[EDLING:222] Trouble learning Chinese? Log on to new website

[Francis M. Hult]

People's Daily Online

Trouble learning Chinese? Log on to new website

The country is producing more qualified teachers and developing innovative 
learning tools to meet the booming demand for Chinese language proficiency 
worldwide. 

Currently more than 40 million foreigners are learning Chinese and that number 
is expected to grow to about 100 million by 2010, according to the office of 
Chinese Language Council International (CLCI). 

A Chinese language learning website, www.lnyabc.com, was launched yesterday to 
provide 10 interactive learning platforms between standard Chinese and 10 
foreign languages. 

"The platforms provide a simple and practical way to learn Chinese," said Yang 
Chunhong, director of Lanya Network Co which created the learning method. 

Learners only need to remember 354 basic words and 595 classified words and 
then practice them combining common sentences in daily life covering the fields 
of traffic, accommodation, catering, shopping, entertainment, tourism, sports 
and trade, Yang said. 

For many beginners, Chinese can be an overwhelming language. 

"Many foreigners often flinch at learning to write Chinese characters and some 
of them spend a lot of time and money to remember a lot of words before opening 
their mouth to speak," said Xing Bisi, a professor with the Chinese Cultural 
Link Project Committee affiliated to the Chinese People's Political 
Consultative Conference. 

Full story:
http://english.people.com.cn/200706/13/eng20070613_383636.html