native speakers of languages other than english: i have questions for y'all

[alphatarget1]

ok first i grew up in hong kong, i spent the first 13 years of my life there. I failed a couple of chinese classes in school but i considered my chinese perfect and fluent.

today, some 6 years not writing chinese at all proved to be fatal to my chinese writing skills. I'd remember the word but not being able to write it out at all. I can read 95+% of chinese still but writing it is close to impossible now. I can't even write pretty simple stuff that i can speak/read with no problem. Anyone else encounters this problem?

for other native speakers out there that speaks other languages: do you find it hard when you try to write in your native language?

 

[Looney]

LOL i've been here since 2 years old... and i quit Chinese school in Grade 1 or 2... so my Chinese is literally at the level of a kindergarten kid... i certainly can't read except for like 50 characters... and i speak as if i'm a 8 year old too.

 

[Anubis]

i have a friend like that at college. he grew up in china. was their till he was 18 i think. he speaks it fine but because his wrighting skills are lacking he has to take it in college

 

[alphatarget1]

i thought it's kinda pathetic when i can't even write simple stuff anymore. haha maybe my German writing skills are better than Chinese LOL

 

[jacob0401]

Happens a lot...first to go is writing then reading...

This is just due to the fact that there is a lack of practice or use and therfore we forget. MYself I spent all my life in the United States and my chinese speaking and comprehension are very high. My speaking and comprehension is great because even though I grew up in the US I spoke Chinese first and now I still can because that's mostly what I speak at home and church. However my reading and writing sucks because I never use it in the United States.

 

[snik]

Am I the only one that was thinking about some weird Chinese speakers (topic title)? To clear the confusion, yes speakers--the things where sound comes from.

 

[UncleWai]

I moved to US when I was 10.
I can't write Chinese either, but I can use ping ying to type Chinese extremely well.
I still think I am 100% Chinese, or Hong kongese to be exact.

 

[Kenny]

I was fluent in cantonese until I was 8.

If I could, I would learn it again, but I've heard its harder to learn a language after 10 years of age or something like that. I'm not saying its impossible, just harder. (and im lazy so why bother)

 

[imported_vr6]

finished second grade in HK and moved over here, i am in the same place as you are. I can read tons, but can't write anything other then my own name... and the reading skills are starting to deteriorate(sp) too...

 

[Looney]

What i wouldn't give to be a fluent speaker in Chinese

 

[benliong]

been here for 5 years now. I don't think I can write Chinese all that well as I should be able to, but I managed to keep reading skill up because I love reading chinese novels.

if you want to write chinese, just use Ping Yin.

 

[HamSupLo]

I took 3 years of Chinese in college but forgot everything by now. Even those white guys in my chinese classes were kicking my ass.

 

[iwearnosox]

Never buy chinese speakers out of a white van, it's a scam.

 

[alphatarget1]

i came home one weekend and my sister challenged me to write my own name... i made some tiny mistakes and my parents were laughing their arses off

i have a picture of what the word looks like, putting it together is extremely hard/impossible though. I guess i can spend the summer working on that but maybe i'm too lazy for that.

 

[NutBucket]

I was born and raised in LA but my mom taught me chinese when i was kid in order to communicate w/ relatives. I never learned how to read or write but most people are fairly impressed with my speaking ability. I really suprised my gf's family. Points++

 

[Shanteli]

I was born here which means I have been totally corrupted by american society Dad is from HK, mom is from Taiwan...I lost 100% of my cantonese ability and 98% of mandarin ability. I can kinda sorta understand mandarin but that is about it. Funny how I can write, speak, and read spanish better than chinese ha!

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
i came home one weekend and my sister challenged me to write my own name... i made some tiny mistakes and my parents were laughing their arses off

i have a picture of what the word looks like, putting it together is extremely hard/impossible though. I guess i can spend the summer working on that but maybe i'm too lazy for that.

LOL spend the summer just learning to write your name? I know how to write my name, though i would give that up to be able to speak it fluently. I can't even order food in a Chinese restaurant without looking like a moron.

 

[alphatarget1]

Originally posted by: benliong
been here for 5 years now. I don't think I can write Chinese all that well as I should be able to, but I managed to keep reading skill up because I love reading chinese novels.

if you want to write chinese, just use Ping Yin.

ping yin isn't chinese!!

I can read my dad's chinese novels, I just can't write anything.

 

[geckojohn]

Any girls out there??

 

[nativesunshine]

Originally posted by: alphatarget1

today, some 6 years not writing chinese at all proved to be fatal to my chinese writing skills. I'd remember the word but not being able to write it out at all. I can read 95+% of chinese still but writing it is close to impossible now. I can't even write pretty simple stuff that i can speak/read with no problem. Anyone else encounters this problem?

I'm exactly the same way..I can speak fluently and I can read somewhat....but I can't write for my life. ONly the basic words...like..."moon"...or something.

 

[alphatarget1]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: alphatarget1
i came home one weekend and my sister challenged me to write my own name... i made some tiny mistakes and my parents were laughing their arses off

i have a picture of what the word looks like, putting it together is extremely hard/impossible though. I guess i can spend the summer working on that but maybe i'm too lazy for that.

LOL spend the summer just learning to write your name? I know how to write my name, though i would give that up to be able to speak it fluently. I can't even order food in a Chinese restaurant without looking like a moron.

no no no spending the summer to learn how to write to my original writing ability! i can write my name of course.

 

[HamSupLo]

i wish my reading was better so i could read all the sleazy stories in the chinese magazines and newspapers

You guys get any love from the fobby chicks? I get shut down when i try busting out my broken mandarin on them.

 

[Looney]

You guys have NO idea how much i envy you guys that can speak it fluently. If i could speak Chinese fluently, i would be rolling in money now.

 

[geckojohn]

Any native hot girls out there?

 

[gunblade]

Well, I think I am much better than most here.

I can read both traditional and simplified, and write a hundred words essay in simplified chinese, with some help from dictionary.

Still I think reading skill is easier to preserve than writing since remembering is tougher but recognizing the character is actually easier.