stern criticism found
Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:29 am
I must thank Mr. Tienzen for clarifying some of my doubts apropos T.K.Ann's work.
The concerns remaining are mostly on the book "Chinese etymology" itself.
1. I have found some highly critical review on this book at chinese-forums.com from user mwaynewalter who claims having read the whole "Chinese Etymology" (Post #65):
http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php ... ntry216568
Are derivative characters in the book really given without pinyin and english translation?
I guess it really takes a huge time to look all those 8000 characters up in dictionary one by one.
2. at http://www.prebabel.info/bab015.htm among other things you also write:
so if it gives only 10% of knowledge needed, where the student is supposed to pick up the rest?
3. Are there any non-chinese students having succeed with this system?
There are only chinese students on all photos we see at chineseetymology.com website
so it makes one think only chinese could succeed with Mr.Tienzen system.
Thank you very much.
The concerns remaining are mostly on the book "Chinese etymology" itself.
1. I have found some highly critical review on this book at chinese-forums.com from user mwaynewalter who claims having read the whole "Chinese Etymology" (Post #65):
http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php ... ntry216568
mwaynewalter wrote:"...The only part in English (which is most interesting and informative) is the reference and discussion of the individual "root words".
That is, it has tons of examples of characters and exercises to demonstrate and teach the method of learning the "root words" that make up the characters. But it has zero explanation of the example characters or exercise. They're just pages and pages of Chinese characters... "
Are derivative characters in the book really given without pinyin and english translation?
I guess it really takes a huge time to look all those 8000 characters up in dictionary one by one.
2. at http://www.prebabel.info/bab015.htm among other things you also write:
Tienzen wrote:"Book 4: "Chinese Etymology" (in English, 326 pages, intended as a textbook for American kid who knows not a single Chinese at the beginning) which has three Lessons and one character list (about 8,000 words). This book is copyright with US # TX 6-917-909, on January 16, 2008. This book is available in many university libraries. Please visit http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/318075862 for details.
.....
Note: as a textbook for a beginner, it contains only about 10% the etymology theory in comparison to the Book 1."
so if it gives only 10% of knowledge needed, where the student is supposed to pick up the rest?
3. Are there any non-chinese students having succeed with this system?
There are only chinese students on all photos we see at chineseetymology.com website
so it makes one think only chinese could succeed with Mr.Tienzen system.
Thank you very much.