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Language V: Modern Chinese

Code: 101567 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500244 East Asian Studies OB 3

Contact

Name:
Minkang Zhou Gu
Email:
minkang.zhou@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

This is an intermediate level course aimed at consolidation, development and improvement. It requires knowledge of all the basics of phonetics, grammar and structure of Chinese characters. It is necessary to have passed levels III and IV of Modern Chinese (except in special cases established by Gestió Acadèmica, FTI).


Objectives and Contextualisation

The course Language V: Modern Chinese aims to increase the knowledge of the structures of the Chinese language; to complement the basic knowledge acquired in the first and second years of the degree; the consolidation of basic knowledge of Chinese grammar acquired in the first and second years of the degree; to expand vocabulary, improve pronunciation, speaking and writing; to develop reading and reading comprehension skills; and to improve the student’s skills in both oral and written expression. Although this is a language subject, we shall also try to sensitize the student towards a respect for Chinese culture and the Chinese social context. This approach will continue in the second semester subject Language VI: Modern Chinese.


Competences

  • 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

Following the pace of work of the previous year (Language IV: Modern Chinese), in the subject Language V, modern Chinese we study in depth the contents of four lessons from the textbook entitled  Discover China Vol. 3, aimed at developing the skills of reading comprehension and oral and written expression. Other supplementary materials will also be used. According to their type, the contents can be grouped into:

Phonological and graphic:

  • Correctly read new words and their tone. Correct frequent pronunciation mistakes; consolidate the knowledge gained in previous subjects
  • Read texts with accuracy and fluency
  • Applying the pinyin transcription system in the learning of new vocabulary
  • Identifying the various components of characters (keys, semantic phonetic parts) and improving writing

Lexicomorphological:

  • Revision and extension of frequently used keys
  • Recognition and writing of 200 new Chinese characters 
  • Understanding and using approximately 500 new words
  • Recognition of an additional 100 words
  • Introduction to the rules for forming words in Chinese
  • Exercises to build the capacity to deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words when reading

Grammar:

  • Introducing new elements to form different types of compound sentences, for example: 不是...... ...... 而是/
  • Learning the use of new adverbs for example: 总是,终于,究竟,必须
  • Structure "phrase + add comparative degree"for example: 离...... 差得远,
  • Learning new  frequently used expressionsfor example: 別谢了, 总的来说,

Understanding and expression:

  • Being able to read and understand the main ideas of the text and to translate it correctly into Spanish
  • Being able to read and understand supplementary reading materials and answer related questions
  • Being able to understand authentic intermediate level listening materials 
  • Knowing the social and cultural customs related to the topic of the text
  • Being able to write a composition of 450 characters to express one's own opinions on the subject related to the text

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Realization of reading comprehension activities, written skill training activity, oral comprehension/expression and lectures 52.5 2.1 1, 2, 6, 8, 12
Type: Supervised      
Translation and composition exercises; oral and written comprehension exercises; composition of text; correction of the exercises done and troubleshooting (resolution of doubts). 33.5 1.34 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 14
Type: Autonomous      
Study and practice of the new words and new text in each lesson, preparation of oral and written expression activities, preparation for reading comprehension. 34 1.36 1, 3, 5, 7, 13

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

Directed activities: the teacher will explain the most important contents of each teaching unit, clear up queries of common interest, review the material studied so far, and set the students grammar exercises on each unit and the new vocabulary learnt, as well as tasks involving reading out loud, practising oral and written comprehension, oral expression, etc. At the end of the subject, a session will be devoted to general revision and troubleshooting.

Supervised activities: these will include exercises set by the teacher. Students will need to devote approximately 5 hours to completing the grammar and vocabulary exercises for each unit. 

Autonomous activities: for each teaching unit, will need to devote approximately 15 hours to activities such as reading and preparing the texts, vocabulary and grammar for each lesson, etc.

Class schedule: Tuesdays from 11a.m to 1p.m and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Tuesdays focus on the theoretical explanation of vocabulary, text and text structures and Fridays on review, practice and revision of the exercises already done by the students.

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.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Exercises 30% 20 0.8 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Written test 70% (different activities) 10 0.4 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15

Continuous 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. All activity deadlines are indicated in the subject's schedule and must be strictly adhered to.

The evaluation activities of the language part will be the following:

I. Teaching portfolio (30%)

In total there are five tasks:

  • Task 1: Oral Comprehension and/or expression and/or reading
  • Task 2: Vocabulary and syntax
  • Task 3: Oral Comprehension and/or expression and/or reading
  • Task 4: Vocabulary and syntax
  • Task 5: Written expression                             

II. Written tests: (70%)

  • Vocabulary or dictation tests ............10%
  • A speaking and/or reading test..........10%
  • 1st holistic test (units 39-40)............25%
  • 2nd holistic test (units 39-42)...........25% 

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, inwriting, when publishing final marks prior to recording them on transcripts. The lecturer maysetone 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

 

Single Assessment:

This subject may be assessed under the single assessment system in accordance with the terms established in the academic regulations of the UAB and the assessment criteria of the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting. Students must make an online request within the period established by the faculty and send a copy to the teacher responsible for the subject, for the record. Single assessment will be carried out in person on one day during week 16 or 17 of the semester. The Academic Management Office will publish the exact date and time on the faculty website. On the day of the single assessment, teaching staff will ask the student for identification, which should be presented as a valid identification document with a recent photograph (student card, DNI/NIE or passport).  

Single assessment activities

The final grade for the subject will be calculated according to the following percentages:

- Written expression test (writing drafting type) 40%

- Test of the rest of skills (exam type) 40%

- Teaching folder with vocabulary exercises 20%

Revision:

Grade revision and resit procedures for the subject are the same as those for continual assessment. See the section above in this study guide.


Bibliography

Textbook

Discover China 3. Macmillan Education, 

The teacher will provide supplementary oral and written comprehension materials for each unit.

The remaining exercises, activities or information relevant to the subject will be found in the exercise books by the same author (work book).

Dictionaries

Bilingual

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

- Zhou, Minkang, Diccionari Castellà-Xinès, Xinès-Castellà. Barcelona: Editorial Herder,2006

Intended for Catalan/Spanish students. The first has several appendices, with the proper names of persons, abbreviations, geographic names, chemical elements, weights and measures, coins, etc.

Monolingual:

- Xinhua Zidian, Shangwu yinshuguan, Beijing, 2002. 

- Xiandai Hanyu Cidian, Shangwu yinshuguan, Beijing, 2008.

Complementary bibliography:

- Casas-Tost, Helena; Rovira-Esteva, Sara (eds.) (2021) Guia d’estil per al tractament de mots xinesos en català. Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament de Cultura. URL: https://ddd.uab.cat/record/133473

- Martínez-Robles, David (2007). La lengua china: historia, signo y context: Una aproximación sociocultural. Editorial UOC.

- Ross, Claudia;Sheng, Jing-Heng (2006).Modern Chinesegrammar: a practical guide. New York: Routledge.

- Yip, Po-ching; Rimmington, Don (2015). Gramática intermedia del chino. Madrid: Adeli Ediciones.

- Xu Zenghui, Zhou, Minkang, Gramática china, Servei de publicacions de la UAB, Bellaterra, Materials 30, 1997, 2008. 

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

Internet resources and mobile applications

http://www.zhongwen.com/

Web with information on the Chinese language

http://www.language.berkeley.edu/fanjian/toc.html

Web to practise Chinese writing

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

Web with information on phonetics and pinyin

https://chinese.yabla.com/chinese-pinyin-chart.php

http://www.quickmandarin.com/chinesepinyintable/

Chinese - English dictionary: http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php

Line Dict Chinese-English: https://dict.naver.com/linedict/zhendict/dict.html#/cnen/home

Guoyu cidian (in traditional characters): http://140.111.34.46/newDict/dict/index.html

Overseas Community Affairs Council, Taiwan: https://www.huayuworld.org/index.php

Handian: http://www.zdic.net/

Pleco: https://www.pleco.com/

Yellow bridge: http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/chinese-dictionary.php

 

Resources in DDD of UAB

http://www.zhongwen.com/  

Web amb molta informació sobre la llengua xinesa. 

http://www.language.berkeley.edu/fanjian/toc.html

Web per a practicar l'escriptura xinesa. 

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

Web amb informació sobre fonètica i pinyin 

NIU, T. Análisis de la partícula "LE" (了) y su aplicación a la enseñanza-aprendizaje del chino como lengua extranjera a alumnos hispanohablantes

https://ddd.uab.cat/record/250312?ln=ca

La decadència de la cal·ligrafia i l'escriptura xinesa a l'era moderna. Cas analític del jovent xinès amb la seva escriptura

https://ddd.uab.cat/record/160590?ln=ca

Recursos socio-linguisticos en la publicidad china

https://ddd.uab.cat/record/160587?ln=ca

La enseñanza del chino estándar en Cataluña

https://ddd.uab.cat/record/147111?ln=ca

La presència econòmica espanyola i catalana a la Xina

https://ddd.uab.cat/record/147098?ln=ca


Software

No specific software is required for this course.


Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Chinese first semester morning-mixed