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Contents

I. The Chinese language

Nomenclature: Guanhua, Madarin, Guoyu, Hanyu, Zhongguohua, Zhongwen, Putonghua, Huayu
Current status and Future of the Chinese language
Features and characteristics
Chinese in contacts with other languages
Web sites:

II. Dialects

Dialect: a definition
Chinese dialects: geographical distribution and features
Features
Studies of dialects
Speech Samples Texts <http://www.ctlwmp.cityu.edu.hk/dialects/prolist.htm>
Mandarin, Shanghai, Cantonese, Hakka, Chouzhou,
Reading assignments: 1. Ramsey: Chapter 1 (pp. 1-18) and Chapter 6 (pp 87-95, pp 98-107. Focus on Mandrin, Wu and Yue) (concise and clear description); 2. Optional: Norman: Chapter 8.1, 8.6, 8.8, 9.2 ( more detailed information about dialects); 3. Surf the web sites above to listen to Shanghai, Cantonese and Hakka dialtects. Listen to a passage in Shanghainese (shanghai.wav 899K, Ramsey: page 94-95)

III. Phonology

Basics of Phonetics: consonants, vowels, syllables, tones, place of articulation, manner of articulation, categorization of sounds, segmental vs suprasegmental
Initials, Finals and Tones
Features
BoPoMoFo and Hanyu Pinyin, GR, Wade-Gile, Yale Word Mapping Table for Pinyin, WG, Yale GR
Classical Phonology: yinyun, fanqie, zimu, yunshu,relationship between modern and ancient pronunciation
Web sites:

IV. Vocabulary

Morphemes (free and bound, restricted and versatile), words, characters, prefixes and suffixes
Word formation
Word classes, full vs. empty words
Synonyms, antonyms, hyponyms
Idioms, chengyu, xiehouyu
Reading assignments:1. Norman 7.2, 7.3, 7.4; 2. Ramsey: pp57-65.

V. Grammar

VI. Script

VII. Varieties and changes

VIII. Chinese information processing