Normally, we use Chinese to learn English. We learn a new English word by memorizing its Chinese meaning. As a result, when we understand or express something in English, our brain has to do translation from Chinese to English, which makes us difficult to use English as smoothly as the native speakers. Hence, if we are able to skip Chinese when using English, we can probably make a huge process in English learning.
To use English without the participation of Chinese, we need to avoid giving an English word a Chinese meaning. We had better use junior English words to define senior ones. For some English words with meanings of specific stuff in real life, we can even memorize them by forming pictures in our mind. In sum, no matter what methods do we adopt, the key point is to skip Chinese!
Besides, we are supposed to speak English as much as possible after class. As we usually speak chinese in daily life, the connection between the general stuff and its chinese name is confirm. Consequently, when we try to mention something which occurs in daily life, the Chinese name of it will come out instantly and interrupt us from seeking its English name. To avoid this condition, the only way we can adopt is to speak English instead of Chinese in daily life.
Furthermore, reading an English novel is a good way for us skip Chinese. When getting absorbed in an English novel, we enter an English environment so that we will unconsciously skip Chinese and understand the plots directly in English. After spending lots of time reading it, we are able to come up with English words instantly instead of Chinese words when we are writing.
All in all, try to use English without the translation from Chinese and we will eventually become near native speakers.
I must say what Bingyou mentioned is a common problem for us English learners .We always try to define what we hear in Chinese ,but we usualy do not realise it can be an obstacle in our learning .The effective way to solve it is to speak in English much more and find our own way to define things ,like pictures ,as Bingyou said .
ReplyDeleteyeah，I totally agree with your idea.
DeleteThank you for your advice! English environment is really a good way to improve our English. But when I try to learn a English word just by reading the English meaning, I can't understand the exact meaning. How do you come over it?
ReplyDeleteHere is my method: I usually try to find English meaning when meeting a new word first.But indeed,I will then find its Chinese meaning to help me understand it unless I can simply master that word only by English explanation.Then,read the sentences witch include that word and try to master that word in English.I think we can use chinese to help us form the English explanation of an English word.The most important thing is that we try to understand that word by English when we meet that word next time.
DeleteLock away your Chinese! You won't lose it too quickly. Since one of your paragraph says " we are supposed to speak English as much as possible after class" , I would encourage you to work on a plan to achieve it. 'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail' Make a pact with a few classmates, and PROMISE to use English as a tool of communication EVERYDAY.
ReplyDeleteI cannot agree more. As Chinese students, what hits to us is always in Chinese instead of English. Changing our mind into English mind, it may be better.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, but it seems not so easy. At least for me, if I do not remember its Chinese meaning, I will hardly remember it even a day later.:(
ReplyDeleteI think so. The expression is different in different language.It seems hard for us to do things like that in the beginning because all we have in mind is the grammar, the vacabulary. Practice really helps a lot.
ReplyDeleteYour advice is very valuable! Of course we should avoid speaking and thinking in Chinese. It's not easy for us to develope the English thinking, so we need more practice. Everyone should try to make an environment of English for himself or herself. When we write the vocabulary notebook, we are also supposed to write the English meanings.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a fact that we use Chinese to learn English.I also agree with you that it is not so good.You provide some methods for vs to overcome the problem, and I feel it not that difficult to skip Chinese when using English.
ReplyDelete