The Chinese Language: Its History and Current Usage

Daniel Kane's "The Chinese Language" is presented as a linguistic survey of Chinese, but also includes a wealth of commentary on teaching and learning Chinese as a second language. While Kane's linguistic analysis is thorough and interesting and his explication of the language and its dialects refreshingly up-to-date, I was disappointed to see a rather dated approach to methods of study for the CSL learner. This book was published in 2006. Are learning radicals by rote and using classic dictionaries from the 70s and 80s still the most effective means for studying Chinese? What about electronic dictionaries (with hand-writing recognition that makes searching for a character by radical almost obsolete) or online learning resources that include video and audio? Surely Kane is interested in using these more modern methods to teach Chinese as a second language. Aside from this minor flaw, this is a wonderfully readable and detailed introduction to the language for anyone considering studying, teaching or working with modern Chinese. Nathan Dummitt author of Chinese Through Tone & Color

I have studied Chinese for 17 years and have read many, many books on Chinese. This is not a classroom book for learning Chinese. But it is a wonderful adjunct. Beginners and advanced students alike would find it of interest, as would any linguistically oriented person wanting an introduction to this remarkable language.

For most enthusiasts of the Chinese language, this recently published book is a must-have. The scope and depth of coverage are perfect for light browsing and careful reading, by those who don't know "Ni hau ma?" to those who have studied in school. Very many important specifics are nicely summarized and presented in an order that makes sense. For anyone who wants to master the language, this book will inevitably be helpful. It even briefly lists all the complicated basics of referring to family relatives! PHIL :)

I think that everybody who is starting to learn Chinese should read Kane's book, because he really paints the "big picture" of the language, warts and all, and this will help make your study more efficient. The book is extremely interesting and very well crafted---I read the first half in one sitting, it's that good. Some of the information contained within is grim---it takes 520 hours to reach a reasonable level in French, but 2500 hours to reach a similar level in Chinese---but if you're interested in learning Chinese, this book will help you considerably, as you'll know what you're getting into. :)

Daniel Kane's The Chinese Language provides a kind of high-level conceptual road map to the Chinese language. The purpose of this book is not to teach Chinese, but to give prospective students an idea of what it would mean to learn Chinese. He has chapters on Chinese characters, the history and various dialectics of the Chinese language, as well as Chinese grammar, pronunciation, and usage. Kane answered a lot of the questions I had before picking it up: Should I learn Mandarin or Cantonese?, How difficult is Chinese grammar?, How many characters will I really need to memorize in order to read a newspaper?, etc. He writes with an engaging style and imparts a sense of authority. It's clear that he has developed a genuine love for the language. After finishing this book, I have a much better sense of how to get started with actually learning Chinese. I'd recommend this short volume to anyone who has marvelled at the beauty of the Chinese language and wanted to know more about its mysteries.