Lockdown Language Learning

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The Language Centre is pleased to offer students, staff and members of the public the opportunity to avail of free, online and accessible language learning resources at beginners level in French, German, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish. These resources are intended to help as many people as possible to consider picking up a new language in a positive way to make use of our time during the lockdown fight against pandemic.

Each language learning resource consists of 5 lessons over a 5- or 10-week period. Each week/fortnight you will have 2 hours of pre-recorded language tuition in the form of a number of videos, accessible via these web-pages. There will also be a weekly/bi-weekly live follow-up ‘clinic’, facilitated by your tutor. In these clinics, the content from the pre-recorded tuition can be expanded upon, questions answered and further examples provided. There is no related assessment and you can sign up for as many languages as you wish. Dates for the weekly, live classes can be found on the individual web-pages for each language.

For full details and registration, click the button below.

Lockdown Language Learning

Celebrating UN Chinese Language Day

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Here’s more for you to explore:

The date for the Chinese day was selected from Guyu (“Rain of Millet”), which is the 6th of 24 solar terms in the traditional East Asian calendars, to pay tribute to Cangjie. Cangjie is a very important figure in ancient China, claimed to be an official historian of the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters. Legend has it that he had four eyes and four pupils, and that when he invented the characters, the deities and ghosts cried and the sky rained millet. From then on, Chinese people celebrate the day Guyu in honour of Cangjie. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around April 20.

The UN

To celebrate the UN Chinese Language Day as part of the promotion of multilingualism and cultural diversity, ALL Queen’s staff members and students are welcome to sign up for the Taste of Mandarin Chinese online course which is a self-paced learning resource.

Chinese LIG moving online

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Dear all,

Due to the outbreak of corona virus and to reduce the risk of exposure, we are moving the Chinese LIG online, using MS Teams. Students and staff members will be able to join using University login via QOL. You are able to download the App to your own devices for use.

The schedule remains as it is for March currently. We will review it according to future availability and new practice.

Chinese LIG starting in March

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Following our successful celebrations of CNY 2020 at Queen’s, we are pleased to update you that the Chinese Language Interest Group (Chinese LIG) will be up and running. This is a student-led learning community that aims to enhance a better understanding of Chinese culture through learning its language, with social activities taking place throughout the academic year. It is led by voluntary Chinese students for learners of Chinese or anyone who’s genuinely interested in Chinese language and culture at Queen’s and beyond. You do not have to be registered for a Mandarin Chinese course in order to attend, nor do you need to have a high language level to begin with. All you need is the enthusiasm and willingness to participate in and contribute to group activities, online or onsite. 

To better inform us about your availability for participation, we would like to run a poll for the most mutually convenient time slots. Would you please select the slots for attendance by completing the online poll by Sunday 01/03 so that we could firm up the slots?

If you would like to attend a Chinese class with Language Centre, our 3rd semester enrolment is open  now until Thursday 16th April. See Language Centre Website for details.

We wish you every success in your study of the Chinese language.

Original image from Pixabay

Chinese Culture Quiz Award

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Thanks for your participation in the Chinese Culture Quiz 2020 as part of the Chinese New Year celebrations at Queen’s. We are very pleased to announce this year’s winners after reviewing the answers and making a lucky draw:

From left to right: Shamisha Tew (Law), Jianchun Yang (Management), Emma McCarthy (star winner, Mathematics), Noemi Rodriguez Dominguez (Student Guidance Centre), Sihua Tang (Education) and Rubern Rajasivam (Medicine)

Congratulations! We hope that you all have enjoyed the CNY celebrations so far. Our Chinese Culture Forum 2020 and Chinese Language Interest Group events remain active and you are very welcome to contribute to these programmes.

If you look to attend a language course, online registration will be open from FRIDAY 21 FEBRUARY at 00:30 until THURSDAY 16 APRIL at 17:00 for all classes starting Week beginning Monday 20 APRIL 2020. You may find the course schedule and registration links via the Language Centre website.

CCF2020 Album

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Thanks, everyone, for your active participation in the celebrations of Year of The Mouse at Queen’s!

We are grateful to the students and staff members who contributed to the vibrant cultural activities and, in particular, the informative and inspiring culture talks delivered by:

  • Dr Aglaia De Angeli (HAPP/History)
  • Dr Ibrar Bhatt (SSESW/Education)
  • Ms Rui Sun (PhD candidate, AEL/Languages)
  • Ms Beidi Wang (MSc candidate, Management)
  • Prof Nathan Congdon (Centre for Public Health)

Some of the presentations and follow-up resources are uploaded with an overall link to the Chinese Culture Forum 2020 page and you are very welcome to read and to contact the presenters for further communication.

Our CCF2020 forum remains open for new talks and we would appreciate your contributions to this further development of the forum. Please reply to us if you would like to propose a topic for discussion.

CHINESE CINEMA

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YOUNG PROGRAMMERS SELECTION – Diversity of Chinese Cinema and Minority Groups in China

“There are 56 ethnic groups in China. The diverse stories of different ethnic groups on the screen contributes to the diversity of Chinese cinema. Both the collections of classic Chinese films and films of Chinese minority ethnic groups involve films that are made by the most prominent Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Generation of Chinese Filmmakers and the latest new filmmakers of China.

From the film The Horse Thief made in the year 1986 to the River Road made in 2014, the Chinese film industry and film cultures witnessed massive changes. While the Chinese film industries growing rapidly during these years, the major roles that used to be played by the state-owned studios are now played by different types of producers. In recent years, the films that tell stories about minority ethnic groups are frequently paid attention to by the worldwide audiences.”

— Li Peize
  • Li Peize
  • Co-editors-in-chief, Frames Cinema Journal
  • PhD Candidate, University of St. Andrews, 2017 – to date
  • MA in Film Studies, Queen’s University Belfast, 2016
Continue reading →

Chinese Culture Quiz 2020

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Here comes the Quiz time!

While you are joining in the celebration of the CNY2020 events, why not take a chance to challenge yourself a bit by answering the quiz?

You will be able to find the quiz sheets in red envelopes in the McClay Library and around campus. Answer the questions in the quiz before Monday 10th Feb and win your chance to be awarded a prize! Alternatively, you can download a copy below.

Chinese-Culture-Quiz-2020Download