Posted on May 31, 2024
How can my young son learn Mandarin Chinese safely, without Communist influence?
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I expect Mandarin Chinese to be an increasingly strategically valuable language, and I understand it is uniquely challenging to get right when you start learning it later in life.
My son is in early elementary school; what programs or apps or curricula could he use to learn Mandarin without Chinese influence or surveillance? I'm suspicious of the cartoons I see to teach Mandarin as I'm concerned they CCP influence. What's the best and safest way for my son to learn Mandarin?
My son is in early elementary school; what programs or apps or curricula could he use to learn Mandarin without Chinese influence or surveillance? I'm suspicious of the cartoons I see to teach Mandarin as I'm concerned they CCP influence. What's the best and safest way for my son to learn Mandarin?
Chinese (Mandarin)
208X4A: Linguist - Chinese (Mandarin)
Mandarin Chinese 
Foreign Languages
Defense Language Institute
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
Best? Can't comment if it is or not, but if you eligible for MWR access, then you can learn Mandarin Chinese online for free. Access it through https://dodmwrlibraries.org/
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CDR Jim M.
Years ago as a junior high school student I was fortunate to take Mandarin for two years for a native speaker. We spent a LOT of time in San Francisco on weekends in Chinatown where Mandarin was spoken but we got better treatment speaking Cantonese and learned small amounts of Shanghainese. Many years later I found my old skills benefitted me in intel assignments. The key is, learn when you are young and the brain is most adaptable to new languages. If he is learning it in CONUS it's unlikely a sympathizer would be teaching it. 祝你兒子好運！(good luck to your son!)
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
CDR Jim M. - "I Wish Your Son Good Luck"
Having A Native Speaker Of The Language Being Taught Is Imperative...
Although Many Gringos Speak Spanish, MOST Have That "Gringo Accent", Including The Teachers, If They're Not Native Speaking Teachers
Oddly Enough It Was My Sister-In-Law, Andrea, Whom Taught Me To Pronounce The Words Properly.... It's Simply By Learning The CORRECT Sounds Of The Vowels ~ ~
~~ BOOM, It's A Home Run !! ~~ Just THAT Easy, And Only Takes A Few Minutes.
Having A Native Speaker Of The Language Being Taught Is Imperative...
Although Many Gringos Speak Spanish, MOST Have That "Gringo Accent", Including The Teachers, If They're Not Native Speaking Teachers
Oddly Enough It Was My Sister-In-Law, Andrea, Whom Taught Me To Pronounce The Words Properly.... It's Simply By Learning The CORRECT Sounds Of The Vowels ~ ~
~~ BOOM, It's A Home Run !! ~~ Just THAT Easy, And Only Takes A Few Minutes.
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You're Absolutely Correct:
We Learn Languages Both Better And Fasted In Our Youth,
And Less So As We Age, ~~But Here's "Why"..... At Birth We Have A Large Volume
Of A Chemical In Our Brain Used Exclusively For Learning Languages; And It Dissipates As We Become Older Until Very Little Remains...
We Learn Languages Both Better And Fasted In Our Youth,
And Less So As We Age, ~~But Here's "Why"..... At Birth We Have A Large Volume
Of A Chemical In Our Brain Used Exclusively For Learning Languages; And It Dissipates As We Become Older Until Very Little Remains...
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SSG Roger Ayscue
I explained it to my daughter once, as she was regaling me with the finer points about Spiderman's gloves, that the human brain is like an old computer hard drive. It can only hold so many bytes. When it gets full, it begins to overwrite older stuff. So she needed to be careful telling me such details or it might fill my brain up and overwrite something I needed to remember, like how to breathe. She did not get it.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
SSG Roger Ayscue -
~"OOPS"~.
Not Long Ago I Was Wondering "Why Do Some People Seem To Remember More Things Than Others"?.. And This Is What I Discovered ~ Read ~ Deduced ~ Etc. ~ In Our Brains Grey Matter, There Are Various Sections, With Some Larger Than Others And They're Similar To Files ~ The Larger The Files, The More Information They Can Retain...,
~~ I Thought It To Be Quite Interesting & It Does Help To Explain "Why I Have Trouble Remembering Who I Am & Why I'm Typing This." (:-)> ~~ It's Old Age, Coupled With Ignorance, And a LOT of Stupidity.. But Most Of What I Just Said IS True....But Which Part?.. Go Ahead ~ Guess!
~"OOPS"~.
Not Long Ago I Was Wondering "Why Do Some People Seem To Remember More Things Than Others"?.. And This Is What I Discovered ~ Read ~ Deduced ~ Etc. ~ In Our Brains Grey Matter, There Are Various Sections, With Some Larger Than Others And They're Similar To Files ~ The Larger The Files, The More Information They Can Retain...,
~~ I Thought It To Be Quite Interesting & It Does Help To Explain "Why I Have Trouble Remembering Who I Am & Why I'm Typing This." (:-)> ~~ It's Old Age, Coupled With Ignorance, And a LOT of Stupidity.. But Most Of What I Just Said IS True....But Which Part?.. Go Ahead ~ Guess!
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From the mid 1930's until the mid 1970's Spain was a Fascist country (under Franco) yet many U.S. schools taught Spanish and those kids didn't grow up to be Fascist, (well until recently). I speak Spanish, some French and some German, learning German did not make me a Nazi. And I can bet you that the "white nationalist" here don't even speak German and yet they are nazis. I for one would love to learn Mandarin or some dialect of Chinese
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LTC Jorge Cordero
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA - I was replying to the original question, to paraphrase, Is my son going to become a "commie" if he learns Mandarin?
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
LTC Jorge Cordero I'm not concerned about the language itself. As stated in the OP, I'm concerned about CCP influence on Mandarin educational materials.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA -
I Think You're More Concerned With What His Father Wants,
Instead Of Your Sons Interests.. It Should Be Worth A 2nd Look.
Your Wants Vs His Future Employment. ~~ Which Of Those Two Is The Most Important?
Should That Not Be The Best Question To Be Faced?
~ No Commandments ~ Just Better Options~
I Think You're More Concerned With What His Father Wants,
Instead Of Your Sons Interests.. It Should Be Worth A 2nd Look.
Your Wants Vs His Future Employment. ~~ Which Of Those Two Is The Most Important?
Should That Not Be The Best Question To Be Faced?
~ No Commandments ~ Just Better Options~
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The best language program out there, I learned both Spanish and Chinese https://offers.pimsleur.com/free-trial-nb-paid-search-us-all-access?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwg8qzBhAoEiwAWagLrDi7zVtYEpC2QJ-2VQbXHiFQ1SHpN5I-P73qtyc_3KQpkhm9E65KIxoCCpgQAvD_BwE
Start Free Trial | Learn a New Language Now
Learn a New Language Now
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SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA
Thank you! I've been learning Ukrainian through Pimsleur on Audible. How's your accent in Chinese?
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
You're Making Decisions For A FIRST GRADER?
LET The Kid GROW UP,
THEN Give HIM Choices...
Chuletta Que Clase de Senor Tenemos Aqiu?
~"MIER- COLES"~ Que Va "MIERDA"!
LET The Kid GROW UP,
THEN Give HIM Choices...
Chuletta Que Clase de Senor Tenemos Aqiu?
~"MIER- COLES"~ Que Va "MIERDA"!
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Actually I Have A Question:
#1...Why Do You Believe Learning Chinese Is Important For Him?
#2... Is There Some Special Reason He'll Be Needing It? ~ Perhaps Employment.
#3... Since Spanish Is Needed More & More, Why Would You Want Him To Learn Chinese,
Instead Of Of A Language He Can Use Every Day?
~
If I Were He, But I'm Not Of Course; If I Were To Learn An Additional Language,
I'd Want It To Be Something I Can Use Regularly, And Often Enough To Remember~
~Rather Than A Language I'd Use In Rare Instances, Which Would Gradually Cause The Loss Of It's Use
#1...Why Do You Believe Learning Chinese Is Important For Him?
#2... Is There Some Special Reason He'll Be Needing It? ~ Perhaps Employment.
#3... Since Spanish Is Needed More & More, Why Would You Want Him To Learn Chinese,
Instead Of Of A Language He Can Use Every Day?
~
If I Were He, But I'm Not Of Course; If I Were To Learn An Additional Language,
I'd Want It To Be Something I Can Use Regularly, And Often Enough To Remember~
~Rather Than A Language I'd Use In Rare Instances, Which Would Gradually Cause The Loss Of It's Use
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
SPC Elijah J. Henry, MBA -
That's What I Heard Also, Is He A Slow Learner
Or Just Not Interested In What You Want Him To Do,
Instead Of What He Wants To Do With His Own Future?
~~ Have You Asked Him What He Wants To Do? ~~
That's What I Heard Also, Is He A Slow Learner
Or Just Not Interested In What You Want Him To Do,
Instead Of What He Wants To Do With His Own Future?
~~ Have You Asked Him What He Wants To Do? ~~
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