I’m currently prepping for my official teaching certification for Mandarin/Chinese, so expect more Mandarin-related notes for the next couple of months. Hope I can get that certificate on my first try ❤️
I just wanted to give a heads-up so the blog doesn’t feel unrecognizable. I’ll still be posting my other language notes. It’s still Meowbrown, just with a new goal added to the mix. Thanks for sticking around!
Experimenting with the idea of listening to different podcasts at different times of the day.
I listen on Apple Podcasts but I think all of them can also be found on Spotify.
Multiple hosts on the show, so it’s more of a conversation and also talks about recent events. Also has some episodes dedicated to learning a new phrase.
I really like Miss Lin’s voice! Talking speed is moderate and calm. Miss Lin also has a YouTube channel.
Learn Taiwanese Mandarin With Miss Lin Podcast│Taiwanese Mandarin Conversation│Taiwanese culture
This podcast isn’t for the purpose of learning Mandarin. The topics it discusses are around career/personal development, which gives a nice mental boost after a day in the office.
Relatively new podcast. It’s like looking into Ms. Chin’s diary while she is writing it. Filled with personal thoughts which feels okay to fall asleep in the middle of it. Very calming and a nice for language immersion.
Ms.Chin’s Bedtime Mandarin: Learn Taiwanese Mandarin in Your Sleep
I really like podcasts nowadays due to I can do other stuff while listening. (Well except for the bedtime one??? But I’m also doing “sleeping”)
In Traditional Chinese, most commonly used is 反覆，not 反復，and then if you want to say 重複 it’s a different word. I think the best way to remember is that it is how it is. 🫣
覆 contains the component for “to cover” or “to flip” (like a lid), the 覀 on top. Imagine a pancake being flipped. You flip it over, then back again.
複 has the radical 衤 which is also known as 衣 makes you think of clothes so you have layers and layers of clothes. Imagine layers of clothing. You aren’t “flipping” your shirt; you are putting one layer on top of another “duplicate” layer.
For example:
這段錄音很不清楚，我反覆聽了好幾遍才聽懂。
This recording is very unclear; I listened to it over and over (carefully/repeatedly) before I finally understood it.
You are “turning the audio over” in your mind to extract meaning.
這首歌太好聽了，我整天都在重複聽。
This song is so good, I’ve been listening to it on repeat (again and again) all day.
You are simply “duplicating” the experience because you enjoy it.