To support Chinese word and character learning, one simple type of oral language learning is lexical compounding. Lexical compounding is important because putting morphemes together in a structure helps us to read Chinese better. In addition, it is strongly related to vocabulary development. The Chinese game called “word chain game” is one good example of how to do this. In this game, the last morpheme of the word becomes the first morpheme of the next word. (English: campfire--firewall—wallflower—flowerpot—pothole).
Here are two Chinese chains:
例子一：中文-文化-化學-學習-習性-姓名-明白-白色
Mandarin Pinyin: zhōng wén - wén huà - huà xué - xué xí - xí xìng - xìng míng - míng bai - bái sè
Cantonese Pinyin : zung1man4 - man4faa3 - faa3hok6 - hok6zaap6 -
zaap6sing3 - sing3ming4 -ming4baak6 - baak6sik1
例子二：改變-變動-動作-作品-品嚐-嚐試-試題-題目
Mandarin Pinyin: gǎi biàn - biàn dòng - dòng zuò - zuò pǐn - pǐn cháng- cháng shì - shì tí - tí mù
Cantonese Pinyin: goi2bin3 - bin3dung6 -dung6zok3 - zok3ban2 -
ban2soeng4 - soeng4si3 -si3tai4 - tai4muk6
Another way to emphasize lexical compounding is to ask children or adult learners to make up words using morphemes. For example, a boot for an ant would be called an antboot (not a bootant). Here are a few questions we have asked children ages 5-10 tapping this skill:
|
If bracelets on wrists |
Are called “wrist bracelets” |
Then… What would we call bracelets we wear on our ankles? |
Answer: “ankle-bracelets” |
|
If the day we celebrate the establishment of a school |
Is called “school-celebration” |
Then… What would we call the day we celebrate the establishment of a family? |
Answer: “family-celebration” |
|
If soup made out of beans |
Is called “beans-soup” |
Then… What would we call soup made out of eggs? |
Answer: “eggs-soup” |
|
If frogs with bunny ears |
Are called “bunny-ears-frogs” |
Then… What would we call frogs with duck beaks? |
Answer: “duck-beak-frogs” |
|
If bananas with a sweet smell |
Are called “sweet-banana” |
Then… What would we call bananas with a rotten smell? |
Answer: “Rotten-banana” |
|
If oil made out of cows’ milk |
Is called “cow-oil” |
Then… What would we call oil made out of goats’ milk? |
Answer: “goat-oil” |
|
If boots we wear in the rain |
Are called “rain boots” |
Then… What would we call boots we wear in the snow? |
Answer: “snow-boots” |
