Lessons in Learning Chinese: Greg Bell

Today we present Greg Bell. Hailing from New Jersey, he attended university in Michigan, then traveled halfway across the globe to Taiwan, where he is currently pursuing a Master's degree in history. He shares his experiences learning Chinese (and Japanese!) on his blog, and you can follow him on Twitter @Zhongruige.

Thank you, Greg, and enjoy everyone!

How long have you been learning Chinese? In what setting? For what reasons? What prompted you to begin?

I've been learning Chinese since 2005, but my interest truly stems from my earlier Japanese studies. In high school, I chose to take a Japanese class. After three years of Spanish, why not try Japanese? The instructor was especially focused on mastering Kanji first and teaching us not to be intimidated by the characters.

When I started university in 2004, I noticed my roommate was studying this complex-sounding, difficult-to-decipher language full of characters, which I learned was called Chinese. I thought it would be really enjoyable to learn! The writing system was actually what initially attracted me. Since then, I've studied Chinese at university, at a language center in Taiwan, and now independently during graduate school. Everyone has their own motivation for learning a language; mine is simple curiosity, so my main drive is just wanting to understand more about the language and discover the long history and evolution of China's unique writing system.

Do you have a specific philosophy for how you tackle learning Chinese? Any major 想法 s about the process?

“Serious fun.” Essentially, one should pursue their interests and see where it leads! You know what you enjoy and what you don't, so follow that throughout your studies, even if it sometimes feels like you're not “formally studying”. I suppose that's a core belief: studying doesn't need to feel like a chore. Not opening a textbook or doing hundreds of SRS repetitions doesn't mean you aren't learning. What truly matters is that you engage with the language in some form. You listen to music. You watch a clip. You read a book, manga, or magazine. You read online news. You play a video game. You browse a textbook for enjoyment. As long as you find time to interact with Chinese–that's what counts.

What parts of learning Chinese do you find most enjoyable?

Simply put: reading and writing Chinese characters and studying classical texts and poetry. For me, nothing is more enjoyable or rewarding in learning Chinese than this. Chinese characters contain so much history and meaning. It's fascinating to discover their origins and how their usage has evolved (or remained the same!) over millennia. Perhaps the most exciting part is that being able to read modern Chinese provides access to thousands of years of literary history. To me, that is the real delight of studying Chinese.

What common errors do you observe other language learners making? What should people AVOID doing when learning Chinese?

I think sometimes learners become overly dependent on textbooks and structured materials, making it difficult to venture into areas that feel more like fun than formal study. I believe the distinction between the two needs to be broken down. Also, Chinese learning shouldn't end when class does. Classes are excellent for building a foundation, but it's the activities you pursue outside the classroom that will advance your Chinese.

Another related issue is that many learners put excessive pressure on themselves. Tones! Strokes! Countless characters! Oracle bone script! My advice is to take it one step at a time and don't try to learn "everything"—just focus on what interests you. Want to learn enough to read a newspaper? Go for it. Want to read the massive Dream of the Red Chamber? Why not! Just follow your passions. You know what you want to learn, so don't feel overwhelmed by the thought of learning it all. This is one drawback of textbooks; they can give the impression that you need to learn a little of everything, when in reality, your Chinese can be as specialized as your English. Maybe you lean towards literature, or you're a deconstructionist historian. Everyone has different interests and goals. Follow yours. Don't feel obligated to “learn Everything”. You'll just drive yourself mad.

Any favorite words or expressions?

My favorite phrase has to be: 書中自有顏如玉 (shū zhōng zì yǒu yán rú yù), which suggests there is a beauty within books. It's a wonderful way to describe someone who loves reading and can't get their head out of a book! Another one, used more for fun, is calling someone 豬八戒 (zhū bā jiè) from Journey to the West. It's an amusing nickname to use among friends.

Any amusing stories from your experience? Embarrassing language errors, mix-ups, or surreal instances?

I once learned that 曰 was another way to say 說 (before realizing it was classical Chinese), so I went around saying, “我的朋友曰…” assuming it could be interchanged with 說 like 講 can. People generally found it endearing, but I'm sure a few thought I was a pretentious kid from Jersey who thought he knew Chinese better than anyone and was determined to speak the “Emperor's” Chinese. Anyway, later telling these stories in Chinese to friends in Taiwan has always been a great source of laughter.

Any significant milestones? Any “Aha!” or eureka moments?

About three months ago, I was reading a book for my thesis. Before this, it was always quite daunting to pick up a heavy Chinese book or article and work through it. It felt exhausting. I'd be interested in the topic in English, but in Chinese, it seemed like a monstrous task I lacked the motivation to tackle. I'd start, get about halfway, then quickly grow tired and put it down. Then one day, I suddenly realized I could read the material without wanting to stop or look things up constantly. It just “clicked,” and things have been much smoother since.

I'm not entirely sure how to describe it other than, perhaps, all my prior exposure had finally translated into a subconscious ability. Of course, I still have much to learn, but it was hugely encouraging. These moments should be cherished; sometimes they occur when reading an article, other times when you're just passively glancing at a sign. Suddenly you realize, “I can read all of that.” It's an incredible feeling. Truly the best motivator one can have.

How do you maintain your motivation while learning Chinese?

Sit back, unwind, and have some tea. If there's time, go hike a mountain.

Thanks, Greg. Excellent advice! I also live for those “I can read all of that!” moments—I discussed them in my own interview a few months back. Don't forget to visit Greg’s blog here.

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