English still remains to be the preferred language for business and communication.
But this is slowly changing, as other economies grow and develop, it’s becoming more and more important to be attuned to an increasingly globalized world.
China’s growing influence in both business and world affairs has found that more and more professionals see the need for learning Mandarin as a tool for communicating with the world’s most populous nation.
Jim O’Neill, a British economist who coined the term BRIC to refer to the four developing countries driving the world’s economy (Brazil, Russia, India, and China), recently said in an interview with Xinhua that China’s consumers were by far the most important presently and in the foreseeable future.
How Can I Use Software to Learn Mandarin? And Why Should I?
Learning any new language can be very difficult.
Traditionally, it would entail enrolling in an educational institution for classes a few times a week, or putting yourself in an immersion situation with native speakers.
But not everyone has the time or the inclination to attend a classroom.
And even if you are taking formal lessons, language software can still help reinforce your learning.
Is Learning Mandarin Hard?
Leaving aside pronunciation, many people think that learning Mandarin is mind-bogglingly difficult.
While it’s true that for a native English speaker, Spanish, French, or German will be easier to learn (since these are all languages English has heavily borrowed from), one advantage to Mandarin Chinese is its lack of verbs.
Though there are technically over 80,000 characters, only around 3,500 to 2,000 are actually used in conversation—and most Chinese don’t necessarily use more than 20,000.
On the other hand, Mandarin’s tonal nature means that pitch can totally change the meaning of a word, converting ‘sell’ into ‘buy’ with just a lowering of your inflection.
And the difficulty with learning its characters is compounded by the fact that there is little to no correspondence between sounds and written characters.
There’s some comfort to be taken, then, in that most language software favor verbal communication overwritten.
Since most people’s goal with learning a new language is fluency, developers have focused on precisely that—emphasizing listening and pronunciation.
Language learning tools have come a long way from dry textbooks and repetitive audio recordings.
Today, technology has made it possible for students to learn in more interactive atmospheres, like the ones that can be found in the best software for learning Mandarin.
SOME OF THE BEST SOFTWARE FOR LEARNING MANDARIN
At ConsumersAdvocate.org we’ve reviewed some of the best language software available today, taking into account the teaching method, learning format, teaching levels, and of course, price. Below are two of the best software for learning Mandarin:
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone makes learning Mandarin easy by breaking it down into five different levels, available through downloads, CDs, or via app.
Rosetta Stone lets you learn Mandarin at your own pace in a highly interactive manner, by following the general precept that full immersion is the best way to learn a new language.
To that end, Rosetta divides its program into four basic components:
- Stories – These can be a fun way to practice, by reading simple stories in the original. Did you know that before there was Cinderella, there was Ye Xian, a young girl who lived between the Qin and Han Dynasties of China?
- Audio Companion – These downloadable audio lessons are perfect for students on the go, as you can listen and learn offline.
- TruACCENT™ - This features speech recognition technology for better pronunciation.
- Tutors – Available as buyable add-ons, sessions with native speakers are an excellent way to gain some real-life experience.
Competitively priced at $299 for all Levels (units 1 to 5), it allows access to up to 5 users.
Each unit is divided into four short lessons, with focus on pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary, with reviews available at regular intervals.
Rosetta Stone software can be installed in 2 computers for simultaneous learning, or accessed via its online version.
Though the online and CD software is very similar, the online version has a few unique features.
It now allows you to read stories, play group or solo games, and has a chatting feature for fine tuning your verbal skills.
Rosetta Stone makes language learning possible across a myriad of mobile devices.
It is available as an app for your IOS (iPad, iPhone) or Android devices.
An online subscription is available in 3, 6, 12 and 36 months, with a one-year subscription priced at $224.
Fluenz
Fluenz offers basic Mandarin over three levels, focusing on how to navigate real-world situations, such as going to a restaurant, renting an apartment, or talking about studies.
Level one teaches you the basics, level two builds on the foundation and level three helps you master Mandarin through a closer look at grammar and language structure.
Fluenz mainly works via CDs, though the program can also be accessed online or via the company’s app.
Lessons begin with dialogues (carried out by bob-native speakers), followed by an explanation of the dialogue, and a series of exercises to complete.
Fluenz offers a more personalized approach to learning a new language.
While Rosetta Stone provides a proven technique to language learning, Fluenz tries to create a course more attuned to the student.
One of its best features is the ability to practice your speaking skills, by recording yourself over a mic and comparing this with the original recording.
Free Options
If you’re not sure whether you want to make a major investment in language software, it may be a good idea to look into some of the free learning apps that have been popping up everywhere.
Though these don’t offer the structure that a serious student of Mandarin will need to gain fluency, they can be a good way to dip your feet in the water and discover whether Mandarin is the right language for you.
- Speechling is an excellent non-profit language platform focused on pronunciation.
- Memrise, Pleco, and Anki are good for learning a fair amount of new words quickly.
- Ninchanese is also great for word-learning, plus it also has grammar, listening, and speaking practice; and all in the form of a game, making it particularly fun.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN THE BEST SOFTWARE FOR LEARNING MANDARIN
Just like the software for learning any other language, the best software for learning Mandarin should offer students learning methods that are designed to meet individual learning styles.
Language software should also make use of different multimedia formats to make learning more interactive and interesting.
Lessons should also combine different language elements to make sure that students don’t get bored by doing repetitive exercises over and over.
A really good program, for instance, would focus on a combination of pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary, covering all the skills that a future fluent speaker would need.
With Mandarin Chinese, however, there should also be a significant component of rote memorization, since this is really the only way to learn the language’s written characters.
The best software for learning Mandarin must not only help students learn the basics of the language, but also help them develop these skills to the level the student is seeking.