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Useful supplements to FSI Chinese and Thai courses

Printed From: FSI Language Courses
Category: Learning Languages
Forum Name: Chinese (Standard)
Forum Discription: Discussion about studying Standard Chinese using the FSI course.
URL: http://fsi-language-courses.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=333
Printed Date: 16 January 2009 at 3:29am


Topic: Useful supplements to FSI Chinese and Thai courses
Posted By: Linas
Subject: Useful supplements to FSI Chinese and Thai courses
Date Posted: 05 March 2007 at 7:16am
The FSI Chinese course contains no Chinese script, so if you want to look up a phonetically written word from the course it would be difficult or just impossible. A good idea, in my mind, would be to procure the ABC Chinese English dictionary(200000 words and phrases)
http://www.amazon.com/ABC-Chinese-English-Comprehensive-Dictionary-Alphabetically/dp/082482766X/ref=sr_1_3/002-6199411-6095228?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173099517&sr=1-3 - http://www.amazon.com/ABC-Chinese-English-Comprehensive-Dictionary-Alphabetically/dp/082482766X/ref=sr_1_3/002-6199411-6095228?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173099517&sr=1-3
 
or a similar smaller dicionary(:
 
http://www.amazon.com/ABC-Chinese-English-Dictionary-Alphabetically-Computerized/dp/0824821548/ref=sr_1_6/002-6199411-6095228?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173099517&sr=1-6 - http://www.amazon.com/ABC-Chinese-English-Dictionary-Alphabetically-Computerized/dp/0824821548/ref=sr_1_6/002-6199411-6095228?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173099517&sr=1-6
 
These dictionaries are arranged strictly alphabetically according to pinyin, so it very easy to look up a word which you have found written in pinyin or have simply overheard. Btw. these dictionaries could help to work with the 9th module which has no workbook.
 
These dictionaries are very comprehensive, so that they will be still useful even when you have reached very advanced level. Although they are aranged alphabetically, they do contain the usual character indexes according to radicals.
 
As FSI Thai basic course has no Thai script as well, the following dictionary could also be useful for working with the course, since it contains the section where Thai words are listed according to transliteration together with two other sections - Thai words arranged according to Thai script alphabetical order and English Thai section.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Thai-English-English-Thai-Dictionary-Non-Thai-Speakers/dp/1887521143/ref=sr_1_1/002-6199411-6095228?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173100199&sr=1-1 - http://www.amazon.com/Thai-English-English-Thai-Dictionary-Non-Thai-Speakers/dp/1887521143/ref=sr_1_1/002-6199411-6095228?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173100199&sr=1-1



Replies:
Posted By: Thomas
Date Posted: 06 March 2007 at 8:15pm
Originally posted by Linas

The FSI Chinese course contains no Chinese script, so if you want to look up a phonetically written word from the course it would be difficult or just impossible.
   
I find it handy to use online dictionaries when doing the FSI course. There are several good ones, each has it's own strengths. Here are the ones I have available on separate tabs of my browser at all times:
MDGB http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php - http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php
Dict.cn http://www.dict.cn/en/ - http://www.dict.cn/en/
Yellowbridge http://www.yellowbridge.com/language/chinese-dictionary.php - http://www.yellowbridge.com/language/chinese-dictionary.php
Online Chinese Dictionary http://www.freechineselearning.com/dictionary/Wordsearch.asp - http://www.freechineselearning.com/dictionary/Wordsearch.asp
   
I don't really need them for the definitions since those are pretty well covered in the course but they're great for getting the hanzi 汉字 from the pinyin. I then add the 汉字 to my own version of the FSI reference lists. Ah, the fun of learning Chinese!
 
As an aside, I forked out the $126 to the US DoD for the complete document set for the course and feel for me it was a great investment. Now I can read the docs without having to drag my laptop everywhere. I just take a doc and my ipod and dive right in.


-------------
Tom



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