Yale-China Chinese Language Centre, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
​香港中文大學 雅禮中國語文研習所

Course Syllabus

1. Understanding Chinese language and culture (introduce the relationship between language and culture with specific reference to Chinese language varieties)

2. Language in communication: the learning process (introduce key concepts and development of teaching and learning Chinese as a second/foreign language [CSL]; discuss basic principles in CSL)

3. Standard Chinese and varieties: a diachronic approach (discuss the language policy of Mainland China; the development of Mandarin Chinese in Mainland China; the development of the pinyin system and Chinese scripts)

4. Standard Chinese and varieties: a synchronic approach (discuss different Chinese varieties used in different parts of Mainland China as well as in different parts of the world)

5. Languages and cultures in Hong Kong (discuss the language policy of Hong Kong; the status of different languages in Hong Kong; the sociolinguistic issues in Hong Kong)

6. Cantonese and other major dialects in China (discuss Cantonese and its relationship with other major dialects in China and in Hong Kong)

7. Learning Chinese: listening and speaking (introduce basic principles in teaching and learning Chinese focusing on teaching and learning listening and speaking skills with reference to linguistics, pragmatic and cultural aspects)

8. Learning Chinese: reading and writing (introduce basic principles in teaching and learning Chinese focusing on teaching and learning reading and writing skills with reference to linguistics, pragmatic and cultural aspects)

9. Appreciating language through culture (discuss Chinese varieties appearing in cultural artifacts)

10. Appreciating culture through language (discuss culturally loaded idioms, proverbs, and stories; draw a relationship between Chinese culture and language)

11. Wrap up and review of major concepts

Required Readings

Required readings on the relationship between language and culture

•  Greetings, conversations and farewells. In Encountering the Chinese. W. Hu and C. Grove. 1991. Yarmouth, Me.: Intercultural Press. P.21-33.

• Pragmatic framework and its role in language learning: With special reference to Chinese. In Processes and Process-Orientation in Foreign Language Teaching and Learning. W. Chan et al (eds.). 2011. De Gruter Mouton. P.65-89.

• The relationship of language and culture. In Language and Culture. C. Kramsch. 1998. Oxford: Oxford University Press. P.3-14

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Required readings on the language policy and sociolinguistic issues of Mainland China and Hong Kong

•  The modern standard language I. In Chinese. J Norman. 1988. Cambridge University Press. P.133-151.

• Dialectal variation in North and Central China. In Chinese. J Norman. 1988. Cambridge University Press. P.181-209.

• The use of English and Chinese Languages in Hong Kong. In Language Learning & Communication. Cheung, Yat-shing. 1984. 3(3) P.273-283.

• One Country, Two Cultures and Three Languages: Sociolinguistic Conditions and Language Education in Hong Kong. In Teaching Language and Culture: Building Hong Kong on Education. B. Asker (ed.). 1998. Hong Kong: Addison Wesley Longman China. P.152-175.

Required readings on development and trends in teaching and learning Chinese as a second language

• Task, listening comprehension and SLA. In Task-based Language Learning and Teaching. R. Ellis. 2009. Oxford University Press. P.37-68.

• On the Chinese Characters. In The Creative Alphabets in the Whole World. C.Y. SIN. 2009. Korea. San Chung Pub. Co. P.1-11.

Recommended Readings

• Norman, J. (1988). Chinese. Cambridge University Press.

• Kramsch, C. (1998). Language and Culture. Oxford University Press.