This revised and updated edition of the Chinese Primer--an introductory textbook in wide use for more than a decade--uses proven techniques to put beginning learners of Mandarin Chinese on the path toward true mastery. The goal of the book is internalization--to lead students to adopt Chinese as one of their own languages and not to regard it merely as an object of study and translation. Features include: Use of hànyu pinyin romanization Rigorous foundation work in pronunciation, including tones and the other special phonemes that are crucial to mastery Lesson texts that combine authentic, natural Chinese expression with lively everyday topics that allow students to immediately begin using Chinese themselves Carefully designed incremental introduction of grammar, accompanied by thorough and precise notes Completely revised notes that link Chinese language to Chinese culture-such as names, modes of address, and conventions of politeness Additional lessons for self-study during the summer following a first-year course A completely revised character workbook that introduces both traditional and simplified characters and that simulates the way native speakers learn characters as children: in small doses that eventually "catch up" with speaking ability Like its earlier edition, The Chinese Primer: Revised Edition is composed of three integrated volumes: (1) the Blue Book [Lessons]: introduction; foundation work on pronunciation; lesson dialogues in romanized Chinese and English; appendices; glossary-index; (2) the Red Book [Notes and Exercises]: vocabularies; grammar notes and culture notes keyed to the lessons; exercises; and (3) the Yellow Book [Character Workbook]. (There is also a fourth volume, the Green Book [Pinyin Character Text], which is sold separately.) Texts of the lessons are in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters, and there is a Chinese introduction for teachers.

This revised and updated edition of the Chinese Primer--an introductory textbook in wide use for more than a decade--uses proven techniques to put beginning learners of Mandarin Chinese on the path toward true mastery. The goal of the book is internalization--to lead students to adopt Chinese as one of their own languages and not to regard it merely as an object of study and translation. Features include: Use of hànyu pinyin romanization Rigorous foundation work in pronunciation, including tones and the other special phonemes that are crucial to mastery Lesson texts that combine authentic, natural Chinese expression with lively everyday topics that allow students to immediately begin using Chinese themselves Carefully designed incremental introduction of grammar, accompanied by thorough and precise notes Completely revised notes that link Chinese language to Chinese culture-such as names, modes of address, and conventions of politeness Additional lessons for self-study during the summer following a first-year course A completely revised character workbook that introduces both traditional and simplified characters and that simulates the way native speakers learn characters as children: in small doses that eventually "catch up" with speaking ability Like its earlier edition, The Chinese Primer: Revised Edition is composed of three integrated volumes: (1) the Blue Book [Lessons]: introduction; foundation work on pronunciation; lesson dialogues in romanized Chinese and English; appendices; glossary-index; (2) the Red Book [Notes and Exercises]: vocabularies; grammar notes and culture notes keyed to the lessons; exercises; and (3) the Yellow Book [Character Workbook]. (There is also a fourth volume, the Green Book [Pinyin Character Text], which is sold separately.) Texts of the lessons are in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters, and there is a Chinese introduction for teachers.

Four experienced teachers of beginning Chinese have developed this introductory textbook. A pilot edition has been tested widely in classrooms and refined over a period of years. Among its salient features are lessons that are lively, amusing, and relevant to everyday life: concentrated training of ear and tongue in the sound system of Chinese; extensive grammar notes, clearly presented, with attention to mistakes English-speakers are likely to make; a carefully sequenced character workbook embodying a new and effective approach to the learning of Chinese characters; and audiovisual reinforcement via a complete set of audiotapes and two videotapes, one of which offers entertaining dramatizations of the lesson dialogues. The Chinese Primer is available in two versions, one using the GR system of romanization, which employs different spellings instead of diacritical marks for different tones, the other using Pinyin romanization. The contents of the four volumes are as follows: (1) Blue Book [Lessons]: Introduction; foundation work on pronunciation; lesson dialogues in romanized Chinese and English; appendices; glossary-index. (2) Red Book [Notes and Exercises]: Vocabularies; grammar notes and culture notes keyed to the lessons; exercises. (3) Yellow Book [Character Workbook]: workbook. (4) Green Book [Pinyin Character Text]: Texts of the lessons in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters, and a Chinese introduction for teachers. The first three volumes: Blue Book, Red Book, and Yellow Book are sold as a set GR Set or Pinyin Set). In addition, the GR Blue Book [Lessons], GR Red Book [Notes and Exercises], and GR Yellow Book [Character Workbook], along with the Pinyin Green Book [Pinyin Character Text] are sold separately. The GR Audio and video materials are available from the Chinese Linguistics Project at Princeton University for use with this text. These supplementary materials are not published by Princeton University Press. For further information and prices, contact the Chinese Linguistics Project, 231 Palmer Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. 08544. (609-258-4269).

Four experienced teachers of beginning Chinese have developed this introductory textbook. A pilot edition has been tested widely in classrooms and refined over a period of years. Among its salient features are lessons that are lively, amusing, and relevant to everyday life: concentrated training of ear and tongue in the sound system of Chinese; extensive grammar notes, clearly presented, with attention to mistakes English-speakers are likely to make; a carefully sequenced character workbook embodying a new and effective approach to the learning of Chinese characters; and audiovisual reinforcement via a complete set of audiotapes and two videotapes, one of which offers entertaining dramatizations of the lesson dialogues. The Chinese Primer is available in two versions, one using the GR system of romanization, which employs different spellings instead of diacritical marks for different tones, the other using Pinyin romanization. The contents of the four volumes are as follows: (1) Blue Book [Lessons]: Introduction; foundation work on pronunciation; lesson dialogues in romanized Chinese and English; appendices; glossary-index. (2) Red Book [Notes and Exercises]: Vocabularies; grammar notes and culture notes keyed to the lessons; exercises. (3) Yellow Book [Character Workbook]: workbook. (4) Green Book [ Pinyin Character Text ]: Texts of the lessons in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters, and a Chinese introduction for teachers. The first three volumes: Blue Book, Red Book, and Yellow Book are sold as a set (GR Set or Pinyin Set). In addition, the GR Blue Book [Lessons], GR Red Book [Notes and Exercises], and GR Yellow Book [Character Workbook], along with the Pinyin Green Book [Pinyin Character Text] are sold separately. The GR Audio and video materials are available from the Chinese Linguistics Project at Princeton University for use with this text. These supplementary materials are not published by Princeton University Press. For further information and prices, contact the Chinese Linguistics Project, 231 Palmer Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. 08544. (609-258-4269).

As the teaching of Chinese increasingly uses simplified characters, this new version of the popular A Primer for Advanced Beginners of Chinese fills an important gap in Chinese-language instruction. The two-volume primer is addressed to meet the needs of the rapidly growing number of Chinese language students who were raised in the United States in Chinese-speaking homes and speak the language but cannot read or write it. This text develops lessons around readings on Chinese history, culture, geography, literature, folktales and mythology, customs, and cuisine.

"Forty lessons designed to introduce beginning students to the basic patterns and structures of Classical Chinese are taken from a number of pre-Han and Han texts selected to give students a grounding in exemplary Classical Chinese style. Two additional lessons use texts from later periods to help students appreciate the changes in written Chinese over the centuries.Each lesson consists of a text, a vocabulary list featuring discussions of meaning and usage, explanations of grammar, and explications of difficult passages. The standard modern Chinese, Japanese, and Korean pronunciations are indicated for each character, making this a learning tool for native speakers of those languages as well.Appendices give suggestions for further readings, review common and significant words, explain the radical system, and provide Japanese kanbun readings for all the selections. Glossaries of all vocabulary items and pronunciation indexes for modern Chinese and Korean are also included."