THE CHINESE LANGUAGE (Mandarin) is the most widely spoken language in the world, having more than a billion speakers. The vast majority of Chinese-speaking people are in China (over 980 million), Hong Kong, and Taiwan (19 million). Substantial numbers are in southeast Asia, especially in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Important Chinese-speaking communities are also found in Europe, North and South America, and the Hawaiian Islands. In the United States it is the seventh most studied foreign language.

Chinese differs linguistically from most Western languages: It is monosyllabic, has little inflection, and is tonal (to indicate differences in meaning between words similar in sound, a distinctive relative pitch-high or low-or a distinctive pitch contour-level, rising, or falling is assigned).

As a written language, Chinese has around 56,000 characters known as Kanji. However only a few thousand are needed to write Modern Chinese. In mainland China a simplified writing system composed of 525 simplified characters and 54 simplified basic components of characters is used, whereas in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and overseas regions the traditional script is being used.

TTU offers Beginning (CHIN 1401, 1402) and Second Year (CHIN 2301, CHIN 2302) Chinese language courses as well as a repeatable advanced course (CHIN 4300). These courses may be applied to the Asian Studies interdisciplinary minor.

During the Fall 2003 semester course proposals will be submitted to convert the beginning courses to five Credit hours each (becoming CHIN 1501, CHIN 1502) and to introduce a Chinese Language Minor.

• Chinese Language Courses can be used to satisfy TTU Foreign Language Requirements.
• These courses also can prepare you for exotic and exciting study-abroad opportunities.
     (see http://www.iaff.ttu.edu/Home/OIA/StudyAbroad/BBSABPrograms.asp)

INSTRUCTORS:

Ms. Kathy Wong, GPTI, 17 Foreign Languages Building, 806-742-2758, bbcat2002@yahoo.com

Ms. Chunfang Zhao, GPTI

Chinese instruction is coordinated and supervised by Dr. Sharon Myers, Associate Professor of Applied Lingusitics.

COURSES:

CHIN 1401 Beginning Course in Chinese I, MTWR 3:00-3:50 Ms. Wong, taught fall semesters
CHIN 1402 Beginning Course in Chinese II, taught spring semesters
CHIN 2301 Second Course in Chinese I, MWF 3:00-3:50 Ms. Zhao, taught fall semesters
CHIN 2302 Second Course in Chinese II, taught spring semesters
CHIN 4300 Individual Problems In Chinese. Tentatively to be introduced in Fall 2004

ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR NONDEGREE STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE LUBBOCK COMMUNITY: Persons possessing a bachelors degree or higher may take undergraduate language courses as a Nondegree Student. Admission is simple: Obtain an application at www.ttu.edu/gradschool, apply for admission as a Post Graduate (PRGD) Nondegree Student, pay the $50 application fee, and submit transcripts of all previous college level study. When admitted enroll in the appropriate language course. Once admitted you may register indefinitely in undergraduate TTU courses. For more information contact the CMLL Academic Program Advisor, Liz Hildebrand, liz.hildebrand@ttu.edu, 200 Foreign Languages Building, 806-742-4055.