Participation
in Pronunciation challenge, August 2021
41 minutes 0.68h
I practised tone drills and consonant pronunciation using videos from Grace Mandarin Chinese. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Cj3aOSI1w&ab_channel=GraceMandarinChinese
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpQ3IMd4AMg&ab_channel=GraceMandarinChinese
I also practised saying a list of core words (plus example sentences) from Chinese Class 101.
41 minutes 0.68h
I watched another helpful YoYo Chinese video, this time on expressing emotion in a tonal language. The presenters said it isn't necessarily something you sit down and practise, but it helps me to feel less worried about saying the wrong tone when trying to express an emotion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VV8HoYhhF8&list=TLPQMjgwODIwMjEIKuulKYqvvQ&index=5&ab_channel=YoyoChinese
41 minutes 0.68h
I watched a YoYo Chinese video titled "How Chinese People ACTUALLY Speak". It was helpful for practising the standard pronunciation of some everday phrases, and for being able to understand when hearing those expressions in a shortened/colloquial form.
62 minutes 1.03h
I recorded myself saying a vocabulary list from Chinese Class 101, titled "Top 10 Hardest Words to Pronounce". I also watched a YoYo Chinese video on saying "chu”, “qu”, “chi”, “ren”, and “yan” in Mandarin Chinese. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGUyQd5nmSs&ab_channel=YoyoChinese. I also did a little bit on tone changes.
62 minutes 1.03h
I went over the tone pairs video from Yoyo Chinese again. I also listened to a Chinese Class 101 video on 10 emergency phrases, then recorded myself saying the phrases. I found the switiching between tones a bit difficult in the context of a sentence.
41 minutes 0.68h
I practised the main sounds with a video from New Concept Mandarin, and some more sounds from the Yabla pinyin chart.
41 minutes 0.68h
I practised tone combinations with a YoYo Chinese YouTube video, and some more sound combinations on Yabla.
41 minutes 0.68h
I practised third tone combinations, and tried a little more of recording myself when reviewing Skritter vocab. The latter didn't go very well - I kept blaking on characters because I was focused on trying to pronounce as many things as possible.
41 minutes 0.68h
I practised the sounds si, shi, zi, zhi, chi, ci and ri. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if9UTOvQkJo&ab_channel=YoyoChinese
41 minutes 0.68h
I practised 1st tone combinations, and also consonants and vowels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpDbuji_Hew
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtnQuHg8F8U
41 minutes 0.68h
I practised second tone combinations plus some first tone combinations via YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdySIVkSqT0; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpDbuji_Hew
41 minutes 0.68h
I practised 4th tone combinations with a YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzlurU-yup4 (Had to stop and go back a few times on difficult words.)
41 minutes 0.68h
I practised 3rd tone combinations with a YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcOMmC5qy08. I also made a start on 4th tone combinations.
44 minutes 0.73h
I used the following tone drill videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GSYPEq3cJw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gocmPUKfXn4&list=PLFkP3w7MB-Po_lz-5tp3kiWJadiTVNTnV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGqnMl13rIo&list=PLFkP3w7MB-Po_lz-5tp3kiWJadiTVNTnV&index=2
Thanks to Yana Lee for sharing these resources.
41 minutes 0.68h
I combined pronunciation with writing by recording myself as I worked through a Skritter list. The recorder on my phone picked up the native speaker audio on Skritter, so I could compare myself with their pronunciation. This was an experiment, so I might try it again later in the challenge.
41 minutes 0.68h
I read through a Hacking Chinese article on the third tone, and recorded myself saying the example words a few times. I also practiced some of the sounds I struggle with via the Yabla pinyin chart (I should've recorded those as well).
41 minutes 0.68h
I tried mimicking a dialogue on WordSwing. I also went over sounds I struggle with using the Yabla pinyin table, as well as the videos explaining differences between "shu" and "xu", etc.
41 minutes 0.68h
I did the Sinosplice tone drills, and tried to shadow a Mandarin Corner story video at half speed.
41 minutes 0.68h
I recorded myself saying the tone pairs in the same Hacking Chinese article from yesterday. I struggled a bit with "ju", "qu" and "xu" sounds, but it seemed to improve later on.
41 minutes 0.68h
I recorded myself saying the tone pairs from Hacking Chinese. I struggled the most where there was a second tone on the first syllable.
41 minutes 0.68h
I recorded myself saying the tone combinations from this Hacking Chinese article: https://www.hackingchinese.com/focusing-on-tone-pairs-to-improve-your-mandarin-pronunciation/. It soon became apparent which sound combinations I was having the most trouble with. Examples from my Google Translate history: 休息, 休息, 要求. I was having trouble with "ji" sounds in particular, regardless of what tone the "i" had.
Challenge time progress: | |
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Goal progress: |
Score | 15.03 |
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Rank | 3rd |
Hours reported | 15.03 |
Goal | 15h |