Pequín: Beijing Language and Culture University Press, 2009.

-   Helena Casas Tost, Sara Rovira esteva, Anne-Hélène Suárez Girard, lengua china para traductores, Vol.II, Materiual 188, servei de publicació, UAB 

-   López Calvo, F.; Zhao, Baoyan. 2013. Guía esencial de la lengua china. Madrid: Adeli Ediciones.

  • A very readable introduction to all aspects of the Chinese language and Chinese writing, presented in a question-and-answer format. Very clear. 

-   Zhou Minkang, "Gramática china ", 1997, versión castellana, Bellaterra: Servei de publicacions de la UAB. (Materials, 30).

  • One of the few Chinese grammars in Spanish. Clear explanations and many exercises. 

-   Ramírez, Laureano. 1999. Del carácter al contexto: Teoría y práctica de la traducción del chino moderno. Bellaterra: Servei de publicacions de la UAB. (Materials, 74).

  • Useful throughout the degree programme. Covers all kinds of matters concerning the Chinese language, from its history to its linguistics and translation. 

Online resources: 

1. To learn more about Pinyin transcription and phonetics: 

  • http://pinyin.info/readings/index.html

2. To practise pronunciation (tones, phonemes, etc.): 

  • http://www.shufawest.us/language/tonedrill.html
  • http://shufawes.ipower.com/language/dual-tonedrill.html
  • http://courses.fas.harvard.edu/~pinyin/
  • http://www.instantspeakchinese.com/pinyin/index.cfm
  • http://pinyinpractice.com/wangzhi/
  • http://www.standardmandarin.com/
  • http://pinyin.quickmandarin.com/learn_chinese_quiz/tones_drill/
  • http://www.quickmandarin.com/chinesepinyintable/pinyintable_vertical.php
  • http://pinyin.quickmandarin.com/learn_chinese_quiz/blue/
  • http://pinyin.quickmandarin.com/learn_chinese_quiz/tic_tac_toe_l2/ 

3. To practise writing characters (simplified and traditional): 

  • http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/azi/page1.htm
  • http://www.language.berkeley.edu/fanjian/toc.html
  • http://www.usc.edu/dept/ealc/chinese/character/
  • http://shufawes.ipower.com/language/flashcard.html
  • http://lost-theory.org/ocrat/chargif/
  • http://shufawes.ipower.com/language/con_flash.html
  • http://www.quickmandarin.com/chinesecharacter/ 

4. Dictionaries: 

-   Zhou, Minkang. 1999. Diccionari Català-Xinès, Xinès-Català. Barcelona: Enciclopèdia Catalana. (Diccionaris de l'Enciclopèdia).

  • Very useful because it is one of the few dictionaries that gives Chinese Pinyin where both words and examples are concerned. Chinese to Catalan and Catalan to Chinese.
  • The only dictionary designed and prepared for Catalan students of Chinese. 

-   Zhou, Minkang. 2006. Diccionari Castellà-Xinès, Xinès-Castellà. Barcelona: Editorial Herder. (Diccionaris de Herder).

  • Very useful because it is one of the few dictionaries that gives Chinese pinyin where both words and examples are concerned. Chinese to Spanish and Spanish to Chinese.
  • The only dictionary designed and prepared for Spanish students of Chinese.
  • Chinese - English dictionary: http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/dictionary.html
  • Chinese - English dictionary: http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php
  • Chinese character dictionary: http://www.chineselanguage.org/dictionaries/ccdict/
  • Chinese dictionaries: http:// www.yourdictionary.com/languages/sinotibe.html#chines
  • Picture dictionary: http://classes.yale.edu/chns130/Dictionary/index.html
  • Xinhua zidian: http://www.poptool.net/chinese/zidian/ 

5. Other online resources: 

  • Website with many interesting links: http://www.zhongwen.com
  • Website with many interesting links: http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/online.htm
  • Website with grammar information: http://liwin.com/annotated/generate_list.php?cat=6
  • Website with linguistic and cultural information: <spanstyle="text-decoration: underline;">http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/
  • China Radio International (CRI) in Spanish: http://espanol.cri.cn/newes/xhy.htm
  • Chinese wikibook: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Chinese
  • CCTV in Spanish: http://www.cctv.com/espanol/01/index.shtml
  • Popup Chinese: http://www.popupchinese.com/tools/adso
  • Media in Chinese: www.omniltak.com
  • Texts in Chinese: www.greatwall.cn
  • Texts for learning Chinese with HSK levels: http://www.thechairmansbao.com/ 
  • https://www.fun-mooc.fr/courses/Inalco/52004/session1/
  • http://bestofmoocs.com/category/langues/chinois-mandarin/
  • https://mirades.uab.cat/ebs/

- Zhou, Minglang (2019) Language Ideology and Order in Rising China. Springer

http://link.springer.com/openurl?genre=book&isbn=978-981-13-3483-2

Software

No software is used.