Page:The Chinese language and how to learn it.djvu/53

Rh application to the dictionary, but if any one will persevere until he has thoroughly mastered a thousand words he will find that he is in a position to have some appreciation of a novel, to read the Confucian Classics with intelligent interest, and to master the intricacies of any simple business document. He will need help at first, either that of a dictionary or of an expert, to understand any of these thoroughly, for every branch of written Chinese has its special peculiarities, but he will no longer be outside the pale, and he may count on reaching this stage after less than two years of study, though he cannot expect to speak fluently until he has polished up his knowledge in the country itself, in the midst of native surroundings.

Lastly, the tones should on no account be neglected. Some people make light of the necessity of acquiring correct intonation, but they are most assuredly wrong. It is possible that words in common use may be detected by a native even if pronounced in the wrong tone, but there are hundreds of others which will be absolutely unintelligible if the correct intonation is not given. Indeed, a bad accent is a lesser evil than inaccuracy of tone, while the absence of the latter, apart from leading to misunderstanding, is fatal to the rhythmic cadence which is a marked and pleasing feature of the spoken language. It would be almost impossible to arrive at great accuracy of pronunciation without the constant direction of a native or other competent instructor, but errors of pronunciation can, with perseverance, be corrected later on, whereas, unless the habit is formed of associating a word with its proper tone, it will be found very difficult at a later stage to make good this important omission. No written explanation can give precisely the proper note to be sounded in each tone, but an hour's oral instruction will enable any one with a quick ear to pick these up. On the other hand, some people never can learn them properly, and, consequently, often fail to make themselves understood. One golden rule should always be borne in mind in connection with the tones : the second and third tones must almost invariably be emphasized, and the syllable never clipped. Indeed, speaking in general terms, it may be said that if the second and third tones are looked after, the first and fourth will more or less take care of themselves. Not that they should be neglected ; far from it, but they are often not sounded at all, whereas, with the exception of the character