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School of Culture History and Language · ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
This course offers an introduction to Cantonese with an emphasis mainly on communicative ability and partly on comparison with Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua). It is designed for students who have no or very limited prior knowledge of the Cantonese language. Students will learn the basics of Cantonese in this course, including pronunciation, the Cantonese Romanisation systems, vocabulary and structures for basic communication. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to have high-elementary to low-intermediate Cantonese proficiency and have the confidence to converse in Cantonese on everyday topics such as greetings, asking and giving directions, making phone calls and appointments, telling time, shopping and bargaining, describing weathers and seasons, and similar topics. As Cantonese shares a character writing system with Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua) and the majority of the Cantonese lexicon are identical or similar to the Mandarin equivalents, the focus of this course is on the acquisition of lexical items and syntactical structures that are unique in Cantonese and on the practice of Cantonese speaking and listening. Students are expected to have mastered intermediate level of Chinese grammar and have learned at least 2000 Chinese characters (equivalent to the Modern Chinese 4 learning outcome) before enrolling in CHIN2024.
Class participation
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Online Quizzes (3 quizzes throughout the semester, 5% each)
Learning outcomes 2, 3, 4, 5
Mid-semester Spoken Test
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
Vlog Assignment
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
Essay Assignment (word count: 1000)
Learning outcomes 3, 5
End-of-semester Spoken Test
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5
End-of-semester Written Test
Learning outcomes 2, 3, 4
130 hours in total for both in class time and independent study. Other Information On successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to engage at an Introductory level of Cantonese. This course is not suitable for students with native speaker proficiency (may include cognate languages and dialects). Students with previous “language experience or exposure” are required to undertake a language proficiency assessment to ensure enrolment at the most appropriate level. Relevant past experience includes: - Previous study of the language (both formal and informal, for example but not limited to, at school, or, home, or through online activities, etc.) - Being exposed to the language in childhood via a family member or friend - Travel or living in a country where the language is spoken - The language being spoken in your home (even if you do not speak it yourself) Students who are not sure if they need to undertake a language proficiency assessment should seek advice from the course or language convenor. Students who intentionally misrepresent their language proficiency level may be investigated under the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 as having failed to comply with assessment directions and having sought unfair advantage. This may results in a penalty such as reduced grades or failure of the course. Students are not permitted to enrol in a language course below one that they have already successfully completed, except with permission of the language and/or course convener. (130 hours in total)
Not applicable