All the online files for the second topic “How does Chinese Sound?”
Homework:
1. Examine the Mandarin syllable charts online and do the following:
a. List five kinds of impossible combinations of the initial consonant (left column) and the final (top row, final=syllable minus the initial consonant). It is better to find the more general and systematic patterns than the accidental gaps.
b. List five syllables in Mandarin that do not start with a consonant. List five syllables that do not end with a consonant. List five syllables that end in a consonant.
c. Give two examples (one each) of the asymmetry between the beginning and ending of English and Mandarin Chinese syllables.
2. Cite two important facts about the Mandarin Chinese syllable, particularly in how it differs from English.
3. Please discuss the similarity and differences between tones in tonal languages and intonations in languages like English.
4. What does tone sandhi mean? Give two examples from Chinese.
5. What are homophones/homonyms? Give two examples from either English or Chinese.