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Post by charliebrown on Nov 27, 2013 11:15:33 GMT
For those who are interested, I am getting it from the very basics: I. phonetic readings (easier) Example: 你=you, reads ni, so type 'ni' and you can get the character 你; 我=I, reads wo, so type 'wo' for 我; 木=tree, reads (types) 'mu'; 森=forest, reads (types) 'sen'. It'd be wonderful if it's that simple The problem comes because there are '5 tones' in Chinese language (that is the intonation that goes up and down, as in English, the ending of a question carries usually an 'up' tone), and several characters might sound the same. But if you can read (as speak it) and know roughly how the character look like, you can choose the correct character (the system pops up all the characters with the same phonetic spelling). II. root shapes Example: 木=tree, this is a root, you can find it in other characters like 森=forest (logical, isn't it? You have to remember which English alphabet represents the root 木, then you click on the key 3 times to get 3 木, and you get 森. This is how a standard Chinese keyboard look like; you can see some of the most common roots on the keyboard: I used to use the II method because the combination with roots is more exact than the phonetic method thus no need to choose from a list of characters. Nowadays I use phonetic method because it's become so smart that the system chooses the right character according to the context of content I keyin. I am not sure about iPhone, but with iPad, you can just write the character on the screen as a third input method (handwriting recognition).
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Post by tangent on Nov 27, 2013 13:46:08 GMT
I've tried various methods on the iPad but I'm finding it a bit confusing.
Handwriting mode
In handwriting mode, I start with a blank rectangle in place of the keyboard and a set of eight blank keys to the right of the rectangle. I draw a shape on the blank rectangle and the iPad labels up to eight blank keys with characters that approximate to the shape that I have drawn. I then select one of those characters... or press the delete key!
Phonetic method
I start with an English keyboard and type one or more letters. The iPad inserts a row of Chinese characters above the keyboard that approximate to the sound.
Root shapes
I don't seem to be able to type the root shapes (method II) on the iPad.
妇女你会箜咯个体
The above line took me about 20 seconds to type but that's because I haven't done it before and I have no idea what I'm trying to say.
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Post by charliebrown on Nov 27, 2013 14:42:32 GMT
Steve, root shape method is more complicated, and you have to be sure that the method is installed in your iPad. 妇女(women)你会(you will)箜咯(unknown characters to me)个体(individual)
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Post by JoeP on Nov 27, 2013 16:33:57 GMT
I like this thread - thanks Genie!
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Post by tangent on Nov 27, 2013 17:09:18 GMT
妇女(women)你会(you will)箜咯(unknown characters to me)个体(individual) Brilliant, my first few words of pigeon Chinese actually mean something... well as much as French and Latin ever did
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Post by Mari on Nov 27, 2013 19:11:44 GMT
With Japanese you can do method 1 and 3, but you can't do it with roots. However, the handwriting recognition starts showing suggestions the moment you start writing, so if you write the root, you usually get quite far with the common words. I prefer the phonetic method. Since Japanese doesn't have tonals (though there are many words that you say the same, but write differently), it isn't that difficult. That and I'm terrible at actively writing kanji, though I'm proficient at recognising them. I wonder how they do it with Thai. That language has 5 tones and many letters look the same.
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Post by Alvamiga on Nov 27, 2013 21:02:11 GMT
Steve's phrase says... "You will Khon individual women slightly" ...according to Google. It almost makes sense. In a creepy sort of a way! Khon (Thai: โขน) is a genre of dance drama from Thailand.
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Post by tangent on Nov 28, 2013 1:14:05 GMT
Obviously, Google speaks schoolboy Chinese
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Post by Alvamiga on Nov 28, 2013 7:37:55 GMT
While it it can make the totally obscure comprehensible, I'd never trust it to do a proper job of it.
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Post by Mari on Nov 29, 2013 18:40:25 GMT
Unfortunately my students do. And every time they're surprised that I caught them. *rolls eyes*
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Post by Alvamiga on Nov 29, 2013 21:09:02 GMT
I not am understanding how possibly can be told by you!
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Post by Mari on Nov 30, 2013 12:18:42 GMT
*sigh* like that, yes.
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Post by Alvamiga on Nov 30, 2013 17:53:39 GMT
The worst aspect of that is that, even if they get away with it, they are actually just doing themselves out of education, which does them more damage in the long run.
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