I first stumbled upon Marco Polo Project (MPP from here on in) a little over a year ago and knew instantly that I would be spending lots of time on the site in the future. If the …
10 Simple Phrases for Improving Your Conversational Skills
Once we get past “你好吗” (how are you?) and “我不会说中文” (I don’t speak Chinese) it seems the sky’s the limit, but what kinds of language can we use to improve conversational skills and extract even …
Actually Good Chinese/English Comics
A month ago, Jake posted Finding Suitable Reading Material for Your Level. I have an addition: bilingual iPad comic books. I just met up with Yen Yen and Colin from Dim Sum Warriors, which apart …
Language Parroting: Part 2
This week on the Skritter blog we’ll be exploring part two of the language parroting post. This week goes beyond the basic struggles we face mimic foreign sounds as beginners and explores some more tips …
Yamato Kotoba, Jukujikun, and Irregular Readings
As you become increasingly familiar with kanji and their readings, it’s not surprising when you can pronounce a word for the first time at a guess and be correct. There are also times where you …
Culture Corner: 清明时节雨纷纷
Today on the Skritter blog we’ll be exploring a phrase that is both culturally and seasonally relevant, Du Mu‘s opening line from his poem “清明” (Qīngmíng: Tomb Sweeping Festival); a time for people to go out and enjoy …
Finding Suitable Reading Material for Your Level
This week on the Skritter blog we’ll be addressing the issue of where to find suitable reading material for your level. I’ve been wanting to explore this topic for some time, but the post was …
Learning to Read in Late Imperial China
Here at Skritter we are all about making learning to read and write Chinese and Japanese characters as easy and effective as possible. For those who started learning characters in the pre-Skritter days, or the …
Polly Want a Cracker? Language Parroting Tips (Part 1)
If you’ve ever used or heard of programs like Rossetta Stone or Pimsleur, then you’re probably already familiar with the general concept of language parroting. Here I mean the act of listening and repeating in …
Tone Sandhi: Tone Changes for the Character “不”
Study the list over on Skritter Tone Sandhi: The First Tone Tone Sandhi: Tone changes for multiple 3rd tones The Neutral Tone This week on the Skritter blog we’ll be further exploring the tone sandhi …